Spring Break
NOW IT GETS TOUGH: Dogs gear up for difficult stretch (w/video)
JASON BUTT
Issue date: 10/20/08 Section: Sports
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Even though Georgia (6-1, 3-1 SEC) beat Vanderbilt (5-2, 3-2 SEC) in a close 24-14 win on Saturday, the Bulldogs know their season is about to get bumpy.
Georgia now faces a tough road test, with trips to LSU, Florida in Jacksonville, Kentucky and Auburn in the coming four weeks.
Linebacker Rennie Curran said that it's easier to regroup at home, but that Georgia won't be as fortunate if the same mistakes come up at LSU this Saturday.
"What we do during the week is going to be that much more important, knowing that we are going to be at somebody else's house," Curran said.
Curran, who tallied eight tackles against Vanderbilt, said the Bulldogs may have gotten a little comfortable when they were up 14 in the second half against the Commodores. He said some of the pressure was lifted with the points cushion but in the weeks coming, Georgia can't afford to let some of those opportunities fall.
"Because we were ahead it took some of the pressure off of those interceptions that we didn't get," Curran said. "But when we get to a game like Florida or LSU where the game is on the line, it is going to be that much more important that we capitalize on our opportunities. It's something that we definitely need to improve on and something we need to hold each other accountable for as we head into these road games."
One thing that could be in Georgia's favor might be that it hasn't lived up to its potential.
When asked if Georgia had peaked, cornerback Asher Allen said it was impossible to determine that.
"You can't say that," Allen said. "I think [Saturday] was a good showing as to why. I think we had, potentially, around five turnovers that we could have easily got, which would have been miraculous as a defense."
Safety Reshad Jones echoed Allen's statement, saying Georgia's secondary should have had more than just one of the two Georgia interceptions.
"There were a couple of missed opportunities out there," Jones said. "We should have had at least five [interceptions]. I know the ball hit a couple of guys' hands and we didn't take advantage of it."
While the defense didn't take advantage of Vanderbilt's miscues, wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi said the Georgia offense is not scoring as many points as it is capable of - something that may need to be fixed beginning with this Saturday's contest.
"We're still leaving way too many points off the board on offense and we still have the penalty problems on defense," Massaquoi said. "We're not getting as many turnovers as we need but we are playing hard. And when you play hard good things happen. So, maybe next week and the week after that, if we continue to play hard we will move in the right direction."
Against Vanderbilt, Georgia missed two field goals and had a potential touchdown turn into an interception on a pass that quarterback Matthew Stafford underthrew to Massaquoi in the second quarter.
But Massaquoi said he'll take the win over Vanderbilt just like he'll take any SEC win, especially with the four games that lie ahead.
"You can't underestimate the power of a win," Massaquoi said. "They're hard to come by in this league and you can get beat on any given day."
While head coach Mark Richt acknowledged the missed opportunities, he said he wasn't going to complain.
"We definitely should have scored six more anyway," he said. "But I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. I feel good, really good."
Richt said one thing that was disconcerting was that Georgia only converted one third down out of eight tries. However, he added that he feels Georgia is moving forward even though, in his mind, it hasn't played a "complete game."
"I think we're moving in the right direction is the best way I can describe it," Richt said. "I don't think any team plays a perfect game. People use the term 'complete game' where each phase might have won the end of the bargain. And I don't think we've had a game where we had that or where we executed as well as we could."
While it can be argued Georgia left too many points on the field, Stafford agreed to the notion that there is no such thing as a bad win when asked.
"Absolutely not," Stafford said. "We appreciate every win we get here. We could be at the bottom of the league, losing every game and losing heartbreakers. We'd rather win by just a point if we can."
With that sentiment, Stafford added that Georgia can't worry about how many points it scores in the next four games.
"It's going to be a heck of a stretch, a heck of a run," Stafford said.
"We have some teams that are very capable of beating us and have some really good football players on them."
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