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Published Oct 29, 2019
Huge test for offensive line
Anthony Dasher  •  UGASports
Editor

Overall, Georgia has done a pretty successful job keeping quarterback Jake Fromm upright, allowing just four sacks in the Bulldogs’ seven games.

However, one can also say the offensive line hasn’t faced a test quite like the one it will see Saturday against Florida (3:30, CBS).

Under former Bulldog defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, the Gators have already amassed 29 sacks—eighth nationally—while its 58 tackles for loss is tied for 22nd in the country.

Adding to Florida’s defensive arsenal is the fact the Gators are expecting to get Jonathan Greenland (four sacks) and Jabari Zuniga (two) back from their respective injuries, and no doubt will be anxious to get Fromm on the ground as regularly as possible.

“They do a great job of rushing with their four guys, which allows them to do more coverage-wise. They've got some alternative pressures and different looks, kind of like we do defensively; it might look like pressure, but it's not. It's called 'simulated pressure,'” head coach Kirby Smart said. “But they don't have to do that as much because of the four guys they got rushing. The two guys on the edge are especially elite when it comes to pass rush. So they do a really good job of that, and those guys get after the passer as good as anybody in the country. It's obvious, with their statistics.”

Offensive lineman Solomon Kindley said Smart isn’t kidding when he calls Florida’s defensive front one of the best in the SEC and college football.

“They’re as good as he says,” Kindley said. “As veterans, we know what we need to work on, and what they’re going to try and do to us. No doubt to win this game, we’ve got to win the battle up front.”

So how do the Bulldogs go about doing that?

According to Smart, it starts with each and ever member of the offensive line doing his job to the best of their abilities.

“You can lose a one-on-one—absolutely you can—but when you get the right guys with your five guys, it allows you to do more things with your back. Some teams don't release their back at all. They keep them in for protection,” Smart said. “We'd like to get our backs out, because they're really good at getting out. The ultimate goal of the defense is to make the back stay in, and if they can keep him in in protection, that's one less guy they've got to cover.”

It’s also going to be on the shoulders—make that feet—of Fromm to be willing to use his legs, if the opportunity should arise.

“Jake’s done a good job of protecting himself. Our O Line has done a tremendous job thus far of protecting the quarterback, but yeah, you want Jake to be able to create something with his feet, and there have been some games when he's been successful doing that,” Smart said. “I think he's got to be willing to do that when there's nothing else there.”

Turnover, or the lack thereof, will obviously be the key.

Smart and the Bulldogs know that Fromm can ill afford to turn the football over four times, as he did in the double-overtime loss to South Carolina.

For those wondering, Florida ranks third in the FBS with 12 interceptions, 11 of which have come in the last six games.

Since the start of last year, the Gators’ 44 takeaways are tied for second in the FBS, behind only the 45 of Syracuse.

“I hope you're not jinxing us. (Fromm) does a good job of protecting himself, meaning ball beats rush, meaning if I don't have that guy protected, I need to throw the ball. Some of what's going on is, I don't know where I'm protected, and I'm taking hits,” Fromm said.

“There's just so much going on with college football: aggressive rush, affect the quarterback. Jake is probably a little more experienced at, okay, I'm going to protect myself in this situation. But also, the O Line is there, and I think our O Line does a good job of pass protection. But now they face the ultimate test.”

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