ATHENS, Ga. — Much to the dismay of the rest of the Southeastern Conference, Georgia’s A.J. Green wasn’t adversely affected having to sit out the season’s first month.
Suspended for the first four games of the season for selling a game-worn jersey, Green’s return has energized a Georgia team that looked lost while beginning the season 1-4, but since has rebounded with three victories to get back into contention for an Eastern Division title. The Bulldogs tallied 41-plus points in each of those three wins and bring their rejuvenated offense to Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville on Saturday to face Florida at 2:30 p.m. CDT (CBS).
Green has 22 receptions for 365 yards and four touchdowns in his four games. Georgia’s offense and Green sputtered upon his return in a 29-27 loss to Colorado, but the Bulldogs have been dominant on that side of the ball in wins over Tennessee (41-14), Vanderbilt (43-0) and Kentucky (44-31).
In contrast, Florida (4-3, 2-3 SEC) has been hampered by injuries and inefficiency during the school’s first three-game losing streak since 1988. The Gators have scored 42 points during that stretch, and the offense now ranks 89th nationally in total offense. UF rates 82nd in passing at 187 yards per game and 74th in rushing at 142 yards.
Florida can’t afford to find itself in a shootout with the Bulldogs (4-4, 3-3), and Gator defensive coordinator Teryl Austin has his hands full developing a coverage scheme that can slow down Green, a 6-foot-4, 205-pound junior who can outmuscle smaller defensive backs and flat-out run by them. The Gators have reeled in 13 interceptions this year, but in man-on-man coverage their small corners — Jeremy Brown and Janoris Jenkins — have trouble matching up physically with big receivers.
Brown (5-10, 184) and Jenkins (5-11, 184) each give up several inches and 20 pounds to Green. LSU’s Terance Toliver (6-5, 203) reeled in six catches for 101 yards against Florida on Oct. 9, and he was too physical for either Brown or Jenkins. It was a disappointing effort considering the Gators corralled Alabama’s Julio Jones (6-4, 215) a week earlier, limiting Jones to four catches for 19 yards.
Georgia coach Mark Richt is creative in finding ways to get the ball to Green, who doesn’t need to run deep route after deep route to be a game-changer. He’s already ripped off one 40-yard carry this year, and the Bulldogs aren’t averse to letting Green return a punt.
The maturation of redshirt freshman quarterback Aaron Murray has factored into the Bulldogs’ resurgence offensively, and now that Green is back, Murray has a target who can consistently get open and spread the field for the offense.
Standing bigger in the pocket than his 6-1 frame would suggest he could, Murray has completed 121 of 193 passes for 1,766 yards, 12 touchdowns and three interceptions.
Suspended for the first four games of the season for selling a game-worn jersey, Green’s return has energized a Georgia team that looked lost while beginning the season 1-4, but since has rebounded with three victories to get back into contention for an Eastern Division title. The Bulldogs tallied 41-plus points in each of those three wins and bring their rejuvenated offense to Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville on Saturday to face Florida at 2:30 p.m. CDT (CBS).
Green has 22 receptions for 365 yards and four touchdowns in his four games. Georgia’s offense and Green sputtered upon his return in a 29-27 loss to Colorado, but the Bulldogs have been dominant on that side of the ball in wins over Tennessee (41-14), Vanderbilt (43-0) and Kentucky (44-31).
In contrast, Florida (4-3, 2-3 SEC) has been hampered by injuries and inefficiency during the school’s first three-game losing streak since 1988. The Gators have scored 42 points during that stretch, and the offense now ranks 89th nationally in total offense. UF rates 82nd in passing at 187 yards per game and 74th in rushing at 142 yards.
Florida can’t afford to find itself in a shootout with the Bulldogs (4-4, 3-3), and Gator defensive coordinator Teryl Austin has his hands full developing a coverage scheme that can slow down Green, a 6-foot-4, 205-pound junior who can outmuscle smaller defensive backs and flat-out run by them. The Gators have reeled in 13 interceptions this year, but in man-on-man coverage their small corners — Jeremy Brown and Janoris Jenkins — have trouble matching up physically with big receivers.
Brown (5-10, 184) and Jenkins (5-11, 184) each give up several inches and 20 pounds to Green. LSU’s Terance Toliver (6-5, 203) reeled in six catches for 101 yards against Florida on Oct. 9, and he was too physical for either Brown or Jenkins. It was a disappointing effort considering the Gators corralled Alabama’s Julio Jones (6-4, 215) a week earlier, limiting Jones to four catches for 19 yards.
Georgia coach Mark Richt is creative in finding ways to get the ball to Green, who doesn’t need to run deep route after deep route to be a game-changer. He’s already ripped off one 40-yard carry this year, and the Bulldogs aren’t averse to letting Green return a punt.
The maturation of redshirt freshman quarterback Aaron Murray has factored into the Bulldogs’ resurgence offensively, and now that Green is back, Murray has a target who can consistently get open and spread the field for the offense.
Standing bigger in the pocket than his 6-1 frame would suggest he could, Murray has completed 121 of 193 passes for 1,766 yards, 12 touchdowns and three interceptions.
