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Published Sep 26, 2020
Razorbacks say they didn’t have enough “juice” to finish Georgia
Patrick Garbin  •  UGASports
Team & Research Writer
Twitter
@PatrickGarbin

Following No. 4 Georgia’s 37-10 victory over Arkansas in Fayetteville, during which the visiting Bulldogs actually trailed, 10-5, midway through the third quarter, Razorback head coach Sam Pittman and a couple of his players addressed the media. Here's a summary of what they had to say following the loss.

…Pittman was proud of his team’s defensive performance, despite the fact his defenders seemingly became tired in the second half. After Arkansas allowed Georgia’s offense just 177 yards, 3.6 yards per play, and a field goal in the first half, the Razorbacks yielded 210 yards, 5.3 yards per play, and three offensive touchdowns and a field goal after halftime. Notably, Arkansas allowed a staggering average of 451 yards and 36.8 points per game, and 6.5 yards per play last season.

“[Georgia] wore us down in the second half with their offensive line, and we gave up the ball three times [on offense],” Pittman said following the game. “Still, I was proud of [the defense] at halftime. I was proud of them the entire game.”

…While Arkansas was "probably a half-step behind” Georgia in the second half, according to Pittman, the Bulldogs “loosened up their game plan and started to throw the ball outside” and “down the middle” with Stetson Bennett at quarterback. Bennett, who relieved starter D’Wan Mathis, completed 20 of 29 passes for 211 yards, two touchdowns, and no touchdowns, while rushing for 20 yards on five carries.

“[Bennett] has always been waiting his turn. He had great success running the Georgia scout team,” Pittman recalled of Bennett when he served as Georgia’s offensive line coach. “I think [the Bulldogs] were trying to find a way to move the football, and the first thing they did with [Bennett] was let him use his feet—and he was very accurate.”

…After a hot start, completing four of his first six passes, Arkansas quarterback Feleipe Franks cooled off tremendously. The former Florida quarterback, who lost to Georgia in both 2017 and 2018 as a member of the Gators, finished 19 of 36 passing for 200 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. According to Pittman, although Franks needed to “take care of the football better,” the quarterback’s supporting cast on offense needed to “help him more.” According to Franks, his struggles against Georgia were simply because of the strength of the team he was facing.

“Georgia has a really good defense, coached really well. They’re a good football team,” Franks said. “And that’s what you get when you play SEC football.”

…Special teams were actually an aspect of the game in which Pittman believed going in that his Razorbacks could actually win. Instead, Georgia had one of its best games on special teams in recent memory. For the contest, the Bulldogs averaged 46 yards per kickoff return (on two returns) and 19 yards per punt return (on three returns), while punter Jake Camarda averaged nearly 50 yards per punt, and placekicker Jack Podlesny made both of his two field goal attempts (both from 38 yards out)—the first two attempts of his collegiate career.

…Pittman repeatedly praised his defense for its effort throughout the contest. Nevertheless, in the end, he admitted Georgia was simply the much better team, and the Razorbacks didn’t have enough “juice” to compete with such a great squad for a full four quarters.

“I thought our kids, especially on the defensive side of the ball, played well,” Pittman said. “But congratulations to Georgia. They have a good football team, a really good defense—and we just didn’t have enough ‘juice’ to finish the game.”

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