ATHENS — Georgia football coach Kirby Smart knows the importance of grabbing an early lead against Georgia Tech’s triple-option ball control offense, but he’s not looking to put any added pressure on his offense.
“I always want to put people down by multiple scores, don’t you? I don’t know a game you go say, well, let’s keep this one tight for a while,” Smart said. “I would love to get a lead ….but that doesn’t put any more pressure to say that we have to have it.
“You’ve got to play the game you’ve got and you’ve got to do a good job managing whatever it is, whether you’re behind, ahead, doesn’t matter.”
The No. 5-ranked Bulldogs (10-1) play host to the Yellow Jackets (7-4) at noon on Saturday at Sanford Stadium (TV: SEC Network; Radio: WSB 750 AM, 95.5 FM).
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Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm understands the sense of urgency the offense needs, as far as making the most out of what figures to be a limited amount of possessions.
The Bulldogs had seven first-half possessions against UMass in a 66-27 win last Saturday, while Alabama had just four in battling an option-oriented team in The Citadel to a 10-10 halftime tie.
Indeed, in addition to leading the nation in rushing (353.7 yards per game), Georgia Tech ranks fifth in time of possession (34:12).
“It’s different, the amount of possessions we had tonight it gets cut down almost in half,” Fromm said. “For an opposing offense it’s not the funnest to play because you just don’t have that many opportunities to score, so you have to be extremely efficient playing teams like this.”
Smart just wants to make sure his players stay relaxed and not psych themselves out too much.
“I don’t think you ever panic, I think you take advantage of your opportunities, you just may have less opportunities,” Smart said. “I think panic comes from within. It comes from pressing, trying to do things you don’t do, normally.
“I think the number of opportunities or series or drives you may have may be less. Realistically it may be less, we may have less than most people because we have been a ball controlled time possession offense. Maybe not to the extent Tech is, but we understand those games. And every offensive possession is critical, but when is it not? It’s always that way.”
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