Georgia football: players to watch this Saturday against Middle Tennessee State

The no. 3 ranked Georgia football team hosts the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders of the Conference USA this Saturday.

Georgia football shoots for their fourth straight 3-0 start this Saturday against Middle Tennessee State. The Blue Raiders are a solid 7-to-8 win team annually in the Conference USA. They’ve hung around that win total since 2012. They’re also making their first trip to Athens since 2003. In all likelihood, the Dawgs will dominate this Saturday. Here are the player’s who’ll likely have the best games:

Brian Herrien

Brian Herrien is making the most of his junior season with Nick Chubb and Sony Michel gone. He rushed for 45 yards on just seven carries with a touchdown last Saturday at South Carolina. Kirby Smart is also proving how loyal he is to the small name, workman players. As D’Andre Swift and Elijah Holyfield get phased out this Saturday, Herrien will take over and slice up the Blue Raider defense.

Mecole Hardman

Mecole Hardman is a dark horse Heisman candidate. Yeah, I said it. He’s a threat to score every time he touches the ball. It doesn’t matter if he’s catching screens, deep passes, receiving jet sweep handoffs or returning kicks. Hardman can score whenever a crease opens. Middle Tennessee State doesn’t have the athletes on defense to stop Hardman. They won’t be able to catch him. And if they do, he won’t go down easy.

Tyler Clark

After having played South Carolina, expect more from Georgia’s front seven this week than what they showed against Austin Peay. The Dawgs will use more blitzing and coverage patterns against the Blue Raiders. The player who’ll likely benefit the most from this is Tyler Clark. Middle Tennessee will have problems slowing down the 300-pounder. He’ll be in on almost every tackle on runs up the middle and may even get a few sacks.

Natrez Patrick

Not so fast Monty Rice, the dominant inside linebacker for the Dawgs so far in 2018 is senior Natrez Patrick. His rehab from earlier this year has seemed to gone well and Patrick returns as a leader, both through experience and on the field. He’s not going to replace Roquan Smith on defense, but he’ll be near the ball for every tackle.

Richard LeCounte III

Richard LeCounte III is the biggest surprise of the season so far. He’s leading the team in tackles, and last week, he nearly made two interceptions on plays that he’s not expected to make based on experience. He reads the quarterback and the receivers very well and rarely gets wrapped up in a conflict of assignment. The way Dominick Sanders closed off the middle of the field during his time in Athens, LeCounte will likely do the same.