Jarvis Jones thinks Dogs’ defense just as good as LSU’s, ‘if not better’
Georgia linebacker Jarvis Jones (L) may have inadverently threw down a challenge to LSU when he talked up the Dogs' defense on Monday. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
ATHENS – It was a simple question that was posed to Georgia’s Jarvis Jones during a teleconference call with reporters on Monday. The sophomore outside linebacker was asked if he thought the Bulldogs’ defense was somewhat overshadowed by LSU’s and how he thought the two units stacked up.
Jones answered it quickly and honestly.
“I mean, everybody praises LSU defense, but I know we’ve got a pretty good defense,” said Jones, the SEC’s leader in quarterback sacks with 13.5. “We’re not cocky at all. We’re just going to play. We do our job and get after it on the field. We like having fun. We love playing football. We’re aggressive. We play just as well as them. A lot of people don’t give us credit [for] how we play. I think we play two different styles.”
Then came the line that caught everybody’s attention.
Said Jones: “I think our defense is just as good as theirs, if not better.”
That statement, tweeted out by several reporters, reverberated all the way to Baton Rouge. LSU wide receiver Russell Shephard quickly noticed it on Twitter and forwarded it to his teammates with the message, “is this guy serious?” That was followed by more than a few “ha-ha’s” and multiple exclamation points.
Suddenly, a little interleague argument has developed between the teams about which one has the best defense. Not surprisingly, Jones’ teammates have come to his defense, so to speak.
“He said it, so I’m going to back him up,” Georgia safety Bacarri Rambo said. “I’m going to be right there with him. That’s my brother, that’s my family, so whatever he says we’re all going to back him up. . . . I also can say I believe we have one of the best defenses in the country, right up there with the LSUs. We have some very talented guys on the defensive side of the ball, too, and I can back it up when I say that.”
Said junior linebacker Christian Robinson: “Look at the numbers. We’re hanging. We’re up there in numbers, too. If we go out there and do what we’re supposed to do on this Saturday, we can end up better than they are not just in the numbers but by winning the game. You don’t want to get into word battles, but if they want to go and say things like [Shephard said], that’s the worse thing to do. There has been a lot of teams that go out there and run their mouth a lot and get beat.”
LSU is ranked slightly ahead of Georgia in every major defensive category and the Tigers have done it against a tougher overall schedule. But the Bulldogs are no slouches. They, too, rank as a Top 10 defense. Following are the latest national rankings:
LSU——-Category———Georgia
2——–Total Def.———-5
4——–Rush Def.———-6
3——-Pass Eff. D———-4
2——–Scoring D———10
6——–Passing D———11
16———Sacks————17
The one thing Georgia feels it may have going for it on Saturday is a more diversified offense. The Tigers are very much a run-first offense while the Bulldogs throw the ball a little more. Georgia feels the Tigers’ propensity for wanting to run the ball straight at opponents with their bevy of big backs and dare them to stop it actually plays into its hands.
“They’re not going to go away from their game scheme, so we’ve just got to bow up,” Georgia safety Bacarri Rambo said. “We’ve got to keep attacking and making tackles and not allow big plays. We know they’re going to run the ball, so we’ve just got to be prepared for it.”
Said Robinson: “I think we’ve shown we can hang with teams that run it. Auburn relied heavily on the run and we shut them down. LSU is not shy about their run game. That’s all they want to do and then they’ve got some receivers that can go get it. So we’ll take the challenge, not in a cocky way, but we can hang. So we’ll be ready.”
Said Jones: “It’s a challenge for us as a defense. But you always want to be challenged and you want to step up accomplish those challenges. So it’s going to be a big day for us and we’re looking forward to it.”
An intriguing matchup just got more intriguing, don’t you think?
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683 comments Add your comment
ALBANYDOG
November 30th, 2011
11:36 am
TO THE MAN WHO WROTE JARVIS BEEN OUT SMOKING YOU MAD , BECAUSE YOUR KID NOT AT UUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGAAAAAAAAAA CRY BABY
MarkDShark
November 30th, 2011
11:39 am
With Bama & LSU playing Florida before UGA did, and with both Bama & LSU punishing Florida with the ground game, and with a week off to prepare, UGA shows up in JAX and decides they’re gonna throw???
Result is that Florida was blown out by both Bama & LSU, but almost beat UGA. They were unquestionably still in the game late into the 4th quarter.
