Georgia Grade Report: Dawgs Defense Shows No Signs of Regression

Georgia played a relatively flawless football game on Saturday. We take a look at the report card for the defense here.

The offseason talk about what Georgia lost from last year's defense helped the program to its first national title in over 40 years. 8 players from last year's team made up for over half the number of Bulldogs selected in the NFL Draft. Everyone seemed to glance over what Georgia was returning and their elite recruiting over the years. 

In the season opener, Georgia's offense put on a show as it dismantled former defensive coordinator Dan Lanning's Oregon defense. A 46-point blowout victory in game one contrasted how the Bulldogs opened last season against Clemson.

So how did Georgia's young and relatively inexperienced defense fare? 

Defensive Line: B+ 

Losing three first-round picks from a year ago, nobody knew exactly what to expect from Georgia's defensive line this fall. Yes, the return of Jalen Carter for his junior season, his first as a starter, is the type of star power Georgia will need to find success upfront. However, it is Carter's teammates that are in question. 

Georgia's defensive front failed to get Oregon quarterback Bo Nix on the ground for a sack in the 49-3 win. As Kirby Smart said following the game, Nix's mobility makes it difficult to sack him, but with that being said, Georgia's defensive line did enough. 

Linebackers: A

There was nothing to complain about with Georgia's linebackers. The highlight plays from a year ago, where now NFL players like Nakobe Dean, Quay Walker, and Channing Tindall made highlight plays after highlight plays are not the expectation for Georgia's young inside backers. 

There were a few missed tackles that will likely be addressed quickly for the Dawgs in practice, but all in all, they didn't give up a run longer than 16 yards and at least contained Nix within the pocket for the most part. 

 Secondary: A+

The secondary for Georgia was the shining light in the win. The Bulldogs return starters like Kelee Ringo and Christopher Smith from a year ago while adding talent like freshmen Malaki Starks and developing sophomores Kamari Lassiter and Javon Bullard to starters. 

Smith and Starks recorded the only two takeaways of the game via interceptions. Starks, a true freshman, recorded his first career interception on a deep ball by Nix, which as ESPN's color analyst Todd Blackledge stated live on broadcast, wasn't a bad pass, just an incredible by Starks, who showed off his body control and ability to get his around to find the football.

Smith, the senior safety, made a similar play on the ball Saturday as he did against Clemson a year ago on the interception he returned for a touchdown. Smith told the media post-game it was something he saw on tape, a tendency, on a screen-and-go, like the slant last year from Clemson, he jumped the route. 

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