ATHENS — Georgia’s offensive line didn’t ask for its “Great Wall” nickname, but they like it, and they plan to continue to earn it.
“It’s pretty cool to hear guys talking about us,” said Andrew Thomas, the Bulldogs’ left tackle and an early Outland Trophy favorite.
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“But we haven’t won a national championship yet as an offensive line, and we haven’t won the Joe Moore Award, which goes to the best offensive line, so we have plenty of motivation.”
Quarterback Jake Fromm rallies the line on each play.
Whether it’s Thomas, left guard Solomon Kindley, center Trey Hill, right guard Ben Cleveland right tackle Isaiah Wilson, 2018 Freshman All-American Cade Mays or Jamaree Salyer — Fromm is a fan.
“Nobody calls them the Great Wall around the team,” Fromm said, “but they can be as great as they want to be as long as they are willing to put in the work and go to work every day.”
Top SEC defenders have seen their fill of Georgia’s vaunted offensive line, and they shared their opinions and experiences at Media Days in Hoover earlier this month.
Florida defensive end Jabari Zuniga offered praise. But the talented Gator also fired a warning shot at the Georgia offensive line.
There’s no doubt, The Great Wall will be under siege this season with opponents looking to make a name against them.
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“I definitely feel like they are one of the better offensive lines I’ve played in my career, hats off to those guys,” Zuniga said. “But at the same time, it’s going to be a fight next year, we’re coming.”
Florida DE Jabari Zuniga
Auburn, another Georgia rival, will also take aim at the Bulldogs.
The Tigers have one of the best defensive lines in college football, but defensive end Marlon Davidson said they know they’ll have their work cut out for them with the Bulldogs.
“The Georgia offensive line is big, fast and athletic — that’s the hardest matchup out there,” Davidson said. “(Andrew Thomas) is long and athletic, that’s hard to play against at tackle. He’s good with his hands and good with his feet.
“It’s hard to beat him with technique when he’s technique sound.”
Auburn DE Marlon Davidson
Missouri linebacker Cale Garrett said the Georgia offensive line leaves a lasting impression.
“They have some big bodies, and they have some strong people there,” Garrett said. “I can tell when I’ve played Georgia, that’s for sure, and they have a physical O-Line, for sure.”
Missouri LB Cale Garrett
Alabama linebacker Dylan Moses was just as impressed, saying the Georgia game was the most physical the Tide played in last season, and praising the so-called ‘Great Wall.’
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“They finish on every play,” Moses said. “Just being a guy that’s played against their offensive line, whenever their running back is fighting for extra yards, they are getting behind their running back and pushing him for an extra 2 or 3, and it’s amazing, I’ve never seen another team do that besides us.”
Alabama LB Dylan Moses
South Carolina linebacker TJ Brunson has had to deal with the same issues against Georgia.
“They have a solid offensive line, (and) every year that I’ve been able to play them, they’ve had guys who are agile and they can move,” Brunson said. “I think their backs really like playing behind those guys just because of their scheme and their ability to create movement.”
South Carolina LB T.J. Brunson
No doubt, Georgia’s ability to recruit and develop great offensive line has led to the Bulldogs building one of the top backfields in the nation.
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Georgia led the SEC in rushing last season and their backs are expected to produce in hefty numbers once again with D’Andre Swift leading the way.
Former Bulldogs’ and NFL offensive lineman George Foster loves what he sees happening at Georgia.
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“They look like a freakin’ great wall,” Foster said at this year’s Bruce Arians charity golf tournament. “They have recruited the right temperament that you want
“The running backs should be fighting to come here — you don’t gather that much talent up front that often in one concentrated group like that. They have something rare going on there, and it’s going to be exciting to watch them.”
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