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
TampaDawg
November 29th, 2011
11:53 am
GTBob, I think you’re being called out right now dude. No one puts any stock into your opinion of how good UGA’s defense is. It was obviously good enough to hold the vaunted GT offense (which averaged what, about 37 points per game) to 17 points with the last 7 being in garbage time. How did it taste GTBob? How did it feel knowing all the crap you spewed on here then having to watch the team you spewed crap about throw the ball all over the field on your bugs? How did it feel watching your high school offense run like crazy to end up getting blown out in the end?
1eyedJack
November 29th, 2011
11:55 am
These are the types of games where legends are born….Aaron….Isaiah…Jarvis….Malcolm…Alec….Bacari…..
Somebody, please.
TampaDawg
November 29th, 2011
11:55 am
Yeah JD, everyone on here expects every team that isn’t favored to just say “oh poor little us going up against such a big bad team .. wish we had a chance” .. and the fact is, you show me a team that doesn’t bow up with big confidence going into any big game and I will show you a bunch of losers on the field and in life.
TampaDawg, Les Miles will NOT have losing record to Mark Richt 4 days from now. Hit while iron is hot.
November 29th, 2011
11:56 am
TampaDawg November 28th, 2011 1:55 pm
“Trivia: Who is the only SEC team that Les Miles does not have a winning record against?”
____________________________________________________
*Les Miles has a losing record from 2005 through today to *UGA and to Penn State. *Les Miles will NOT have losing record vs Mark Richt 4 days from now.
____________________________________________________
Now for the WHOLE PICTURE, NOT JUST PART OF THE PICTURE :
____________________________________________________
.87 Win % vs ACC Mark Richt 2005 through today
100 Win % vs ACC Les Miles 2005 through today
______________________________
.00 Win % vs Big East Mark Richt 2005 through today
100 Win % vs Big East Les Miles 2005 through today
______________________________
.60 Win % vs Big XII Mark Richt 2005 through today
100 Win % vs Big XII Les Miles 2005 through today
______________________________
.50 Win % vs C-USA Mark Richt 2005 through today
100 Win % vs C-USA Les Miles 2005 through today
______________________________
.64 Win % vs SEC Mark Richt 2005 through today
.72 Win % vs SEC Les Miles 2005 through today
______________________________
LSU BCS NC # 1 every poll 2007, beat 2 top 10 teams
UGA # 2 in 2007, beat 0 teams finishing top 10
LSU 2005 gave Miles losing record to Richt 1-2 ended # 6
UGA 2005 beat Miles but ended up # 3 team SEC at # 10
42-16 LSU 2005 through today SEC (43-16)*
37-20 UGA 2005 through today SEC (37-21)*
______________________________________
74-17 LSU 2005 through today all games (75-17)*
64-25 UGA 2005 through today all games (64-26)*
___________________________________
.81 Win % 2005 through today Les Miles
.71 Win % 2005 through today Mark Richt
____________________________________
NOW WHO THE HELL IS THE BETTER COACH
TampaDawg ?
Les Miles has been SO MUCH BETTER than Mark Richt 2005 to today looking at both résumés
Dawg48
November 29th, 2011
11:56 am
We can’t let LSU rip off 3 or 4 TDs in just e few min theta tend to do that a lot .
ARdawg
November 29th, 2011
11:57 am
Alphare
Those scores are completely irrelevent to the discussion. I wonder why you didn’t include Missy St. Perhaps because it might not support your position?
ARdawg
November 29th, 2011
11:58 am
1eyedjack
Amen!
A time to stand and be counted. Looks like our defense is taking on the task
Delusional Dawg
November 29th, 2011
11:59 am
@Dawg48
Uh… Georgia hasn’t actually won “several” games against Les Miles. They won in 2005 and 2008 (even Ole Miss beat LSU in 2008), but they lost in 2009.
bruce mac
November 29th, 2011
12:00 pm
Hea Dilusional, it is your team that had no chance against the mighty Dawgs. And you will have no chance again next year either. It must be a sad existance knowing you have no chance against your biggest rival. Clean Old Fashion Hate isn ‘t even a good rivalry anymore. It is just another easy win on the schedule for UGA.
Dawg48
November 29th, 2011
12:01 pm
DD
Don’t be cheering if UGA pulls the upset ok bud!