Hope the UGA gameplanning has improved or it’s gonna be a long, sad bus ride back to Athens.
Joemac
November 30th, 2011
11:45 am
@JL, Just a note…LSU turns the ball over less than UGA, LSU also blew out Auburn, but they also blew out Florida,Ole Miss, and Tennessee, 3 teams that UGA struggled to beat. And you continue to cry about the S. Carolina game. The bottom line is that they scored more points, therefore they got a W. If your team had less turnovers, you might have won, but, that is part of the game. The best team in the East won that day, and I still think they are better than UGA. They also won 10 games. However they won 10 games after kicking the starting QB off the team, and losing the best or maybe 2d best running back in the SEC to injury, and later on the 2d and 3d team RB’s. Do you seriously think that UGA would be 10-2 with Hutson Mason starting for 6 games, and Ken Malcome and whoever else running the ball. Not a chance, even with the weak schedule they played this season.
steve eaux
November 30th, 2011
1:23 pm
if latimoore doesn’t get hurt, uga doesn’t even win the broken down east. dawns lost to the only talent they played all year. beating up on the red headed step child known as auburn doesn’t give u bragging rights. get real dawn fans. lsu 31 uga 10
Curtis Coleman
November 30th, 2011
1:28 pm
Serious?? Georgia does not have a prayer. They have not beaten anyone this year and wanted to fire the coach a few months ago. And just so the puppies know, even if you did pull off the biggest upset of the year you still can’t go to the Sugar Bowl. ONLY 2 teams from the SEC can go to a BCS game and that will be Bama and LSU. Murray won’t last the 1st half and if you think you are gonna “wear down” LSU, you have not watched LSU play this year. The Tigers are 9 deep on the DL, 8 deep in the DBs, 8 deep on the OL and you will never have any field position with the LSU punter. In 12 games LSU has given up 6 YARDS TOTAL in punt returns. The puppies already made the SEC look bad in the Boise game and will look like little girls saturday. Remember, the Honey Badger takes what he wants…..
Dr.EB
November 30th, 2011
1:59 pm
I will give Georgia a puncher’s chance unlike I woud have three or four weeks ago. However, I am taking LSU by about 14.
Alabama Dog
November 30th, 2011
2:31 pm
bamarolltide: where’s YOUR team playing Saturday?
gtfanfrom1951
November 30th, 2011
2:46 pm
Georgie offense is not as good as Arkansas. LSU defense is second best in the country. Bama has the best defense. UGA 14— LSU 45 or more
LogicalUS
November 30th, 2011
3:29 pm
Good lord, just hope none of the UGA players taunt the LSU coaches in the next two days.
Look the UGA defense is a shell of what LSU is bring to this game.
It is sad to reflect on the still delusional UGA fans. Let’s not pretend that this isn’t the defense which was gashed by Vandy just a couple of weeks ago and had to depend on a punter’s tackle in the last minute nor that this juggernaut of an offense was stoned by UK?
Just be thankful that a scheduling quirk got you to the game.
JL
November 30th, 2011
4:31 pm
@JoeMac…if W’s are what matter then be quiet about SC being the best team in the East! We won more SEC games than they did. And LSU is good…no doubt, but not unstoppable. (WKU had your offense stopped for almost 3 qtrs) And LSU probably should win, but the reality is nothing like the delusions you have…LSU is #1, but by slim margains is all i’m saying. And speaking to the SC game you brought up…QB, Garcia was an off and on starter. And We were missing several starters due to injury…like 2 starting LBs (imp against the run if you didn’t know…we had two first time starters in). Plus I guess the players suspended in game one also hurt us too…but you’d know nothing of that being an LSU fan…Les Myles is a joke at discipline…JJ and over-hyped Honey Beaver get 1 game suspensions when they should be off the team. and by the way “off the team” is where our 1st and 2nd string RB’s are…off the team b/c they got dismissed by CMR as they should have been for behavior or b/c our Univ. has academic standards that are enforced. and btw Malcome is 4th string RB (was scout team), so do some homework about rosters!! And with SoS…we beat who we played the last 10 games…can’t do more…can’t compare too much the teams either b/c Arkansas is a joke…like you said only team they beat this season is an SC team with it’s “Best QB” and best running back gone. And you played UF with it’s 3rd string QB and auburn with a first time starter (we played against Brantley and Mosely after he started 5 games. You only beat Bama b/c they missed 4 FGs, your team didn’t win they lost. Your win vs Oregon??Oregon got beat by Lane Kiffin’s average USC Team and your vistory over them was w/o LaMichael James. Face it, you are mad and scared b/c this is true, your offense is weak (Georgia Southern FCS school ran for more yards against Bama than you did), and the media hype will turn if you lose to us. AND LSU is good! very good! but not unbeatable like you say, and UGA is not garbage like you say. UGA is good and it’s just too bad we don’t have a system that allows the teams playing the best at the end of the season to play. And if you play Bama again after losing to us…that would be a non conference champ playing a non division champ for the national champ…it’s messed up. Play it off and these things go away. Either way Bama wins NC either way. quit being so one sided, show some proper respect, cheer hard, and realize LSU football isn’t the only program that has talent.
