Georgia Bulldogs biggest flaw on display in ugly SEC rivalry win over Hugh Freeze and Auburn Tigers
When and how is Kirby Smart going to fix Georgia’s unbelievably weak pass rush on defense?
The Georgia Bulldogs found a way to sneak a victory over the Auburn Tigers despite putting up one of the worst first half performances in the history of Kirby Smart’s tenure with the program.
It took some wild shenanigans from the SEC officials to avoid going down 17-0 to Auburn late in the first half when what likely should have been a touchdown was called a fumble, gifting the ball to Georgia. That turnover led to a Georgia score and a ten-point swing. The rest is history.
Fortunately (or unfortunately) the good calls that went the Bulldogs’ way via typical poor SEC officiating almost hid the biggest flaw of Georgia’s defense that was on constant display throughout the game. What is that flaw? Georgia’s pass rush is still one of the worst in the entire country.
Key stats on Georgia pass rush versus Auburn
- Heading into the Auburn Tigers SEC rivalry game Georgia was tied for 119th in defensive sacks among FBS teams.
- Georgia managed just one sack on Jackson Arnold despite him being the biggest sack liability in the country coming off of 15 sacks in the last two games alone prior to this week.
- Again, the lone sack came from the off-ball linebacker position in CJ Allen instead of a defensive line or edge player.
- Jackson Arnold was pressured just nine times. That 11% pressure to sack rate was one fourth what he came in averaging. Meaning, not only could Georgia not generate pressure often, but they also couldn’t convert it into sacks compared to other Auburn opponents.
Georgia Bulldogs sacked Jackson Arnold just once as pass rush struggles in win
This was supposed to be the “get right” game for Georgia’s pass rush. Georgia had struggled all year generating consistent pressure and converting sacks. Only one true edge defender or defensive lineman had logged even one sack heading into the Auburn game. The team ranked 119th in defensive sacks generated overall.
However, Jackson Arnold was coming off a two-game stretch where he had taken 15 sacks. Both of Auburn’s games essentially ending on terrible sacks for the Tigers that Jackson Arnold could or should have avoided. Surely Georgia would finally bring some pressure and convert on sacks against him, right?
Nope. The Bulldogs managed just one measly sack against Jackson Arnold on on 34 drop backs from Auburn. They generated pressure on just nine of those drop backs for a 26% pressure rate (about 7% below FBS average), and were even worse at turning those pressures into sacks (11%) despite Arnold’s 40%+ pressure to sack rate on the year. Just an absolutely abysmal showing from Georgia’s pass rush yet again.
CJ Allen, the Bulldogs’ start off-ball linebacker–and likely early NFL Draft pick–was the lone defensive player for Georgia to log a sack. So yes, yet again, zero true edge defenders or defensive lineman logged a sack.
One more time, just so it sticks. Georgia is seriously halfway through the regular season and only one sack has been made by a true defensive end or defensive interior player. That is absolutely incomprehensibly terrible. Almost unbelievable. Still, that’s where the 2025 Georgia Bulldogs’ defense is right now.
Kirby Smart and company continue to skate by somehow with an extremely flawed defense that can’t get after a quarterback to save their life, but this can’t keep happening. If Georgia’s defensive front doesn’t have anyone step up against teams like Ole Miss, Florida, Texas, or Georgia Tech down the stretch there’s no way the Bulldogs avoid losing at least one of those games.
Hopefully coach Smart can find a way to get his pass rush in order, but he might just not have the personnel to do it this year.
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