Georgia Football: Halftime report and thoughts
By Max Tolbert
Georgia football started slow in the 1st quarter against Ball State. But in the second quarter, the Dawgs scored 31 unanswered points.
Mainly, the Ball State turnovers have given Georgia an excellent field position. I have never seen footballs bounce that oddly. The Dawgs have had one drive where they drove the length of the field.
The Georgia fan base was upset about how Carson Beck performed in the first quarter. It was not all on Beck. The receivers were not blocking well, and Georgia could not run the ball in that first quarter. However, in the second quarter, things changed. It indeed was a tell of two quarters. Georgia had only 74 yards total on offense in the first quater. In the 2nd quarter, 163 yards total.
Some positives so far is Mekhi Mews returned a punt for a touchdown. I know I have talked a lot about him, but I love the guy. Mews is probably the most electric player Georgia has had since Isaiah McKenzie.
Another positive was Dillon Bell. Bell has lined up as a running back and scored a rushing touchdown. Give Bell the ball. That was one of the better cuts I have seen from a wide receiver. I am unsure if Bell has ever played running back, but given Georgia’s depth issues at the position, Bell needs to keep getting touches.
Defensively, the Dawgs have played okay. The turnovers have helped a ton, but the D-Line still needs to get push up front. In a few press conferences, Smart said that he wanted the Dawgs D to get more turnovers. The defense heard him loud and clear.
There were a few drives early where Ball State was getting a decent push against the defense, and the Cardinals were running the ball effectively. The turnovers have killed any opportunities for the Cardinals to get points on the scoreboard.
This game should be 41-0 at the half. The “offensive pass interference” call may be the worst call I have ever seen. Rosmey-Jacksaint was not even trying to block the cornerback. Just terrible. It killed Georgia’s chances of scoring a touchdown. So yeah, I am a little peeved.
Anyway, it was an excellent second quarter by the Dawgs after a terrible start on offense in the 1st quarter. The offense can play the same in the third, and we can pull the starters out. The defense just needs to stop the run because Ball State cannot throw the ball without turning it over.