UGA Football DB Kamari Lassiter Talks About Alabama, Jalen Milroe
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ATHENS - UGA Football defensive back Kamari Lassiter previewed the upcoming game against Alabama with media on Monday and offered the following comments.
On Jalen Milroe...
"He's a very good quarterback. He mans their offense very well. He leads their team very well. The offense plays very well with him and through him. He's just a very good quarterback. He understands where he wants to go with the ball. He understands how to read coverages and defenses. It's going to be a great challenge having to play against him this week."
On improving the run defense...
"We have to start playing for each other, playing more connected. You could tell last week on the film that we weren't playing as connected as we usually do, so going back to our core DNA traits."
On improving his game...
"I can improve in every aspect of my game. Whether it's press man, off coverage, zone or anything like that. I really try to pride myself on trying to be the best version of myself. Trying to do whatever I can to help our team out. Whether that's me being in man coverage or whether that's me being off, I want to do what I can. If that's me denying a man the ball, that's what I'm going to do to the best of my ability."
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WIN: What’s Important Now
Top-ranked Georgia (12-0, 8-0 SEC) will be looking to capture its 15th SEC title and second straight when it meets No. 8 Alabama (11-1, 8-0 SEC) Saturday in Atlanta. The Bulldogs completed their third consecutive perfect regular season, which is a school record. Also, the 2023 senior class has tied the school mark for victories as they enter the postseason now 49-3. The 2022 class went 49-5.
The Bulldogs are making their 11th appearance in the SEC Championship Game (SECCG) where they are 4-6. Georgia claimed the 2022 SEC crown when it beat LSU while the others came in 2002 (Arkansas), 2005 (LSU) and 2017 (Auburn). Georgia is making its sixth appearance in the SECCG in the Kirby Smart era where it’s 2-3. The Bulldogs are the visiting team this year.
Georgia’s 14 conference titles rank the second most in the SEC. Georgia will be aiming for its first win over Alabama in an SECCG after falling in 2012, 2018 and 2021. In the all-time series, Alabama leads 42-26-4. The Bulldogs won the last meeting, posting a 33-18 triumph in the 2022 CFP National Championship Game in Indianapolis, Ind.
SECCG Experience
The 2023 team features 14 Bulldogs who have started at least one SECCG and two (Sedrick Van Pran-C and Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint-WR) who have started the past two championship games.
Offense (6): Sedrick Van Pran (C/21-22), Brock Bowers (TE/21), Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint (WR/21-22), Ladd McConkey (WR/22), Tate Ratledge (RG/22), Xavier Truss (LG/22)
Defense (8): Dan Jackson (SS/21), Jamon Dumas-Johnson (LB/22), Kamari Lassiter (DB/22), Smael Mondon (LB/22), Tykee Smith (STAR/22), Nazir Stackhouse (DL/22), Malaki Starks (SS/22), Tramel Walthour (DE/22)
Did You Know? There have been five blocked field goals in SECCG history, and four of them by Georgia. Last year, Nazir Stackhouse blocked a 32-yard attempt and Chris Smith returned it 96 yards for a score.
Balance Signals Success
The Bulldogs are one of only three teams in the country who are ranked in the top 10 in both Scor- ing Offense and Scoring Defense. The Bulldogs rank sixth in Scoring Defense at 15.8 ppg and eighth in Scoring Offense at 39.6 ppg. The other teams are Oregon, who ranks seventh in Scoring Defense (15.9) and second in Scoring Offense (45.2), and Notre Dame as they are ninth in both (16.6 pgg/39.1 ppg).
One of the keys to Georgia’s success is its third down defense. The Bulldogs are ranked second nationally with opponents converting just 27 percent of the time. In SEC action, Georgia opponents were a combined 28-for-95 on third downs (29 percent). The Bulldogs are second nationally in converting third downs (57 percent). Georgia converted 56 of 99 third downs (57 percent) against league opponents.