ATHENS, Ga. — It might be one of the most trite axioms in sports, but “next man up” has taken on a literal meaning for No. 3 Georgia‘s defense this season.
A year ago, a historically talented defense led the Bulldogs to their first national championship in 41 years. Five defensive starters — end Travon Walker, tackles Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt, linebacker Quay Walker and safety Lewis Cine — were selected in the first round of the NFL draft, the most from any school in the common era of the draft since 1967.
Three other Georgia defenders — linebackers Nakobe Dean and Channing Tindall and cornerback Derion Kendrick — also were drafted, leaving the Bulldogs with only three returning defensive starters going into the 2022 season.
The attrition has gotten worse since then. When the Bulldogs take on No. 1 Tennessee at Sanford Stadium on Saturday, only two players who started for Georgia’s defense in its 33-18 victory against Alabama in the CFP National Championship game are expected to be on the field — cornerback Kelee Ringo and safety Christopher Smith.
The Bulldogs lost senior outside linebacker Nolan Smith to a season-ending pectoral muscle injury this week; safety William Poole left the team in September for personal reasons.
Nonetheless, the Georgia defense that takes the field against the high-flying Volunteers in a game that might decide the SEC East title leads the conference in run defense (85.4 yards) and total defense (262.5 yards) and is second against the pass (177.1 yards).
Not bad for a defense that also lost coordinator Dan Lanning, who left to become Oregon‘s head coach. Linebackers coach Glenn Schumann and special teams coordinator Will Muschamp, a former head coach at Florida and South Carolina, were promoted to co-defensive coordinators.
“It is just the standard,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “Just because you lose good players does not mean you are not going to be good next year. Maybe that is an expectation that some teams have, but that is not the expectation of any team I have ever been a part of. The expectation is that you are going to be good because you recruit good players and because you coach hard.”
Few FBS coaches have recruited defensive players as well as Smart, a former Georgia defensive back and Alabama defensive coordinator. Seven of the Bulldogs’ anticipated defensive starters for Saturday’s game were ranked in the ESPN 300 as high school seniors.
One area Georgia’s defense has lagged behind last season’s unit is sack production. The Bulldogs have generated only 10 sacks and 39 tackles for loss, which ranks outside the top 100 in the FBS.
“You wouldn’t call them vanilla by any stretch,” Tennessee quarterbacks coach Joey Halzle said. “They’re a really good defense, we all know that. They’ve got guys that can rush the passer, they’ve got blitzers, they’ve got cover guys. You don’t see a lot of flaws in their defense, especially looking at them from a personnel standpoint. They’re well coached, they’re in position, you see them flying to the football. That’s why you don’t see them giving up big plays, because they have a bunch of guys around the ball.
“You see guys that are well coached with a lot of eye discipline. It’s not like they don’t get home or they don’t force it. They’re making tackles, they’re keeping everything in front of them, and they’re making guys snap it again. Then they’re doing a good job of getting off the field on third down.”
Losing Smith, who led the team with three sacks, seven tackles for loss and 16 quarterback hurries, won’t make pressuring Hooker any easier. Sophomore Chaz Chambliss and freshman Marvin Jones Jr. will have to play more in his absence.
“Those guys have to play,” Smart said. “They practice every day just like Nolan does. They have to have an opportunity to go play. This is the next man up.”
