David Pollack explains confidence in Georgia defense
The defending back-to-back national champions are rightfully favored to win it all again this upcoming season as the Georgia Bulldogs look to continue their reign of college football dominance. The Bulldogs’ defense has played a huge part in the team’s overall success the last two seasons, not only helping the programs secure national titles, but sending a slew of talent to the NFL as well.
But is this the season that defensive player turnover finally catches up to Georgia? Former Bulldog David Pollack spoke with Greg McElroy on ‘Always College Football’ about just that.
“Well, you got (Smael) Mondon back and you got your backers back, which I think helps,” Pollack said. “I do think this defense will be built a little bit differently. I think when you saw this defense in the past I think they could really get a lot of pressure from the interior. I think Mykel Williams and company are going to be better on the outside, I think they’ll have better pass rushers on the outside. I think they’ve recruited different types of body types now that will fit in interesting that will be fun to watch it morph and change.”
In two straight seasons, the Bulldogs have boasted one of the nation’s top two scoring defenses in the country, largely in part to their prowess on the interior defensive line with players like Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter holding things down. But with those physical presences gone, Georgia may have to get things done differently this upcoming season.
“But you’re absolutely right, but you know what, when I go and I see these guys at practice and when I really look at them there’s so many good looking bodies, and there’s so many guys they can rotate,” Pollack explained. “While they’re not gonna be Jalen Carter, and listen another thing, Bear Alexander left to USC. When you turn on the tape you can see the flashes and the pass rush ability was really really good.”
The Bulldogs lost five defensive players to the NFL Draft this offseason and eight the year prior, but Pollack is still confident that experience is still on the side of Georgia’s defense.
“But a guy you mention like (Nazir) Stackhouse is a great guy to mention, he’s like a three-star, four-star guy that got recruited that you’ve seen develop. When I go and when I watch those defensive guys along the front they’re all like that, I think they’re all guys that have now been seasoned for several years. There’s very few puppies that are going to play, a lot of guys with a lot of experience that I think will come in,” Pollack said.
Personnel is important, but so is scheme. And even if the Bulldogs do have a slight chance of taking a step back from a roster standpoint on defense, they still have one of college football’s most brilliant defense minds in head coach Kirby Smart.
“And we know the system’s really really good, I think think the thing that’s made Kirby a little bit different from Nick (Saban) the past several years and when he started his own thing is I don’t think Kirby’s near as aggressive as Nick. I think he wants to be aggressive, but I think he’s okay giving up more yards than he used to be,” Pollack explained. “Like let’s make them kick three in the red zone, let’s not be as aggressive across the field. It always felt like Nick if he gets in third and long he wants to kill you, he wants to sack you, blitz you, force a turnover over the years.”
“Now listen, the systems have changed over the years too, but I feel like Kirby is okay and he’s morphed a little bit in giving up yards and it won’t be near as dominant as it’s been because those guys have feasted in the inside and made life easy for everybody on the back end. And now that will be the interesting part with this defense and the back end now if the front end isn’t as good.”
There’s no question that the Bulldogs have had the recipe for defensive success the last two seasons. But with some new ingredients in the cupboard, it will definitely be interesting to see if they can maintain the extremely high standard they’ve set as a defense in 2023.