Hawkins-Muckle proves clutch with field goal block

DaQuan Hawkins-Muckle told his teammates throughout the week that he was going to block a field goal in the SEC Championship.

He had set a goal for himself, but many of his fellow linemen didn’t take it too seriously.

Auburn was in the midst of a third-quarter drive, but Georgia was able to make it stall at 14-yard-line. Trailing 10-7, the Tigers had an opportunity to tie the game with a 31-yard field goal. Place-kicker Daniel Carlson entered Saturday’s play 21-of-27 on his opportunities.

So, it seemed to be a foregone conclusion that Carlson would split the uprights and the score would be knotted up with nearly two full quarters to play.

Georgia nose tackle John Atkins had been dealing with an injury throughout the game, so he was still being tended to and couldn’t fill his usual responsibility on the field-goal block team. Hawkins-Muckle was next in line, and there was the opportunity to fulfill his promise.

The snap was high from Auburn and Carlson booted it in the air, but not before the Bulldogs were able to get a push. Hawkins-Muckle got his hand up and made contact with the ball in mid-air.

“Oh my gosh, he really talked that into existence,” Atkins thought as he sat on the bench.

Hawkins-Muckle swatted the ball down the left sideline, and defensive back Dominick Sanders was there to recover it and return it for 12 yards.

“We knew he was a great kicker, so we knew we needed a great push to get our hands up,” Hawkins-Muckle said. “That was my role to go in and get some knock-back.”

Sanders bolted out of bounds and the party began.

It was a complete mob scene on the Bulldogs’ sideline and both Sanders and Hawkins-Muckle were being chased by a horde of teammates. After Georgia had gotten a turnover on a strip-sack in the second quarter, it knew momentum had completely shifted.

Atkins had gotten out of his seat and wanted to find his teammate to congratulate him, but Hawkins-Muckle outran the 308-pound senior nose tackle.

“I was out of energy after all of that,” Hawkins-Muckle said.

As things settled down, Atkins had the chance to briefly speak with Hawkins-Muckle and said, “I’m proud of y’all boys, there are no weak links.”

Those links refer to the chain that has been a symbol in defensive line coach Tray Scott’s meeting room since fall practice began in August. Each linemen believes that each player has importance in the unit, and Hawkins-Muckle’s role epitomizes that.

The junior defensive tackle played some significant moments in 2016, but hasn’t been a part of the Bulldogs’ rotation this season. After dealing with some injuries and competing with some newcomers, Hawkins-Muckle was relegated to a third-string role and has only three tackles all season.

But he is persistent on playing his role, and he did just that when Georgia briefly had a vacancy to fill. Hawkins-Muckle had awaited the opportunity to be a difference-maker, and it happened on the biggest stage as a turning point in Georgia’s 28-7 victory over Auburn.

“He busts his ass everyday in practice,” defensive tackle Julian Rochester said with a big grin as he stood in front of Hawkins-Muckle. “It's so humbling to see him go out there and do that with no remorse. He made his play when we needed him to, and that's something that happens once in a lifetime. He shocked the world.

“I'm as happy as he is and I can't believe I got to experience that.”

Georgia’s defensive line chain isn’t only used during meetings, but it’s a symbol that has been carried to each game this season. At the conclusion of each contest, Atkins has walked off the field -- whether it be a win or loss -- with the chain draped around his neck.

As the confetti fell and Georgia paraded around the stands to celebrate its first conference championship since 2005, that wasn’t the case. Hawkins-Muckle donned the symbolic attire, and for a well-deserved reason.

“I had to give it to him, because I feel like he had a better game than me,” Atkins said. “When you have the better game, you get the chain.”

This story was originally published December 2, 2017 at 10:59 PM with the headline "Hawkins-Muckle proves clutch with field goal block."