Grade Report: Georgia's Defense Continues to Be Scary Good

Georgia handled business in Starkville, Mississippi on Saturday evening. We bring you the grade report from the defensive performance.

Brooks Austin | Nov 13, 2022

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Georgia Bulldogs

Georgia captured its tenth win of the season and clinched a division title after defeating the Mississippi State Bulldogs by a score of 45-19. It is the team's fifth division title in six seasons since Kirby Smart became head coach.

The Bulldogs were able to pull away in the second half after Mississippi State brought the game within five points after a punt return for a touchdown right before the half. Ladd McConkey got the second half started with a 70-yard run for a touchdown. Georgia would then score three more times and got several key stops on defense to coast to another conference victory.

Here's how we grade out the defensive performance:

Defensive Line: A

It's extremely hard to get pressure and sacks against Mississippi State. They get the ball out extremely quickly. So, to get Will Rogers on the ground as Jalen Carter did on Saturday night, you've got to win immediately. The real testament to the defensive line's performance is the lack of rushing success for Leach's unit. Georgia held Mississippi State to just 47 yards rushing on 15 attempts, without dedicating bodies to the box to stop the run.

Linebacker: A+

Smael Mondon's ability to cover while Jamon Dumas Johnson has handled the run-stopping duties over the last two weeks of football for the Bulldogs has played a pivotal role in their success. Mondon not only made Rogers' day a difficult one on Saturday, clouding throwing lanes and windows with his 6'3 frame, but he led the team in tackles as well on Saturday afternoon. As for Dumas-Johnson, Smart alluded to the fact after the game that this defense has gone three consecutive weeks without any carryover with regards to gameplan or play terminology defensively and they've done as much without a hiccup. That's a sign of great leadership and the middle linebacker position.

Defensive Backers: A

Georgia continues to be one of the nation's premier tackling units on the defensive side of the football and the majority of the reasons for that reside in the defensive backfield of this football team. Christopher Smith, Malaki Starks, Tykee Smith, and Javon Bullard were five of the seven leading tacklers from Saturday's game. It's this unit's ability to not only cover with the best of the units in the county but be able and willing tacklers as well.

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