Georgia gets boost from injured Nolan Smith in win over Tennessee
ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia outside linebacker Nolan Smith tries to do most of his talking with his play on the field but that wasn’t possible as the Bulldogs took down No. 1 Tennessee 27-13. Smith is out until at least late December after having surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle, an injury he sustained against Florida last Saturday.
Nolan Smith had the surgery on Thursday but he wasn’t going to miss the highest-ranked match in Sanford Stadium history. He was with his teammates on the sideline and donning a Stetson Bennett shirt.
The Savannah native, who may have already played the last game of his Georgia career, still found a way to pitch in. Kirby Smart asked him to and he delivered.
“I didn’t hear him,” Smart said after the win. “I know I heard his voice talking in there but I don’t know exactly the message and what he said. There were a lot of guys who spoke up and said, ‘hey, this guy (Smith) would be out there giving his all for us. The thing we can do is come out and compete and play for him.’ Nolan is unique.
“Nolan plays for the University of Georgia. And every kid we’ve got plays for the University of Georgia but Nolan Smith cares dearly about this university. He would give anything. He’d probably rather play with that arm if it meant hurting him in the NFL draft. He didn’t care. He wants to win. He’s a competitor and those guys are hard to find and rare. His messaging and presence, I told him he could impact this game just getting guys to go line up faster.”
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Georgia faced more injury adversity at outside linebacker in this game. Robert Beal, a sixth-year senior who led UGA in sacks a year ago, left the game in the first half with a neck injury. He did not return.
Sophomore Chaz Chambliss had to shoulder much of the load and could be seen getting an earful from Nolan Smith almost every time he left the field. Georgia also had to use true freshman Marvin Jones in the game. He, too, was getting coaching from Nolan Smith.
The Bulldogs still found a way to generate pressure, keeping Hendon Hooker uncomfortable by hassling him up the middle and with well-timed blitzes. The result was Georgia’s best sack performance of the season. They grabbed six with Nolan Smith in the role of leader and player-coach. The Bulldogs entered the game with 10 on the year.
Smart and company are limited to a 70-man roster next week as they travel to Mississippi State (7 p.m. ET on ESPN). But it sounds like Nolan Smith will be in tow if there’s any way to make it happen.
