Kalen DeBoer says Georgia has “jumped all over people”

Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer has watched Georgia often enough to recognize the faces. What caught his attention this week was how quickly those players have been taking control of games.

Asked at his Monday news conference in Tuscaloosa what separates this Georgia team from the versions Alabama has faced, DeBoer said, “This version, I mean, it’s just jumped all over people.” The Bulldogs have outscored opponents 70-7 in first quarters, giving that warning some teeth.

No. 6 Alabama hosts No. 2 Georgia on Oct. 10, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Eastern on ABC. Both teams are 5-0 and unbeaten in three SEC games. An early deficit would force Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell to answer an experienced offense while Georgia’s defense knows he needs points.

Kalen DeBoer has two early problems to solve

Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton completed eight passes without a miss on the opening touchdown drive against Vanderbilt. The Bulldogs covered 80 yards without a running back carrying the ball. Stopping the run alone will not spoil this team’s opening script.

Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack explained Monday that Georgia’s play designs often give Stockton an answer among his first two receiving options. Alabama needs to make him keep looking. Otherwise, the rush can win a block and still arrive after the ball leaves.

The work of Alabama’s rebuilt defensive front now includes disturbing that timing. Chasing sacks at any cost could help Stockton if it leaves an easy completion behind the rush. Pressure and coverage have to work together.

However, Vanderbilt showed Georgia can be kept within reach. The Commodores were level at 7-7 after one quarter and trailed 21-14 at halftime before losing 38-14. Alabama needs a sound opening without treating the first touchdown as a verdict on the evening.

Vanderbilt wide receiver Junior Sherrill supplied the opening quarter’s equalizer with a 60-yard touchdown reception on third down and nine. Even after forcing a difficult passing down, Georgia still had to finish the play.

Russell can answer without turning every play into an escape

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart, discussing Russell at his Monday news conference in Athens, described a quarterback who keeps several choices alive. “He doesn’t run unless he has to, and he can. He scrambles to throw, scrambles to run. He’s accurate and smart.” A defender who leaves his receiver to chase Russell risks opening a throw downfield.

Russell threw for 285 yards and three touchdowns in Alabama’s 56-23 win at Mississippi State. But the Tide also allowed four sacks and lost two fumbles. A comfortable final score can hide drives that Georgia would be happy to see repeated.

Alabama has scored at least 45 points in each of its five games, so Russell has earned room to play with confidence. DeBoer’s challenge is keeping that freedom while cutting the plays that hand an opponent a short field or turn a manageable third down into a long one.

Wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams has advice for Russell that starts before the snap. Discussing his preparation for Georgia in comments published Tuesday by The Tuscaloosa News, he said, “I try to tell the guys, you can never watch too much film.” He is reviewing how he left the line, finished routes, fought for catches and blocked defenders in Georgia’s secondary in previous meetings.

For Kalen DeBoer, keeping Russell comfortable also means getting useful information from those around him. Coleman-Williams has played Georgia three times. Russell is preparing for his first start against the Bulldogs, and the receiver can share which looks troubled him before the quarterback sees them live.

Still, Coleman-Williams warned against assuming the old film supplies the whole answer. In the same discussion, he said, “Three years, everybody’s going to grow and mature in certain ways.” He is watching for details as small as a safety taking one step before the snap, a clue that could reveal where the coverage is heading.