Alphare
November 29th, 2011
12:02 pm
LSU: Kentuky 35-5, FL 41-11, TN 38-7, Miss 52-3
UGA: Kentuky 19-10, FL 24-20, TN 20-12, Miss 27-13
If you only look at these 4 common opponents, UGA gives up twice(2.1 to be exact) as many points as LSU does (55 vs 26), while LSU scores about twice(1.8 to be exact) as many points as UGA does (166 vs 90).
All 2 considered, LSU is about 4 times as good as UGA. These scores predict a final 40-13 SECCG score between LSU and UGA.
Aren’t stats for losers?
TampaDawg
November 29th, 2011
12:05 pm
Do you feel better now? I mean seriously. You compared all those conference winning percentages so you MUST feel so much better. I mean, if that’s what it takes to feel better after MISSING THE POINT ALTOGETHER! Spin it how you want. I can’t believe though you did all that work and didn’t at least post the actual records versus all those conferences.
TampaDawg, Les Miles will NOT have losing record to Mark Richt 4 days from now. Hit while iron is hot.
November 29th, 2011
12:06 pm
You cannot compare our defense to LSU’s defense and call that a comparison any more than you can compare Les Miles 1 win to Mark Richt’s 2 wins, to-date, and call that a comparison of what the 2 coaches are doing in the same timeframe in the same conference, either.
There is more to this game than our defense and their defense, and in all other areas, LSU is the bomb and we are the red-headed step child.
Just as if you compare what Les Miles has done at LSU starting 2005 with what Mark Richt has done starting 2005, if you try to say Richt is 2-1 and has a winning record vs Les Miles, well that goes away Saturday; and moreover there is a lot more to what Les Miles has done not only this year but the entire time starting 2005 at LSU.
ARdawg
November 29th, 2011
12:06 pm
Alphare
Stats are for anyone looking to support a baseless claim. Why do you persist with them? Scores of common opponents mean dic. Especially when you wish to cherry pick them. Look at AU’s score a lone. Now who’s better?
Alphare
November 29th, 2011
12:08 pm
ARdawg,
Usually when people do stats they would ignore a number that’s totally out of the ball park. Maybe I should ignore MS as well. Without MS, LSU may be 2-3 times as good as UGA, which may predict a final score of 40-17.
TampaDawg
November 29th, 2011
12:08 pm
Delusional Dawg
November 29th, 2011
11:59 am
@Dawg48
Uh… Georgia hasn’t actually won “several” games against Les Miles. They won in 2005 and 2008 (even Ole Miss beat LSU in 2008), but they lost in 2009.
————————————
I love the “even Ole Miss beat LSU in 2008″ line. Uhhh, scooter, that was the year that same Ole Miss team beat #4 Florida in the swamp.
Look, if you want to do the homework, have at it son
November 29th, 2011
12:09 pm
If you are just going to sit there and say Mark Richt is 2-1 vs Les Miles and try to leave it at that, and leave it to all of us (like me) to go look up what we all know – that Mark Richt is NO LES MILES, then don’t sit there squirming behind your little wee keyboard whining that I summarized the totals.
Do you want the URL Link ?
What do you want ?
Oh, I remember. Your point is that Mark Richt is 2-1 vs Les Miles all-time.
Yell it loudly while you can.
You have 4 days left.
GeauxDaddy
November 29th, 2011
12:10 pm
LSU 38, UGA 7
Delusional Dawg
November 29th, 2011
12:12 pm
@TampaDawg
It’s also the same year that LSU went 7-5 in the regular season.
Call me when Georgia wins a NC… If we still have “telephones” then.
TampaDawg
November 29th, 2011
12:12 pm
Do you not understand that some teams just match up well against others regardless of records or anything else? LSU is a GREAT team. I have NEVER disputed that. But they were a great team in 2005 too beating 4 of 5 ranked opponents prior to playing UGA. But that’s why they actually line up and play the game. Because when it comes down to it, records, stats, the size of the players, none of that matters more than the scoreboard at the end of the game.
Georgia | MrSEC.com
November 29th, 2011
12:13 pm
[...] yesterday, Jones was asked how he thought the two defenses stacked up against one another. His response:“I mean, everybody praises LSU’s defense, but I know we’ve got a pretty good [...]
