Kirby Smart isn’t pretending there’s a magic answer for Keelon Russell.
Georgia’s coach sees the Alabama quarterback as the kind of player every program wants to build around, and that’s exactly the problem for the Bulldogs on Saturday night at Bryant-Denny Stadium. No.
2 Georgia faces No. 6 Alabama at 7:30 p.m., and Smart made it clear that slowing Russell will take more than a clever call sheet.
“It’s frustrating because you search for ways and you think there’s these perfect answers: Rush three, drop eight, rush seven, drop none, you can go four- or five- (man rush) and play zone or man (coverages),” Smart said. “You can do all these things, and he can still beat everything you do, so what you have to do is execute and have a good plan around him, pitch to him, and you have to score points, too, because they score points, too.”
Russell, a second-year quarterback making his sixth start, has drawn the kind of praise that usually gets reserved for proven stars. Smart called him “the new-age college quarterback that everyone wants to play with.”
That sentiment has been echoed around the SEC this week.
“He’s got great anticipation, he’s incredibly accurate, his eyes are always up on his progressions,” Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby said on the SEC coaches teleconference on Wednesday,
“He’s able to do a lot of things you can’t coach.”
Kentucky coach Will Stein said Russell has already shown he belongs among the league’s top players.
“He’s one of the best players in the country, regardless of age, he can run it he can throw it,” Stein said. “He has the height, weight, speed to be a dynamic player for a long, long time.”
South Carolina coach Shane Beamer pointed to Russell’s growth as one of the most striking parts of his rise.
“He’s special, he can make all the throws, he can run,” Beamer said. “What’s impressive about him is he continues to get better; look at him at Kentucky compared to how he played against us.
“I’d hate to compare him to anyone, there’s been some great ones in this league, (but) I would imagine he’s a future first-round draft pick.”
Smart said Georgia understands the challenge and knows the response has to be collective, not reactive.
“You can’t get down on yourself, you can’t lose momentum, because they have good players, they’re going to make plays,” Smart said. “The key is how our kids respond to when they do make plays.”
In Other News...
Georgia Defense Just Sent A Clear Message In The Alabama Win
Georgias 20-17 win over Alabama looked like more than just another top-end SEC result. The Bulldogs defense spent the night making the Crimson Tide uncomfortable, and the bigger takeaway was how the group answered a challenge against an offense that had been piling up points all fall. Linebacker Chris Cole and safety Khalil Barnes pointed to the teams physical practice habits and sharp defensive focus as part of the reason Georgia was able to control so much of the game.
The real separation came after halftime, when Georgia tightened the screws and barely let Alabama breathe. The Bulldogs allowed only three points the rest of the way and shut out the Tide in the fourth quarter, which is the kind of finish that tends to travel well in this league. For Georgia, the win was important on the scoreboard, but the way the defense handled the second half may have said even more about where this unit is headed. [Read more 🡒]
Kirby Smart Sounds Off After Ugly Alabama Postgame Incident
Georgias win over Alabama had plenty of football significance, but one ugly moment after the game quickly drew attention of its own. Linebacker Raylen Wilson was on the receiving end of a fan confrontation when his helmet was shoved by an Alabama supporter, and the whole incident was captured on video as the teams were leaving the field.
Alabama athletics later said it was disappointed in the fans behavior and was gathering information, while Kirby Smart addressed the episode in his postgame press conference. Smart condemned what happened and pointed to Wilsons calm response, a small bit of composure in a scene that otherwise said little good about the way the night ended. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Just Lost A Star Defender Before Facing No. 1 Georgia
Auburn will head into its Week 7 matchup with No. 1 Georgia without one of its top defensive players, after head coach Alex Golesh announced linebacker Xavier Atkins has been suspended for the game. The junior and first-team All-SEC selection was held out because of internal discipline issues, a notable loss for a defense that now has to prepare for the Bulldogs without one of its most proven playmakers.
Golesh said the suspension will be revisited after the game, leaving the door open for Atkins to return later in the season. For Georgia, it is one more development to monitor in a matchup that already carried major stakes, and for Auburn it raises the pressure on a unit that will need to absorb the absence of a centerpiece in the middle of the field. [Read more 🡒]