Behind enemy bylines: Georgia

Before Auburn takes on Georgia on Saturday, The Auburn Plainsman's sports editor, Jacob Waters, sat down with the Red and Black's sports editor, Owen Warden, to ask some questions about this weekend's contest.

Waters: Georgia hasn't really had a marquee matchup, but what are some takeaways through the first four games of the season?

Warden: "I think it's interesting simply for the fact that we've seen progression is the best way I could say it. We've seen [Carson] Beck start to progress and get better. You know, he had his first 300 yard passing game last week against UAB. We've seen things kind of start to get figured out and then to start taking deep shots and for certain guys to really stand out like Mykel Williams against South Carolina and Kamari Lassiter, also against South Carolina. Both those guys played really well. Tykee Smith has played really well, so far this season. So a lot of its progression and these guys kind of figuring things out so far through the early part of the schedule, and I expect that to kind of be similar stuff so far. But I think as they start facing talented opponents like Auburn's defense, that they'll finally start to kind of actually piece things together  and really figure out who are their key wide receivers? Is Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint gonna still be a key piece going forward? How often is Brock Bowers gonna get involved? Can Carson Beck handle a road environment? What's the running back situation going to look like? Can the defense keep creating pressure? I think those questions will start to be answered, but the team continues to look better, at least from my perspective, week in and week out. It just might not be as fast of a progression that Georgia fans are really hoping for."

Waters: Against South Carolina, Georgia was trailing at halftime. What happened in the first half and what changed in the second half?

Warden: "The first half, they just truly looked slow. I don't think there's any way around it. It was very much akin to that Missouri game from a year ago where they just weren't piecing things together, nothing was coming together and was just messy. Second half, it's the most national championship looking Georgia I've seen this season. Through three non Power Five opponents, it never really struck me as that. But against that second half of South Carolina, it felt real again. It felt like oh, okay, yeah, this is that team. This is the number one team in the country, everything was just working. They were getting down the field, transfers like Rara Thomas and Dominic Lovett were finding ways to get open and get down the field and make positive gains and Daijun Edwards looked incredible. He looked like a number one running back and Beck was making good plays and Mykel Williams, as I said, looked incredible taking on double teams and slant blocks and stuff like that and just beating every single South Carolina defender to consistently create pressure, and that interior started to create pressure. So much was working for that Georgia defense that just wasn't in the first half and it felt like they came alive finally, after not really getting a lot of pressure through that first quarter and stuff like that. It was very much the difference between a non national championship team and a national championship team and we finally saw that in the second half."

Waters: Could Georgia also have a slow start against Auburn?

Warden: "I absolutely think it could. And the reason I think it could is Georgia kind of got lucky in when they faced Missouri last year. When they faced Missouri, it was the rest of the way big time opponents. So they face Missouri, they started slow, they picked it up and then they took that momentum forward. They haven't had a game like they did against Oregon last year where they just blew somebody out of the water, but they haven't really had an opponent like Oregon to where they felt like they need to do that. Which some coaches would not call that an excuse, but it definitely feels like that energy. I think they definitely could start slow, especially having a game against UAB where they didn't really put everything together where they wanted to, so I think Georgia could start out slow. But if they do, I do think that they would probably turn around the second half at some point. And if they don't, then that first half against South Carolina was a lot more telling than that second half."

Waters: Auburn fans are familiar with Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo. What are some early assessments about Bobo's offense now that he's at Georgia?

Warden: "Conservative, I think is the word I would say, and that's not a fun word to say about an offense and I think Auburn fans would agree that that's kind of how it is. It's not fun, and Carson Beck, he in itself is a very conservative quarterback so they blend in the worst way possible. He'll occasionally show some things that you like. He'll get you excited, and he had really fun offenses when he had Matthew Stafford and A.J. Green here and he's certainly got talent like that around here, especially at the wide receiver position. There's a million dudes that play really good football out there, and Brock Bowers is better than A.J. Green was probably when he was here just from his versatility standpoint. That might be a not take I don't even know, but he's got pieces. He's [got the] scout ability to put things together, and he doesn't have a problem going down the field. It's more of just how much he does, and he's got to figure it out. He's got to kind of get loose with this offense and let them take those deep shots and let them try and go for 40 points against a good opponent. So, we'll see if he figures it out throughout the season. It's the first year, but conservative to reiterate how the first word I gave you."

