Georgia absolutely stomped Western Kentucky 70-20 yesterday, tying a program record with 49 first-half points, but head coach Kirby Smart isn’t letting anyone get too comfortable, even after a beatdown like that. While the first string looked dominant, the coach’s comments after the game hinted at a serious issue brewing with the backups.
Stockton and the Offense Went Off, But Watch Those Hands
Gunner Stockton was cooking, man. He played an efficient game, going 13 of 16 for 234 yards and a career-high 5 touchdowns, hitting five different Bulldogs for those scores. Even with a couple of underthrown or tipped balls, it was an all-around good performance. Nate Frazier was looking crisp too, with 6 carries for 55 yards and a touchdown. We even saw Ryan Puglisi bust a 70-yard touchdown run, which accounted for 70 of his 72 rushing yards as the Dawgs’ leading rusher. But that’s where the good news kinda hits a snag. Puglisi’s other run resulted in a fumble that helped Western Kentucky get on the board. This wasn’t an isolated incident either; the Bulldogs turned the ball over twice and had a handful of other fumbles they somehow recovered. Yikes.
The First Stringers Are Money, But The Reserves Are A Real Concern
While the defense’s first string was absolutely lights out, only allowing 225 yards of total offense, it felt like the reserves weren’t nearly as dialed in. Kirby Smart didn’t pull any punches after the game, saying, “we’ve got a lot of guys who want to play but aren’t ready to play.” That gap between the first-string dominance and the lapses once the backups came in is definitely concerning. The score of 70-20 makes it sound close, but the source says it wasn’t. The Dawgs scored touchdowns on offense, defense, and special teams, and those first-stringers could’ve hung a hundred points if Smart wanted them to. The reserves were in for over a half of football, getting reps, which is good for coaching tape. But when SEC play kicks off, they better be ready.
The Dawgs prepare to start the real season next week, heading on the road to open SEC play. Those young guys need to tighten up fast, because the competition is about to get a whole lot tougher.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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