ATLANTA — Ohio State defenders didn’t want to say it publicly, but off to the side, in smaller more personable interview sessions, they relented.
Yes, this Georgia offense does look and operate a lot like Michigan’s, adding more suspense to the CFP Peach Bowl Semifinal showdown at 8 p.m. on Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The heavy usage of two-tight end sets, the mobile, efficiency at the quarterback position and the stubborn desire to establish the run.
“I’d say very similar, they are a good O-line with good running backs,” Ohio State linebacker Tommy Eichenberg confided, “and a quarterback that’s good and can throw the ball, too, (so) I’d say very similar.”
Some Michigan fans chirped QB J.J. McCarthy deserved a Heisman Trophy invite as much a Stetson Bennett — both quarterbacks are undefeated this season.
McCarthy had a 20 TD passes and 3 Interceptions for a 155.41 QB Rating, while Bennett had 20 TD passes and 6 interceptions for 154.61 QB Rating.
McCarthy has 60 carries for 254 net yards and 4 rushing TDs, Bennett has 47 carries for 184 net yards and 7 rushing TDs.
Similar enough?
Michigan averages 243 yards per game rushing and has 38 rushing TDs, Georgia averages 207 yards per game rushing and has 37 rushing TDs.
UGA has passed for more yardage — 284.9 yards per game to UM’s 210.5 yards per game — but Kirby Smart has said much of that is window dressing, in the sense that they are short, high-percentage passes that the Bulldogs’ offense staff actually considers more like run plays.
The bottom line is the Buckeyes know they will be facing a very physical and efficient unit, and defensive coordinator Jim Knowles shared just how challenging that will be.
“It’s a lot different than a true spread system, because you get attacked physically at the line of scrimmage and you get baited into fighting back, and that’s where the play-action comes in,” Knowles said on Wednesday, asked about the challenges this version of Todd Monken’s offense presents.
“You have to be fundamentally sound, it’s important, because you need to be strong on your edges, because they will attack you there,” he said.
“And you have to have your eyes in the right places. You have to defend everything all the time, and you need to have enough changeups to keep them off-balance and guessing.”
Knowles is known for being aggressive, to the point UGA running back Kenny McIntosh shared that the Bulldogs know to keep their head on a swivel for safety and cornerback blitzes.
Knowles doesn’t mind gambling — Todd Monken called him “fearless,” — but only to an extent.
“Not too many (changeups), because the more you put yourself in various positions you have various people doing various jobs,” Knowles said, “and that’s where it can get tricky.”
So exactly what did Missouri and Kentucky do to keep this Georgia offense under wraps, for the most part?
“They were extremely sound, in the right places, didn’t take themselves out of position much,” Knowles said. “You are looking for those cases of guys running free… You’ve watched them, their tight ends are real good, and yet a lot of times they are running wide open. How does happen? So that’s what you have to look at.”
Monken, most agree a modern-day offensive genius, makes it hard for defenses to draw a bead.
“Multiple formations, multiple shifts and movements, showing you one thing, but doing something different,” Knowles noted. “And it’s the same thing of combining runs with mirrored passes that come off it.”
As if that wasn’t enough, Georgia often goes to the line of scrimmage with a run and pass play and Bennett calls the play that corresponds best with the defensive look.
Further, Bennett is armed with checks to call for certain looks and has the power to change or modify the formation or play call in certain situations.
“They definitely do check at the line,” Eichenberg said. “Most of the time you can’t tell what they will check to.”
Ohio State safety Lathan Ransom, however, has confidence the Buckeyes will be ready for whatever Bennett throws at them.
“No matter what checks they make, we’ll call a defense and all we have to do is execute and do our job,” Ransom said. “That’s how a defense can be successful against an offense like that.
“(And) having a few weeks to prepare for any team is definitely beneficial.”
Georgia does look a lot like the Michigan offense entering the game. The question is, how will the Bulldogs’ offense have looked compared to the Wolverines’ coming out of Saturday night’s showdown?
