The Daily Recap: Why Georgia opted to run against Kentucky
Here is the Nov. 21 edition of The Daily Recap presented by JFQ Lending.
Why Georgia kept the ball on the ground
It was quite simple, actually.
With how the wind was swirling in Lexington, Georgia wasn't too keen on putting the ball repeatedly through the air. Therefore, the Bulldogs took the ground for the bulk of their offensive attack. The rushing attack performed well as Georgia totaled 46 carries for 247 rushing yards in Saturday's 16-6 win over Kentucky.
Running back Kenny McIntosh led the team with 143 yards and a touchdown.
“It was 16 to 18 (mph) with gusts of 25, so it was windy, but it was more about what you can and can't do in those conditions,” head coach Kirby Smart said. “Again, I think it affected Kentucky. It affected us. The wind is blowing one way; you have to figure out when you're passing it, when you're throwing it. We do studies all the time about how it affects games when the wind gets up to around 20 miles per hour. It's very different in the way you play the game. You've got to be methodical. You've got to be smart. You're not going to get many possessions.”
Georgia didn't have too much success through the air when it did go that route. Quarterback Stetson Bennett completed 13 of 19 passes for only 116 yards and an interception. While Kentucky did its part in taking away the deep shots, Bennett saw one downfield pass sail over tight end Darnell Washington's head, which would have had a shot at going for a touchdown.
McIntosh said the windy conditions were pretty tough on the offense, which led to the in-game adjustment to keep the ball primarily on the ground.
"The wind was blowing hard, so we wanted to keep the ball on the ground," running back Kenny McIntosh said. "It was hard, especially going against the win. Fortunately, we were able to do enough to help this team win."
It's not so bad
Anthony Dasher wrote that it's only natural to point out the flaws and concerns that popped up during Saturday's win over Kentucky. However, it could certainly be worse when compared with some of the other teams in college football.
"If there’s a lesson to be learned, whatever deficiencies may have popped up, when you compare them to some of the imperfections other teams have, they do not appear too bad," Dasher wrote. "That should be plenty of reason to keep feeling good about where the Bulldogs sit here in late November.
"If not, think of it this way: you could be a Tennessee fan."
Postgame Overreaction Show
Also on UGASports
McIntosh's career day propelled Georgia to its win over the Wildcats.
Dave McMahon compiled all the important stats from Georgia's win over Kentucky.
Georgia joined elite company as one of only three SEC programs to record back to back undefeated seasons in SEC play.
Paul Maharry noted the Pro Football Focus grades each of the Georgia players recorded in Saturday's win over Kentucky.
Ball skills
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See you on the forum! Go Bulldogs!!