bamarolltide
November 30th, 2011
4:34 pm
Alabama Dog my team is relaxing hoping your “Puppies” get a lucky shot or two in and at least make a few of the LSU players banged up for our NAWLINS Showdown! If you come over to the AL/GA Stateline we might give you a few old rags from your torn Blackout Tshirts as Crying Towels!! ROLL TIDE!!
Section217
November 30th, 2011
5:17 pm
You spelled Shepard wrong.
RiffRaff
November 30th, 2011
5:29 pm
Here we go again, now Sanders Commings is jabbing. Here’s an idea, don’t worry about if you think your defense is better that the other guys D, you need to be better than the other guys offense.
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/45495464/ns/sports-college_football/
dawgfan4life
November 30th, 2011
6:18 pm
man its bad when your own state is against you. on espn there is a poll LSU or GEORGIA and 21% of the state voted for Georgia. that sucks when your own state is against you. but dont worry guys go out there and proved the whole nation wrong. no matter what win or loose i will be there to support you guys.
LogicalUS
November 30th, 2011
8:02 pm
“SC being the best team in the East! We won more SEC games than they did”
Hate to break it to ya but SC has owned the SEC EAST for the past two years.
They are 9-1 with the only loss in the crazy UK games last season.
That means that they have beat down each of the EAST teams both at home and away.
Just thank a quirk in the schedule for the game and hope that Spurrier doesn’t figure out the SEC West like he has the East.
And of course the delusional UGA fans\players are woofing before games, it is the sad thing that they do, then the game starts and they disappear. Just pray none them taunt the LSU coaches.
LSU big.
OKCBulldog
November 30th, 2011
8:04 pm
Listen, Everyone keep saying that LSU defense did it against tougher competition, but I look at the tougher competition that they faced and West Virginia moved the ball on them and racked up a lot of yards against that great defense of theirs, Oregon moved the ball pretty good as well, Arkansas was a nice outing for them, Alabama really don’t have much offensive fire power.
So the tougher competition that they have faced, they havent been lights out against all of them. I think our defense isnt as good, but, the gap between their defense and ours is much smaller than the gap between our offense and theirs. Thats why I can see us winning this game. They capitalize on your mistakes better than anyone in the country, so as long as Murray protects the ball and the running backs dont put it on the ground, WE WILL WIN! They feed off of turnovers and mistakes made by your special teams. If we dont turn it over and dont give up big plays in the special teams we are the better team straight up.
Jordan
November 30th, 2011
8:22 pm
http://isportsweb.com/2011/11/30/sec-championship-game-preview/
sting'um
November 30th, 2011
11:09 pm
Jones must be smokin with IC: LSU 52-21
lawdawg
December 1st, 2011
7:10 am
Does anyone remember that LSU gave up 533 yards to West Va? Nearly 470 of those through the air? Anyone? Good for Jarvis.
dawgfarts
December 1st, 2011
9:01 am
haha, i’ve been prevented from commenting on the Bill King crap-blog … kind of biased considering they don’t prevent you lame a$$ UGA fans from commenting on the Hawks blog. I see how things are run around this paper … it’s ok, i use it to wipe my a$$ with
geauxatltigas11
December 1st, 2011
10:43 am
As if LSU needed any motivation and your best defensive player goes running his mouth. Coach Richt better put a muzzle on his little doggies, including Sanders Commings who also vomited a bunch of trash from his mouth that is now all over the Baton Rouge and New Orleans newspapers. THANKS PUPPY DOGS!!! They single handedly insulted our offense AND defense. Anyone care to make any comments about the special teams, I mean, the UGA unit is better there as well. LMAO HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Can’t wait to see your pups wet themselves Saturday.
