Georgia's defense is going back to its roots this weekend.
After two weeks of defending the exotic offenses of Tennessee and Mississippi State, the Bulldogs now prepare to tangle with Kentucky. The Wildcats have a more traditional offense that more resembles Georgia's own.
The prospect of facing that kind of attack is one that appeals to Kirby Smart's players.
"They enjoy it more when we get to show clips of the 49ers and NFL teams," Smart said. "That intrigues the players a lot more, playing against an NFL-style offense. It motivates them a little more, because they know a lot of teams look at those tapes. With their coordinator coming from the NFL, it's more the kind of style of what they'll play against at the next level. So that part excites them."
At all levels of the defense, the Bulldogs are excited to face the Wildcats.
Defensive lineman Tramel Walthour said the team always feels it's a challenge to face any SEC team. But as linebacker Smael Mondon said, there's something appealing about a team that wants to play smashmouth football.
As Smart noted, many players still feel the Kentucky games of the past. Ask any player about the most physical game they've played in, Smart said, and most players will recall a Kentucky game from recent memory.
"Whoever wins the line of scrimmage wins this game," outside linebacker Chaz Chambliss said.
The Kentucky offense is led by quarterback Will Levis. The projected first-round draft pick has battled injuries this year, leading to some up-and-down performances.
But Levis still has all the physical tools he needs.
"This guy's got a bazooka for an arm. He can make all the throws," Smart said. "He's a really good athlete, and he's physically and mentally really tough. He's wired that kind of way to compete against you. It's not like he's going to shy away from contact. He doesn't get flustered by rush. He's not afraid of standing in there and taking shots."
The Wildcats also boast one of the SEC's best running backs in Chris Rodriguez. He has averaged 5.5 yards per carry this season and has notched six touchdowns in six games played.
"He seeks and cherishes contact," Smart said of Rodriguez. "And it's that time of year where you watch defenses across the country and people turn down contact. They turn down hits. We make a point to try to show it to our guys that, as the year goes, tackling gets worse and worse and worse. Are we going to be bit by that contagious bug of lack of a willingness to thud and tackle people, especially a guy that loves it?"
Kentucky's offensive philosophy seems to play into Georgia's strengths. The Bulldogs embrace hard-nosed football, because they defend it so well. Eighty-two rushing yards allowed per game bears witness to that.
Of course, Georgia had no problem defending Tennessee and Mississippi State the past two weeks. The Bulldogs will now try to continue that success against the traditional attack of the Wildcats in Lexington this weekend.