Waters: Who are some offensive and defensive players Auburn fans should look out for?

Warden: "Brock Bowers. I think that's a name that everybody in the country knows, so I don't feel like I need to talk about him much. Dominic Lovett, Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, Rara Thomas, Arian Smith, four guys in the wide receiving group that have been really impressive. But then you also got C.J. Smith out there, Mehki Mews, both those guys have been really electric and fun to watch. But in the running back position, Daijun Edwards, again that's probably Georgia's best running back and really their only healthy one. He broke his career high rushing yards against South Carolina and could do it again. But Dillon Bell, the joke around here is Dylan Samuel, you know, Deebo Bell. That's kind of been the joke around him because he's a guy that lines up both at wide receiver and running back, and he's kind of had to due to all the injuries but he's actually been a pretty solid running back as well as a pretty solid receiver. He's done both pretty well. So, those are definitely the offensive names to keep an eye on, at least the ones maybe you're not hearing too much. I keep repeating his name, but Mykel Williams, very good football player. Just his sophomore year, he's looked really impressive, and if he gets going, it's going to be scary. Zion Logue, Warren Brinson, two other guys that are going to create some good pressure up the middle. Georgia's linebackers are fairly well known but have been quiet. Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Smael Mondon, C.J. Allen is a freshman that's been really fun. I'm curious to see if he gets a lot of playing time. The safety position, you got to know Javon Bullard, you got to know Tykee Smith, you got to know Malaki Starks. Those three guys are kind of the crux of Georgia's [defense], and we'll see if Javon plays. But that safety group is really impressive. It's one of the best safety /star groups that I've seen really ever, especially at Georgia, which is crazy because we got to look at all the talent that's now in the NFL to play those positions, but it's a really good group and they play really well alongside guys like Kamari Lassiter, who's had a great third year, guys like Daylen Everette, who's got picked on a little bit but looked solid. That safety group is absolutely the group to keep an eye on."

Waters: Are there any significant injuries with Georgia?

Warden: "Running backs are down bad. You got Branson Robinson, who's out for the year. Kendall Milton has been working his way back but off and on. Roderick Robinson looks like he's going to be out again. He was Georgia's leading rusher for the first couple games of the season despite just being a freshman. Those guys are definitely the ones that Georgia is missing the most. But Ladd McConkey, he's dealing with a back issue, and it wouldn't be a Georgia season if their top receiver wasn't hurt. So, gotta have him down, I guess. He's dealing with a back issue. TBD if he'll be back and ready to go. It might be another few weeks until we see him. Although he has been practicing, so we'll see how he does. And Javon Bullard, he almost went against South Carolina. They gave him at least seemingly a rest against UAB, so I think he might be back against Auburn but I think that'll definitely be a game time decision whether or not they decide to let him come in there and play. And then I'll give you one more. The defense is fairly healthy aside from Javon. But turning back to the offense, right tackle Amarius Mims. He's probably been Georgia's second, third best offensive lineman behind center [Sedrick] Van Pran and [Tate] Ratledge, but those guys are gonna look really good. But right tackle Amarius Mims, he's out with a lower body injury. Had to get a a tight rope surgery to get that repaired, so he'll be out the next couple of weeks. So, they got left guard Xavier Truss out there playing right tackle. He's been solid, but the offensive line has struggled a little bit here and there. So, I'll be curious if he can handle on the outside. He came in as a tackle recruit, so I'm curious to see if he can hang at that tackle position despite starting at left guard all of last year."

Waters: Your prediction for the game?

Warden: "I think Georgia handles business here. I don't think it's anything crazy, but I just don't know if Auburn is able to make the end zone... simply for the fact that I don't know if they've got the quarterback to do so, especially if it's Payton Thorne. But you know what, I've been surprised by less, so we'll see what Thorne can do or Robby Ashford can do or  what Holden Geriner can do because they've been talking about him a little bit too. So, we'll have to see what that quarterback situation can do, but current prediction 35-6, Georgia taking this one on the road. I don't think it'll be easy, necessarily, but I don't think that Auburn's offense is going to get George's defense much of a problem aside from a little bit in the run game."