Augusta
December 1st, 2011
10:57 am
UGA gave up 35 points against Bosie, 45 against USC, 28 against Vandy and 20 to Florida. I hope UGA pulls off the upset but they are NOWHERE near as good as LSU and Bama on Defense. Richt needs to ban the players from the media so they quit running their mouths. Remember Boykin ran his mouth against Bosie and that did not do him, or UGA very well.
coloradobulldog
December 1st, 2011
11:59 am
I think UGA has a very good chance if we play a complete game like we did vs Auburn or Tech. (We beat both Auburn and Miss St by a larger margin than LSU did.) But if play special teams like we did against UF or overall like we did vs Kentucky, its a blow-out. Turnover margin and special teams will be key. Murray has to be as sharp and avoid any INTs or fumbles when sacked. I wish we knew if Crowell and Samuel were healthy because some sort of running game will help keep them honest. The other guys are either too small and/or can’t hand onto the ball.
coloradobulldog
December 1st, 2011
12:00 pm
meant ‘hang on to the ball”
Hilda
December 1st, 2011
1:12 pm
I would be more concerned if the Defense had a negative attitude about their ability. “What you think about you bring about.”
Be for real
December 1st, 2011
1:19 pm
Sure the Bulldogs are on a 10 game win streak but that is against the bottom of the SEC ( which by the way those teams are absolutely horrible ) and against a bad non conference schedule. The only two loses of the year came from two teams Boise and USC who were actually good. UGA has yet since those two losses to face a top 25 caliber team and will be in for a very rude awakening when coming to Atlanta to face the #1 LSU Tigers. These defensive stats for UGA come against horrible teams which even in some of this games came down to the end for UGA to win. Neaux chance for the puppies in this game.
DawgNation
December 1st, 2011
1:52 pm
All I know is this game is going to be a whole lot more entertaining than that boring Bama/LSU game was. Win or lose it will be a fun one to watch. It doesn’t even matter who wins as the MNC game is already set in stone by the media with a rematch of the snoozer one. Who other than Alabama and Louisiana people are even going to give a dang?
JL
December 1st, 2011
2:24 pm
@Be for real…you are exactly the kind of fan we’ve been talking about…ignorant in it’s true sense. we just finished beating two teams in the top 25. 2 of your “good” wins are against people not even ranked and WV is only ranked b/c the big east can’t look that bad and be a AQ for the BCS. you may win, but your wrong
Be for real
December 1st, 2011
4:24 pm
@ JL ….. if you meaning 2 of those teams in the top 25 you beat as in Tech and Auburn then LMFAO those teams don’t even deserve to be in the top 50. And I’m pretty sure Oregon and Alabama are both ranked in the top ten still so i don’t understand or see any point you are trying to make here…Little dumb doggy fans smh.
Herro Prease
December 1st, 2011
5:29 pm
Georgia has a good defense no doubt about it, but they are ranked so highly because of a lack of competition to be honest. The highest ranked offense they’ve played lately was New Mexico State…LSU held Bama to 6 which no other team in the nation could possibly do. We held Tyler Wilson down, held Oregon essentially to 20 but they got to 27 because of a last second TD, and to say our offense won’t score much is crazy, we’ve only had 2 games decided by less than 2 TD’s all season and the teams we played were no pushovers. If UGA played our schedule, they would have lost at least 4-5 games if not more. They lost to Boise….be realistic not biased, it will be a good game but to say UGA will show something LSU that they won’t expect is foolish, LSU by 14, 27-13.
COACH B
December 1st, 2011
7:47 pm
Our Dawgs don’t know they are suppose to loose. In games like this, always go with youth and the underdog. UGA 38 LSU 24
dawgie poo
December 4th, 2011
1:43 pm
Jones needs to shut his pie hole. Dawgs d is no where near LSU. Looking at the teams that Georgia beat this year I wouldn’t be running my mouth….typical dawg though…what do you say now after that beat down……still think that d is so tough? Lol
bartender
December 6th, 2011
10:15 am
oh yeah, ugas defence is just as good…just don’t tell the honeybadger,he might not want to score 40 plus points….lmao