Details gleaned during spring practice are rarely earth-shattering, but they can give small indications of where things stand with certain players or positions. Thus far, Georgia coach Kirby Smart has been critical of his defense, which many expect to be the strength of the team and one of the best in the SEC.
That didn’t change after Saturday’s first scrimmage.
“We didn’t tackle well as a defense,” Smart told reporters after the scrimmage, according to a school press release. “So, does that mean that we’ve got really good skill guys that are hard to tackle? There’s probably something to do with it, but we’ve got to improve our tackling. Didn’t seem to have many turnovers. I think we had one fumble and one, maybe two interceptions thrown. If you have 130 or 140 snaps and there are three turnovers, it’s never acceptable, but it’s not out of hand.
“Probably the most disappointing thing today was what I call the defense’s ‘knock-back tackle.’ When you hit a guy, splatter him and knock him back where he doesn’t get yards after contact. We didn’t have a lot of that. We still have to improve a lot defensively. I don’t hide behind the fact that we’re not where we need to be.”
Smart’s criticism of his defense might be considered “coach speak,” but he’s far from the only coach in college football who uses this tactic. In fact, Smart learned from one of the best in that regard.
If it can reach its potential, Georgia’s defense has the talent to become a driving force for the Bulldogs’ hopes of reaching the SEC Championship Game. After hearing praise throughout the offseason, it’s up to Smart to keep his defensive players hungry and motivated.
Players like Roquan Smith, Deandre Baker and Natrez Patrick have shown flashes of brilliant play, but they’ve still got much more potential left in them. It’s Smart’s job to remind them of that.
During the scrimmage, he was particularly bothered by the number of 4- and 5-yard runs the defense allowed.
“It concerns me that we’re not able to stop the run at times when we’ve got a loaded box,” he said.
That came in response to a question about the offensive line’s performance, but it’s interesting that Smart used it as an opportunity to criticize his defense instead of praise a unit that many consider one of Georgia’s biggest question marks. This should only benefit the Bulldogs defense moving forward, and Smart knows what he’s doing and how to accomplish his goals.
Despite his claims to the contrary, Georgia’s defense should still be considered a strength come next fall.
Offensively, the Bulldogs’ offensive line still appears to be a fluid situation. Smart mentioned that the offense rattled off a few explosive runs of 15-plus yards, but he refrained from making any bold proclamations about the unit.
He wasn’t as shy about discussing Georgia’s quarterback situation, however.
“I do think that offensively, Jacob (Eason) and Jake (Fromm) are more comfortable throwing the ball,” Smart said. “I know Jacob is in a better spot right now than he was in this time last year. But we’ve got to continue to grow him as a passer. He’s got to develop in protections, and we’ve got to get some wideouts that can win the one-on-ones that can help him.”
By all accounts, Fromm’s presence has been a positive one for Eason. He’s provided solid competition that wasn’t present in Eason’s first season on campus.
Fromm isn’t the only reason for Eason’s improvement, however. As expected, his experience from last year has benefited him as a sophomore. He understands the philosophy behind the offense, which allows him to concentrate less on the mental part of the game and more on his immense physical tools.
“He is much more experienced. He understands when the call comes in, ‘I’m looking for this, this and this.’ Where it used to be, ‘What is this call and what do I do?’ So, he’s come a long way,” Smart said of Eason. “He’s more confident in the pocket, more confident in the protections. His decision making is better and his accuracy has been better.”
Of course, Eason’s performance is only one piece of the puzzle. Too often last season Georgia fans watched a well-thrown ball slip between a receiver’s fingers and land on the field with a groan-inducing thud.
The Bulldogs have taken steps to improve their weapons on the perimeter, and the position should be improved in 2017 even without Isaiah McKenzie.
This spring provides an opportunity for new players like Jeremiah Holloman to earn a role with the team while also allowing the leadership hierarchy to change within the unit. Former 5-star prospect Terry Godwin (pictured below) is one such player who is taking advantage of the situation, which is a positive indicator that he may return to form after a disappointing sophomore season.
‘’We’ve got to do a lot better at receiver, in general, from a standpoint of depth and guys that can execute and go make plays,” Smart said. “I do think, when it comes to our wideout group, we’ve got a by-committee group, and Terry (Godwin) is really doing a good job of being a leader and challenging those guys, a lot more so than he did at this time last year. He’s coming into his own when it comes to work ethic.”
Until the coaching staff can figure out what they’ve got at receiver, they will have to get a little more creative with their other offensive weapons. A loaded backfield provides them the opportunity to do just that.
Nick Chubb and Sony Michel are unquestionably the top dogs at running back, but Brian Herrien continues to impress in his opportunities. As a true freshman, he provided immediate injury relief for the offense and may have been the most efficient first-year player on that side of the ball.
“I’d say Brian Herrien was a guy that we were gonna get the ball to and find out what he could do in scrimmage situations and he did pretty well,” Smart said. “He ran the ball really hard, had a couple of long, explosive runs. “He’s a tough, competitive guy, but if I had to say that somebody stood out, I’d say that he did.”
The Bulldogs would be wise to find a way to get him 5-10 touches a game next season, especially given the lack of proven options at receiver.
One player who could have a similar season to Herrien’s in his first year at Georgia is defensive back J.R. Reed. A transfer player from Tulsa, Reed sat out last season, per the NCAA’s transfer rules, but he has drawn the attention of the coaching staff and looks to be carving out a role in the secondary.
“Absolutely he could have a role. Right now, he’s flashing speed, athleticism, toughness, and I’m tough on him. I’m out there every day, challenging this guy because I think he could be a really good player,” Smart said. “He’s fast, he’s physical, he’s smart, but he hasn’t played in that many games in this system. If you take Dom (Sanders) and A.D.’s (Aaron Davis’s) cumulative years in the system, there’s not much there. But this kid is striking people, he’s running hard and playing hard.”
Ultimately effort is the biggest quality that coaches look for during the spring. It’s much too early to start implementing any advanced game plans or start finalizing roles for fall Saturdays.
This is a time when coaches speak in sweeping platitudes and clichés, but Smart and his staff are sure to notice the players who give great effort.
When looking for any glimpse of meaning in the mess of information coming out of spring practices, effort is the right place to start.
William McFadden covers the University of Georgia for Saturday Down South. For news on everything happening between the hedges, follow him on Twitter @willmcfadden.
