Know the Foe 2020: Q&A with Georgia insider Anthony Dasher
To get a better feel for this Saturday's opponent, we reached out to someone who is around Georgia on a regular basis: Anthony Dasher.
Dasher is the managing editor for UGAsports.com, the Georgia site in the Rivals network.
1. What was the reaction from Georgia fans when Sam Pittman left and when they found out they’d be opening the season against him? What’s the general view of the Hogs within the fan base right now?
I think initially surprised but only because Coach Pittman wasn't one of the first candidates for the job. Once the new schedule was announced, I think everyone was excited. Coach Pittman was very much loved by the fan base here as he gets the credit for recruiting Georgia's offensive line to a level one could argue it's never been at before. As far as a general view toward the program, I think everyone understands that it will be a rebuilding year for the Hogs, but folks I've spoken to are openly rooting for Coach Pittman to get it done.
2. If you were Arkansas, which QB would you rather not see named starter on Saturday for Georgia and who do you think gets the start?
Kirby Smart has always been very guarded not to give away any information over who starts, etc. But in the case of Southern Cal transfer JT Daniels, I don't think this is a case of him trying to pull a fast one. It's only been a year since Daniels-then at USC-underwent ACL surgery and as of today, it's still too sore for him to be cleared for contact. Coach Smart has gone from saying he expects Daniels to be cleared to he hopes Daniels will be cleared for Saturday's game. This will set the stage for D'Wan Mathis, who assuming he takes the field, will be one of the league's better feel good stories after undergoing a craniotomy in May of 2019 to remove a cyst from his brain. Mathis, who was committed to Ohio State before choosing Georgia, is 6-foot-6 and weighs around 210 pounds. He is fast ... very fast, but also has a very good arm. He just hasn't played in a game yet. But talent-wise, he's very intriguing, and if I'm Arkansas, I would be concerned about his ability to run should a play break down.
3. Any weaknesses in that Bulldog defense…..
On paper, there's not a lot. It's also an experienced group. Georgia will start sophomore Lewis Cine at safety in place of the graduated JR Reed, but he showed signs last year that he's more than ready to accept the role. Kirby Smart's biggest concern with the group has been complacency, but at least with the defensive players I've spoken with, that doesn't appear to be a problem. There is no doubt Smart wants his defense to create more havoc than it did a season ago as the Bulldogs didn't have quite the sack totals that many expected, so that is certainly a goal for the upcoming campaign.
4. No one really knows what to expect from Todd Monken’s offense, what have you heard about the pass/run balance?
That's the million-dollar question. Wide receiver Kearis Jackson made folks sit up when he suggested that Georgia's offense will "be one fans haven't seen before." What did he mean by that? We'll see. I certainly don't expect the Bulldogs to pull an LSU from last year in terms of offensive productivity, though I do believe they will be more dangerous than they were a season ago. All that said, Georgia will always be a "running team," though you can look for Monken not to be shy about taking his shot. Becoming a more explosive team is something Smart lamented about last year. Assuming the quarterback is Mathis, which again I think it will be, you can look for more zone reads, and under Monken, more RPOs than we saw with the previous offensive staff. But overall, it's still a bit of mystery exactly what the Bulldogs will look like Saturday afternoon.
5. How focused does the team seem to you, any chance of missing some key guys?
They seem focused. I don't believe that will be a problem. As far as anything Covid-related, Smart indicated recently that he doesn't anticipate any issues, but with everyone getting tested three times a week, one never knows. As far as injuries, the biggest question is tight end Tre' McKitty. A grad transfer from Florida State, McKitty was expected to start but is questionable with after undergoing a minor procedure to correct an issue with his meniscus.