How Georgia’s run defense went from a weakness to source of ‘pride’ in 2019 season

Azeez Ojulari couldn’t contain the smile creeping across his face.

The Georgia outside linebacker fielded a question about how a defense feels when it holds an opponent below its season rushing average. As he pondered, the sophomore went from stoic to a satisfied grin.

“That’s pretty great, man, because we work so hard,” Ojulari said. “We stop the run here at Georgia. That’s what we take pride in.”

This wasn’t necessarily true last season. The Bulldogs ranked fifth in the SEC and 31st in the country last season allowing 134 rushing yards per game — decent, but not elite.

But this season has seen a brand new Georgia run defense take the field in Athens.

Through 10 games, Georgia is surrendering 75.5 rushing yards per contest, best in the SEC and third in the country. But a deeper examination of the stats shows just how truly dominant this defense has been defending the ground game.

In every contest this season, the Bulldogs have held their opponents below their season rushing average entering the game. In eight games, they have held opponents to less than half their average rushing yards per game. Seven times, including against Notre Dame, Florida and Missouri, Georgia has kept its opponents to less than a third of its season rushing average.

The Bulldogs also hadn’t surrendered a rushing touchdown all season until last week against Auburn. Even that touchdown came on a two-yard keeper by quarterback Bo Nix on a read play.

There has been a decent amount of personnel turnover. The Bulldogs lost five key contributors from last year’s front seven, but also return a majority of the rotation from last year and have added several talented freshmen in defensive lineman Travon Walker, outside linebacker Nolan Smith and inside linebacker Nakobe Dean.

So, how does a weakness turn into a strength in one year? For head coach Kirby Smart, a lot has to do with experience.

Last season’s defense broke in a plethora of new faces after a long list of departures from the 2017 defense. As a result, Smart and then-defensive coordinator Mel Tucker were a little more hesitant to get too aggressive on defense.

“It was a tough year defensively, man,” Smart said. “You were holding on every time somebody moved or motioned.”

This year’s defense, by comparison, is much more seasoned and experienced. Combine that with new defensive coordinator Dan Lanning and his philosophy of havoc plays, and you have a recipe for a much more aggressive defense.

But stifling opponents’ run games isn’t all about aggression. A big part of it is discipline, filling gaps in the middle and setting the edge on the outside.

After Lanning took over defensive coordinator duties, run defense became a point of emphasis all offseason. Defensive lineman David Marshall said the defense began taking run defense more seriously, and it’s showing on the field.

“Coach Lanning just comes into work every week,” Ojulari said. “He brings new schemes, new things for us to do, new ways that we just attack these offenses, just make them one-dimensional and just stop the run and stop things that they’re doing.”

Perhaps the truest testament of the run defense is how it has performed in big games. When they’ve needed to most, the Bulldogs have smothered the rushing attacks of its opponents.

The first test came against Notre Dame. The Irish entered the game averaging over 193 yards per game on the ground, albeit against weak competition, but mustered just 46 yards against Georgia in a 23-17 loss.

Fast forward to November, when Georgia has faced three physical opponents in a row in Florida, Missouri and Auburn, needing a win each time to keep SEC and national title hopes alive. The Bulldogs allowed 21, 50 and 84 rushing yards respectively in those games, holding the Gators and Missouri to less than a third of their season rushing averages entering the game.

As is the norm in the SEC, Georgia faces another strong rushing attack this week in the form of the Texas A&M Aggies. They average 175 rushing yards per game, and have utilized sets with two running backs in the backfield along with dual-threat quarterback Kellen Mond, creating option plays where any of the three players in the backfield could get the ball.

“(Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher) uses some different plays to really highlight the two backs he has,” Smart said. “They’re running the ball more and more efficiently as the season - like you can see how they’ve gotten better and better and better at running the ball every game.”