ATHENS – No individual can replicate what Nolan Smith brings to the Georgia team this season.
It will take a wholistic effort from the linebacker room to bridge the gap left by the injured Smith when the Bulldogs face the top-ranked Tennessee offense on Saturday. Georgia outside linebacker Chaz Chambliss, one of the plays who will step in for Smith at outside linebacker, knows it.
“It’s not about individual success in the game,” Chambliss said. “It’s about playing as a unit.”
Smith will not be available to play for Georgia for just the second time in four years. He’ll still help the team, albeit from the sideline as an extra coach.
He’ll be shouting tips and pointers to Chambliss, Robert Beal and Marvin Jones during Saturday’s game against Tennessee.
Ever the coach, he expects his teammates to uphold the standard Smith helped set.
“Don’t let it drop off,” Chambliss said. “Just prepare every day and just keep the standard that he would have kept when he was here. Just because he’s out doesn’t mean that our defense is going to drop any.”
Outside of Beal, the group isn’t very experienced in terms of game reps. The game against Florida was the first time Chambliss saw an extended run with the first team defense.
Their limited game experience combined with years of practice reps proved to be enough for the young Bulldog in Jacksonville. The same Gator run game that was leading the nation in yards per carry last week was limited to just 100 yards rushing on 34 carries against Georgia.
Chambliss meanwhile notched a sack on Florida’s final offensive drive of the game, his first of the season. It was encouraging effort from Chambliss, who had missed the three previous games with a hamstring injury. Chambliss told reporters on Tuesday he felt his hamstring was in a good spot entering this weekend.
A repeat performance against the Tennessee run is of utmost importance. The Volunteer offense may be known for its electric pass attack, but its ground game defines it more than it may appear.
“Tennessee is not necessarily a pass-happy offense,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “They are a running team that chunks it deep and does a really good job with explosive pass plays, but they commit to the run, now.”
The Volunteers boast the fifth-most rushing yards per game in the SEC, now one spot ahead of Florida. Their 26 rushing touchdowns are the third-most in the conference, trailing Georgia with and Ole Miss with 27.
The other glaring issue that Tennessee poses the young Bulldogs outside linebackers is its tempo. Quicker snaps mean less time for UGA to substitute and coach young players like Chambliss plays.
The good news for Georgia is Chambliss did play a substantial amount against Tennessee’s high-tempo attack last season. The Carrollton native picked up two tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks.
That though was in mop-up duty and not against a team that is currently ranked No. 1 in the country.
The Bulldog defense has also spent the week accustoming itself to the fast-paced play style, doing every drill at tempo speed with increased conditioning.
In a game where the presence of a veteran vocal leader like Smith will certainly be missed, players like Chambliss meeting the Georgia standard are that much more important.
