Georgia in wait-and-see mode with Robert Beal injury
ATHENS, Ga. — No. 3 Georgia is celebrating a physically dominant 27-13 win over No. 1 Tennessee but the victory came at a cost. Sixth-year senior outside linebacker Robert Beal left the game in the first half with what was labeled as a neck injury.
Robert Beal did not return to the game and Kirby Smart wasn’t able to offer much information on the injury afterward. Smart told reporters that he isn’t sure of the specifics and that he thought Robert Beal was taken for X-rays.
This comes shortly after Georgia lost junior outside linebacker Nolan Smith for at least the rest of the 2022 regular season and a potential SEC Championship game. Smith, UGA’s leader in sacks and tackles for loss, has an extreme outside shot of returning should Georgia make the College Football Playoff.
Robert Beal doesn’t yet have a sack in 2022 but he came into this game with more snaps than Nolan Smith at outside linebacker. He has been used quite a bit on early downs, allowing Smith to come in and rush on third down.
But just last season Robert Beal led Georgia in sacks on its National Championship run. He tallied six on the season thanks to a late season surge in playing time and productivity once Adam Anderson was suspended from the team due to off-field issues.
Sophomore outside linebacker Chaz Chambliss carried the load with Robert Beal out. Georgia also used Marvin Jones Jr., a true freshman, later on in the game.
Georgia pass rush gets it done despite being shorthanded
The Bulldogs were without a pair of productive pass rushers for most of the Tennessee game but they had no problem affecting the quarterback. Georgia sacked Hendon Hooker six times on the night and a seventh was negated by a face mask penalty.
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Georgia got three sacks from it’s inside linebackers. Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Trezmen Marshall, and Rian Davis each had a sack. Davis took Hooker down for the sixth and final time on 4th down to put the game on ice.
The defensive backfield was responsible for two of those sacks and Javon Bullard was the guy both times. He also had seven solo tackles.
The sixth sack was actually the first one. Jalen Carter hit Hooker in his own end zone, forcing a fumble that was recovered by an offensive lineman. He advanced it but it didn’t appear to get out of the end zone. The play was ruled down at the one-yard line on the field and replay upheld it.
Next up for Georgia is a trip to Starkville, Miss to take on Mississippi State and Mike Leach’s Air Raid attack. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
