Daniel Shirley: Georgia needs to focus on running game against South Carolina

One of these days, Georgia is going to need Greyson Lambert to make plays, execute extremely well and lead the team to a win. You know, like an SEC quarterback is supposed to do.

Saturday doesn’t need to be that day.

Instead, the Bulldogs need to focus their offensive attack on the running game against a South Carolina defense that has struggled against the run. Yep, that sounds like a check mark in the Bulldogs’ favor, doesn’t it? That running game with that offensive line and all that talent in the backfield against a defense that is struggling against the run? It’s almost not fair.

So here’s a hint to the Georgia offensive brain trust. Don’t get cute. And don’t overthink it or overcoach. Simply have Lambert turn around and hand the ball to Nick Chubb, Sony Michel or Keith Marshall and have them run behind that powerful offensive line and pound the Gamecocks into submission.

Over. And over. And over.

It’s pretty simple, really. We’ll see if Mark Richt, Brian Schottenheimer and the rest of the offensive staff take that advice. If they’re smart, and there is no reason to think they aren’t, they will.

South Carolina hasn’t looked good at doing much in its two games this season with struggles throughout its offense and defense. But the Gamecocks have looked their worst while trying to stop the running game of North Carolina and Kentucky. The Tar Heels ran for 208 yards on 33 carries (an average of 6.3 yards per carry) while the Wildcats rolled up 207 yards on 38 carries (an average of 5.4).

Quick, name a running back for the Tar Heels or Wildcats ...

I didn’t think so.

And that defense is going to slow down Chubb, Michel, Marshall and that offensive line? No way. Not if the Georgia staff handles this game the way it should.

The Bulldogs have 524 yards rushing in their two wins, an average of 262 yards per game. Chubb already has 309 yards on just 35 carries, averaging 8.8 yards per carry, and has looked every bit the Heisman Trophy candidate people thought he would be.

The Bulldogs need to keep that campaign bid rolling for one more day and keep putting on hold the day they have to turn to Lambert and say, “Carry us to victory.”

That day is coming, just not Saturday.

Contact Daniel Shirley at 744-4227 or dshirley@macon.com

This story was originally published September 18, 2015 at 4:13 PM with the headline "Daniel Shirley: Georgia needs to focus on running game against South Carolina ."