Georgia offensive line understands importance of run game, its role

ATHENS, Ga. — When discussing Georgia’s big game this Saturday against Tennessee, there’s been a lot of attention on how the Bulldogs’ defense is preparing to limit the Volunteers’ success on offense. While that’s certainly a big emphasis for UGA this week dnd will play a huge role in the outcome of the game, the battle in the trenches between Georgia’s offensive line and Tennessee’s defensive line may be the most overlooked matchup.

In a season filled with some highs and lows for the Bulldogs’ offensive line, their performance against the Florida Gators last Saturday may have been one of their most impressive outings yet.

“I think we played very physical,” fourth-year junior offensive tackle Warren McClendon said about their performance. “I think we ended up with 200-something yards rushing. I can’t remember exactly. I think we played very physical. They were a little bigger up front so we had to. It was a tougher game for us, so we had to move them off of the line.”

While gaining some confidence heading into their game against the Volunteers is certainly a positive thing for Georgia’s offensive line, McClendon is aware of the struggles they had earlier in the season protecting Stetson Bennett in the pocket. That’s been an emphasis since then and something they’ve done better at since the Missouri game when they gave up a pair of quarterback takedowns matching their previous season total. In the three games since, Georgia has allowed just three sacks including none this past Saturday in the win over the Gators.

“Especially in the beginning of the season, we weren’t protecting him (Bennett) as well as we needed to. And we had to go back and look at ourselves and say that that’s not the offense line that we want to be,” McClendon said. “We have to protect him in order for our offense to head in the right direction. So we’ve been taking a lot of pride in that and working on it and practicing and training.”

The Bulldogs will see a familiar face this Saturday on the opposing sideline in Tennessee defensive line coach Rodney Garner. A 32-year SEC veteran, Garner spent 15 years manning the sidelines in Athens as the defensive line coach, having 12 players picked in the NFL Draft. With Smart being well aware of the characteristics of Garner’s groups, the Bulldogs’ offensive line are in for a challenge in the trenches.

“Toughness,” Smart said when describing Garner’s defensive lines. “You know, he’s old school when it comes to striking people and playing with physical toughness. You know when you’re playing against one of his defensive lines, they’re not going to run from contact. They’re not going to shy from contact. They’re not going to back down from a challenge. And it’s not because of what they’re going to do this week, it’s because of the way he’s molded them and the way he’s coached them. You know, he coaches tough, he coaches hard. And he hadn’t changed that with the change in generations of players. He’s always done that. Even when I was a GA here, he was coaching them hard.”

While McClendon is aware of what the Volunteers are capable of doing along the defensive line, he isn’t putting any unnecessary pressure on the Dawgs have at hand.

“It’s always a challenge,” McClendon explained. “Any team we play in the SEC, it’s always a challenge. You know, that defensive line is always pretty good. We’re just going into this week, watching film and seeing what they do, their tendencies and stuff like that. And figuring out the best way to attack them.”

For the Bulldogs, each successful first down conversion, not only helps their offense, but it helps the defense as well. McClendon knows the role that Georgia’s ground game plays in Saturday’s top-three matchup.

“You know, having an efficient run game, you know, not putting our defense back out there, not having three and outs, that’s always the goal for whatever team we’re playing. So just having an efficient run game, being able to control the line scrimmage and stuff like that.”

Kickoff for Saturday’s showdown is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS, but coverage of the colossal clash from Athens begins well before that with ESPN’s College GameDay and SEC Network’s slate of game day shows both broadcasting live from the Classic City starting at 9:00 a.m. ET on their respective networks.