Defensive Penalties "Very Glaring" for Kirby Smart and Georgia Bulldogs

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ATHENS - The old saying goes that timing in life is everything. 

Georgia knows that well a few days after costly penalties gave Alabama life and points over the weekend. With no game this week, most of the questions have focused on Georgia’s loss at Alabama on Saturday. Who will start at QB in the future? Is JT Daniels healthy?

But the point Kirby Smart seems to be trying to make along the way is that Georgia has to play better against better teams. 

“We didn't play our best game, and played our best opponent,” he said. “But that’s how you get better.”

That comes back to penalties, specifically on the defensive side of the ball. 

Time will tell if Georgia will get better as the season goes on, but several things have already gotten better, generally speaking, over the first four games of the season. The offensive line more than held its own against Alabama. Georgia’s special teams were good at the start of the season, and have not leveled off. Georgia’s run game, too, looks better than it did in Fayetteville. 

Then this from the 5th-year coach: 

“It is very glaring there are things we need to work on - defensive penalties. We can't get into a boat race - that's the No. 1 thing.”

Lots has been written about the Dawgs’ offense this week, but not a ton on the defense hurting itself in big moments. 

On 3rd and 19 in the second quarter, Georgia was called for defensive holding on a play that didn’t gain a first down. First down Alabama. Six plays later Alabama converts a 33-yard field goal to cut the Dawgs’ advantage to four at 14-10. In the 4th, on 2nd and 15, Tyrique Stevenson was called for holding. First down Alabama. Eight plays later Alabama scores a TD to make the final score 41-24. 

One penalty, the most curious one of the night, gave Alabama four points it had not earned. In the 3rd and on 3rd and goal, Eric Stokes was called for pass interference in the end zone on an incomplete pass. That it wasn’t actually pass interference, and that the play changed the game is irrelevant. It was called. A play later Alabama scored to go up ten rather than six as the game headed into the 4th quarter. 

Georgia was called for only six penalties, but when they happened was killed them and added at least another 14 points to the Tide’s ledger by the end of the game. 

Georgia’s penalties were a problem in the first game of the season - 12 penalties for 108 yards. In the games since Georgia hasn’t had more than eight fouls called on them, or more than 70 yards. 

In fact, against Alabama, Georgia only had six total penalties resulting in 52 total yards against them. It wasn’t the quantity - it was the timing.