Kirby Smart explains key to success on offense in second half vs. Clemson

Points came at a premium in the first half of Saturday’s game between Georgia and Clemson. The Bulldogs took a 6-0 lead into the halftime break after failing to reach the end zone as the defenses stole the show.

Kirby Smart noted the caliber of both units during his halftime interview with ABC’s Molly McGrath. As Georgia gets ready to get the ball to start the second half, he said the Bulldogs have to simply play their game against a tough Clemson defense.

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Georgia totaled 160 yards of offense in the first two quarters, including just 34 rushing yards. Smart pointed out the need to take care of defense in the passing game, as well, as the Bulldogs look to get something going.

“They’ve got a really good defense, and we’re struggling to run the ball,” Smart said. “I think we’ve got to hit a couple open guys. We thought a couple times on play-actions, we had shots where we didn’t hit them. But we’ve done a good job trying to keep them off-balance.

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“I think the biggest thing is come out in the second half and being who we are. We get the ball to start. Look, I’ve got a lot of respect for this defense. They’ve got a lot of respect for our defense.”

Carson Beck was efficient through two quarters, completing 15 of 19 passes for 126 yards. On the Clemson side, Cade Klubnik threw for just 54 yards, including a 36-yard connection with Antonio Williams to put some pressure on Georgia.

Smart noted the Bulldogs’ response to that big play and how important that was. It allowed UGA to set the tone and bounce back.

“They hit a shot play on us, and we rebounded from it,” Smart said. “That’s usually a good sign about your resiliency.”

Georgia was shorthanded in the first half of Saturday’s opener as Trevor Etienne – while dressed out – didn’t play. He’s serving a suspension as a result of a DUI over the spring, per university policy, and the sense was it would be a one-game ban. However, Kirby Smart told ABC that’s “not necessarily” the case, meaning it’s unclear when exactly he’ll be able to take the field after transferring from Florida.