Kirby Smart addresses impact of Georgia offensive line injuries ahead of Tennessee game

Kirby Smart recognizes the Georgia Bulldogs offensive line will have to play at a higher level if the program is to elevate their game over the homestretch of the 2024 college football season.

In an uncharacteristic fashion, the Bulldogs offensive line was porous against the Ole Miss Rebels last weekend, leading to a rough offensive showing and a loss in Oxford. Ahead of a gigantic matchup against the Tennessee Volunteers in Athens this weekend, Smart elaborated on where his unit stands entering the SEC showdown.

“I definitely think it’ll probably act as a motivator, but that motivation, typically, doesn’t last for more than, maybe, ten plays,” Smart said, regarding whether last weekend’s performance at Ole Miss will refocus the Bulldogs offensive line against Tennessee in Week 12, via The Pat McAfee Show. “It boils down to how you practice, how you prepare, what you have available. I mean, Tate [Ratledge] goes out in the game last week. He wants to play, it means a lot to him. He goes out to play. He dings an ankle, that he’s already coming back from, and he’s not playing real well, because he’s injured. You know, Earnest [Greene III] has been beat up, he’s been dinged up at tackle. He’s struggled to practice, and he has to go out and play. I mean, Jared [Wilson] missed two or three games. Micah [Morris] is out right now.

“So, when you start talking about it, it’s a bunch of guys who have been hurt, or injured, and I don’t know that the motivation is, ‘Well, we didn’t play great last week, let’s tighten up,’ the motivation is, ‘We’re playing at home, we’re playing a really good defense, we need to go play well.'”

Alas, it’s obvious Smart is expecting more out of his offensive line against Tennessee, and perhaps it’ll help aid quarterback Carson Beck, who’s struggled immensely after entering the 2024 campaign as the consensus top quarterback available for the 2025 NFL Draft.

Kirby Smart knows a win against Tennessee can stop the wheels from falling off, and Georgia’s College Football Playoff chance from going up in smoke. Count the Bulldogs out at your own risk in Athens, but their offensive line will need to play better against the Volunteers, that much is certain.