Lazy so-and-so TampaDawg
November 29th, 2011
12:15 pm
Ok, sure. Here is your URL Link, you have to add in the 12-0 of LSU including their 3 wins over teams finishing in the top 10 this season, and of course, you have to add in Mark Richt’s 10-2, losing EVERY GAME to every team finishing in the top 25 all season long.
http://football.stassen.com/cgi-bin/records/multi-conference.pl?start=2005&end=2011&team=Georgia&team=LouisianaState
Go ahead. You complained that I summarized with percentages only.
Here is your URL Link, lazy so-and-so TampaDawg.
Are you SERIOUSLY going to sit there and say you think Mark Richt is better than Les Miles ?
I’ll answer that for you DISNEYdawgs.com, you have ALREADY SAID THAT 100 times.
Dawg48
November 29th, 2011
12:16 pm
DD
Call me when tech beats Georgia!
It’s sad you have to live tour life threw another team!
It’s said Georgia fans pay for techs sporting programs when we sell out your stadium.
It’s sad that you even try to poke your chest out!
It’s sad you admit your a tech fan!
kappellmeister
November 29th, 2011
12:16 pm
LSU Bleauxs
1eyedJack
November 29th, 2011
12:16 pm
That ball bounces funny.
2005 ? Now, you want to talk about 2005 ?
November 29th, 2011
12:16 pm
Make up your mind TampaDawg.
2005 LSU finished the season # 6 in the nation.
2005 Mark Richt finished the season the # 3 team in EVERY POLL in just his own conference.
TampaDawg
November 29th, 2011
12:17 pm
DD, that was the year they lost to Bama, Florida, Arkansas and Ole Miss along with UGA. But then they turned and beat #9 Auburn and #14 GTech in the Georgia Dome (almost a home game for Tech).
And for your info, UGA has won 2 NCs … and win they win their next one, I wouldn’t call you if you for anything.
GTBob
November 29th, 2011
12:17 pm
Seems that Chip is filtering all of my comments now, even though I didn’t violate any rules. I guess Chip got his feelings hurt.
Dawg48
November 29th, 2011
12:18 pm
Richt is a better coach than miles!
Miles has the best talent year after year and does the least with it!
He was on the hot seat as well coming into this year!
Lsu fans were ready to run him out of town!
1eyedJack
November 29th, 2011
12:19 pm
“It’s sad that you even try to poke your chest out!”
You got that wrong. It should be: It’s sad that you even try to poke your little bird chest out!
steve
November 29th, 2011
12:20 pm
Jarvis, your the man! but talk is cheap go out there and prove it on sat. G.A.T.A.
TampaDawg
November 29th, 2011
12:21 pm
Holy crap, it’s the return of Thomas Brown! Why don’t you use your “real name” buddy. I should have figured it out sooner when the blog got bombarded with stats but the “DisneyDawgs.com” crap is his, and his alone. You’re still an idiot Thomas Brown.
Pirate
November 29th, 2011
12:22 pm
That’s a good attitude but Georgia has given up 86 more points than LSU. Georgia has flown under the radar and has quietly become a very good football team but their defense is not on the same level with LSU.
Dawg48
November 29th, 2011
12:22 pm
Sorry 1 eyed jack
Take over for me bud!
Lol
TampaDawg
November 29th, 2011
12:23 pm
On a serious note GTBob, the filters for the AJC as a whole SUCK!!!! Like, you can’t say U r b a n … M e y e r ’s name on here. That’s funny even from a Dawg fan.
monty
November 29th, 2011
12:24 pm
Time to put up, or shut up!
waah, you didn't at least post the actual records vs all those conferences
November 29th, 2011
12:25 pm
TampaDawg November 29th, 2011 12:05 pm
“I can’t believe though you did all that work and didn’t at least post the actual records versus all those conferences.”
_________________________________________
Child, I did post in that post the actual records vs The SEC and vs All Conferences.
You have no argument, as per usual with YOU.
This is FROM THE POST YOU SAID I DID NOT POST THE ACTUAL RECORDS VS THE CONFERENCES :
______________________________________________
42-16 LSU 2005 through today SEC (43-16)*
37-20 UGA 2005 through today SEC (37-21)*
______________________________________
74-17 LSU 2005 through today all games (75-17)*
64-25 UGA 2005 through today all games (64-26)*
______________________________________
Jeez Louise, grow a pair for a change and ADMIT Les Miles has BLOWN AWAY the accomplishments of Mark Richt in their time together starting 2005 ? Go ahead, you can say it, TampaDawg ?
