Georgia didn’t just beat Arkansas on Saturday. The Bulldogs looked like they were using the game as a live practice session.
In a 45-17 SEC opener in Fayetteville, Georgia’s defensive line was spotted running individual drills during a TV timeout, a moment that surprised ESPN analyst Dusty Dvoracek.
"I have seen a lot of things take place during a TV timeout. I have never seen a team use it as an individual period," the former Oklahoma standout said. "The defensive line of Georgia went though a full three to four minute individual period to stay fresh; to stay loose; to stay engaged as they close out this football game.”
The scene came in the fourth quarter, with Georgia already well in control. Dvoracek’s comments arrived while the Bulldogs were leading 31-3 late in the third quarter, and the margin only widened from there.
The No. 2 Bulldogs backed up that unusual sideline work with a dominant finish, holding Arkansas to 20 rushing yards on 17 carries in the blowout in the Ozarks. Georgia’s defense was the biggest reason the game never felt close.
Afterward, Kirby Smart was asked about the Bulldogs practicing during the rout. Smart doesn’t make assistant coaches available to the media during the season, but he explained the thinking behind the approach.
“That's a belief he has of - we’re not getting enough work,” Smart said “They're not running the ball. They're not being physical enough. They're not - we need to get work, so he gets work between snaps and between huddle breaks to make sure we're getting enough to earn in their NIL every day.”
The win left Georgia’s first team having allowed only three points this season. That sets up a Saturday matchup with Oklahoma, a team that has had trouble finding the end zone over its last two games, scoring 24 points combined against Michigan and New Mexico.
Even with the lopsided victory, Smart said there’s still one area his defense has to clean up.
“We have to rush the passer better,” Smart told reporters after the lopsided win. “That was what got me. We didn't affect the quarterback enough defensively.”
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