We sat down with the assistant sports editor of Georgia’s independent student newspaper, Michael Hebert, to ask him some questions about this weekend’s UF-UGA game. Here’s what he had to say.
What was the general reaction around Athens after the loss to LSU?
I think Kirby Smart and the team realized they were simply outplayed. LSU exposed a lot of Georgia’s weaknesses on defense and some of the struggles offensively. I personally picked LSU to win the game, but I didn’t expect them to blow out Georgia. It seems very similar to last year’s loss at Auburn, but it will be interesting to see how the team responds, because the makeup and leadership of this year’s team is different, and it will be tested throughout the rest of this season.
What has the team been working on leading up to UGA-UF?
We don’t get a lot of insight into what the team has been working on ahead of games, mainly because we are only allowed a small amount of time to view practices. From what I understand, the main points are stopping the run and protecting the quarterback. To me, those are the two big issues that Georgia has dealt with throughout the season, and both will be crucial against the Gators.
How will the absence of Ben Cleveland and David Marshall impact UGA’s running attack and D-line?
I think it’s interesting so many people have been asking about Cleveland. He has been out since the Missouri game with a broken leg, which was the fourth game of the season. He is a great talent on the offensive line, but freshman Cade Mays has slid in and has actually performed pretty well, albeit with some freshman mistakes. So really, I don’t know how much his absence will make much of a difference than it has in previous weeks. On the other side, although we don’t really know the status of Marshall and when he will return, his absence is definitely noted due to Georgia’s struggles in stopping the run, and it showed against LSU.
Jake Fromm threw a career-high 34 times against LSU. Do you see him throwing with the same frequency against UF?
The fact he threw 34 times against LSU is because Georgia got down early and offensive coordinator Jim Chaney elected to throw the ball much more in an attempt to make a comeback. I don’t see the game with Florida playing out the same way. Georgia has shown that it can run the ball effectively, and it will need to if it wants to beat the Gators. So to answer your question, no, I believe Georgia will utilize the run and there might be some more playing time for Justin Fields.
What matchups are you looking forward to the most?
The matchup I’m interested in the most is Georgia’s offensive line vs. Florida’s front seven. One thing I’ve noticed about Florida is that its defense has a ton of speed. Georgia struggled against an LSU defense that could be considered on the same level as the Gators. It will be interesting to see how Georgia’s offensive line manages that, and also how it creates running room for running backs Elijah Holyfield and D’Andre Swift. It will also be interesting to see how Georgia uses Fields against Florida’s defense, because often times it seems like Georgia runs the ball more effectively with Fields in the game.
UGA spanked UF last year. What’s the confidence level of the team heading into this season’s matchup?
I think the team understands that this game will be much different than it was last season. Like I said before, Georgia is a much different team than it was in 2017, but it is still a good team. I think Dan Mullen has done an incredible job turning Florida around and it should be a classic battle between two rivals. I’m expecting to see a physical football game that will be decided late in the fourth quarter, and from what Smart and the players say, it seems like they are too.
Predictions?
It will be really close, but I see Georgia taking this one. After the loss to LSU and the bye week, Georgia should be motivated to bounce back, but more importantly, it will be a rested team. The thing is, Florida will be rested, as well. I think Georgia has too much talent on offense that will allow it to prevail in the end. Players will have to make big plays and I think they will. Georgia wins, 20-17.
The Florida-Georgia rivalry will be rekindled this weekend in Jacksonville, Florida. The Bulldogs defeated the Gators handily a season ago after suffering three straight losses in the rivalry game.