TampaDawg
November 29th, 2011
12:25 pm
And for the record Thomas Brown (and since I still want to hold to the “Thomas Brown” moratorium, this will be the last time I address you, you idiot), these words were never spoken by me ..
“Are you SERIOUSLY going to sit there and say you think Mark Richt is better than Les Miles ?”
Now get back to class before you fail 7th grade …. again.
ole richie
November 29th, 2011
12:27 pm
Enter your comments here
ARdawg
November 29th, 2011
12:28 pm
Alphare
I’m not trying to bust your bawls here dude. Just point out that final scores of common opponents are not relative to the discussion. Predicting a score of this game based on those? Too many variables. They don’t compute. Based on MST and AU, Georgia would be better than LSU. Do you believe that? Factor in the other scores and LSU is better. Fact is, those scores are meaningless in comparisons to the effect of like defenses to like offenses and vice-versa. These stats clearly give LSU the edge but not near as great as you are predicting. The fallacy there is, stats don’t tell you everything
ole richie
November 29th, 2011
12:28 pm
when you have a defense that gamble to get turnovers, they dare susceptible to the big play. UGA has a big play QB. should be fun
Kerryb
November 29th, 2011
12:28 pm
Don’t back down Jarvis. You just inspired your own guys maybe more than LSU’s offense. That’s what a leader does. He has confidence in his men and he’s going to let them know he does.
TampaDawg
November 29th, 2011
12:29 pm
MORON! “Child, I did post in that post the actual records vs The SEC and vs All Conferences.
You have no argument, as per usual with YOU.
This is FROM THE POST YOU SAID I DID NOT POST THE ACTUAL RECORDS VS THE CONFERENCES :”
——————-
Here is your actual post since you call me lazy but at least I am smart enough to be able to read the word.
“87 Win % vs ACC Mark Richt 2005 through today
100 Win % vs ACC Les Miles 2005 through today
______________________________
.00 Win % vs Big East Mark Richt 2005 through today
100 Win % vs Big East Les Miles 2005 through today
______________________________
.60 Win % vs Big XII Mark Richt 2005 through today
100 Win % vs Big XII Les Miles 2005 through today
______________________________
.50 Win % vs C-USA Mark Richt 2005 through today
100 Win % vs C-USA Les Miles 2005 through today
______________________________
.64 Win % vs SEC Mark Richt 2005 through today
.72 Win % vs SEC Les Miles 2005 through today”
Gee Thomas Brown!! Where are the records? Ohhh, that’s right, you’re not smart enough to read your own posts. Done with you moron.
Kerryb
November 29th, 2011
12:31 pm
Is there any doubt our guys are going to be ready to back it up? LSU has no idea they are dealing with a hungry pack of Dawgs. They think they are going to coast through us to the title game. That’s what they thought in 2005 too.
Delusional Dawg
November 29th, 2011
12:31 pm
Here’s an idea. Lets compare LSU and Georgia’s stats in the SECCG next Sunday.
I’m sure all of you will be eager to discuss the numbers.
TampaDawg
November 29th, 2011
12:32 pm
“Thomas Brown” and any tag “Thomas Brown” posts under now in effect again. Intelligible conversation not possible.
TampaDawg
November 29th, 2011
12:33 pm
The “Thomas Brown” moratorium is on. He wanted CMR fired. Not gonna happen. He wanted Murray benched. REALLY not gonna happen. LOL
Shut yo pie hole Boy!
November 29th, 2011
12:34 pm
What is Jarvis Jones Smokin? Kif needs to ziip it and just play smash mouth rather than run mouth.
Joey
November 29th, 2011
12:35 pm
Dang, if the tech girls are here (UGA sites) in such force AFTER a thrashing by the Bulldogs, imagine if they had actualy made a game of it! And GTBobbie said last week Tech was the best team UGA would play since Boise. Hahaha.
GTBobbie, Tech was just ahead Coastal Carolina, New Mexico State, and Auburn for the WORST team on our schedule in 2011.
Congrats.
Oh, and come on, ladies, at least give us peace until we GET DESTROYED BY LSU!!!!!!
Rationale
November 29th, 2011
12:35 pm
Respectful confidence. I like it. Go Dawgs!