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Hie Red and Black, Wednesday. October 15, 1980
Georgia improving upon weaknesses
Staff photo l.oui' Nicholas
Defense has been Dogs’ saving grace..,
By DAN C HILDS
Staff writer
Prior to the start of the 1980 football season, Georgia
head coach Vince Dooley pointed out that his Bulldogs
would need to improve upon the unimpressive numbers
they recorded during the 1979 campaign, a disappointing
season which saw the team finish with a 6-5 mark
The Dogs finished sixth in total defense in the
Southeastern Conference a year ago and ninth in total
offense "We have got to move forward offensively and
defensively if we ever expect to be a serious contender for
the championship." Dooley said.
Certainly it would be safe to say Georgia, undefeated in
five games thus far, is a most serious contender for the
conference crown. Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Florida and
Auburn are the only obstacles standing between Georgia
and a date in the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day. And the
Dogi should be odds-on favorites in all of those battles
Though the Dogs have indeed “moved forward”
defensively, the offense bears a strange resemblance to
last year's attack unit
The Georgia defense has been the team’s saving grace,
limiting opponents to 11 points per game. Last year the
Dogs allowed 351.7 yards in total offense per game In 1980,
they've improved on that mark, giving up an average of
272 6 yards per game
Although the Dogs are averaging nearly 10 points better
per game than a year ago. the total offense category is
about the same as what the Dogs finished with a year ago
At this point, the offense is averaging 315.8 yards per
game- last year it averaged 317.2.
Scoring an average of 28 points per game, the offense has
been effective enough to win. The Bulldogs look good at
times moving the ball, but periodically slip into sputtering
spells of impotency.
Alabama on top, Dogs still fifth
Alabama remained atop
The Red and Black Top
Twnety poll of sports
staffers this week, and
Georgia remained at num
ber five.
The Crimson Tide’s lead
on the top spot eroded
somewhat as it slipped by
previously unbeaten Rut
gers. 17-13
Texas solidified its hold
on its number two ranking
and inched closer to Ala
bama as the Longhorns
downed rival Oklahoma.
20-13, in their annual
shootout in Dallas' Cotton
Bowl
.. UCLA and Southern Cal
flip-flopped positions with
the Bruins moving ahead of
the Trojans to number three
with a come-from-behind
35- 21 victory over Stanford.
The Trojans dropped to
fourth after downing Ari
zona 23-10.
Georgia’s performance
against Ole Miss Saturday
drew some mixed reactions
from the staff as the
Bulldogs received one first-
place vote and one 10th-
place vote to remain at
fitth.
The biggest change in the
top 10 came with Florida
State’s win over Pittsburgh,
36- 22. The Seminoles
jumped to sixth with the
win and Pitt dropped to
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11th
Undefeated Notre Dame
easily handled giant-killer
Miami and held down at
number seven. The Hurri
canes dropped to 15th.
North Carolina was eighth
with a 5-0 record.
Nebraska and Ohio State
closed out the top 10 at nine
and 10 respectively as both
walloped opponents. The
Cornhuskers plowed Kansas
34-0 and Ohio State blitzed
Northwestern 63-0.
Arkansas got "shocked"
by Wichita State in the first
half of its game Saturday
night. After the Razorbacks
took a 14-0 lead very early
in the game, the Shockers
came back to make it a
seven-point game at the
half The Razorbacks, how
ever, came on to post a 27-7
win with two fourth-quarter
touchdowns. The win put
Arkansas at number 12.
George Rogers ran for
over 200 yards as South
Carolina downed Duke to
move to 13th.
Penn State held down
number 14 following a 24-10
victory over Maryland.
Oklahoma, at 2-2 is off to
its worst start in 10 years.
And uncharacteristically,
the Sooners were all the
way down to 16 in the poll.
Baylor scored 18 unan
swered points in the fourth
quarter to overcome a 28-14
deficit and whip Southern
Mfthfxlist. 32-28 to move to
17th
Tennessee moved to num
ber IK following a 23-10
Victory over Georgia Tech.
Southern Mississippi
made its first appearance in
1. Alabama 5-0
2. Texas 5-0
3. UCLA 5-0
4. SouthernCal 5-0
5. Georgia 5-0
6. FSU 5-1
7. Notre Dame 4-0
8. N. Carolina 5-0
9. Nebraska 4-1
10. Ohio State 4-1
11. Pittsburgh 4-
12. Arkansas 4-
13. S. Carolina 5-1
14. Penn State 4-1
15. Miami 4-1
16. Oklahoma 2-2
17. Baylor 5 0
18. Tennessee 3-2
19. So. Miss. 5-0
20. Missouri 4-1
the top 20 at number 19 The
Eagles are 5-0 and have
beaten Ole Miss and Missis
sippi State the past two
weekends.
Missouri rounded out the
poll at 20. The Tigers
downed Oklahoma State 30-7
Saturday.
"We do have a bad problem with our offense," Dooley
said. "At times we are able to move the ball right down the
field But at other times we just can't seem to move the
ball at all."
Freshman tailback Herschel Walker has been everything
he was cracked up to be, and more, carrying the ball 88
times for 463 yards and five touchdowns. He has provided
the running game-terribly anemic a year ago-a sorely
needed shot in the arm.
But some critics claim Georgia has depended too much
upon the running of Walker That could be a valid
criticism-the offensive approach has become disturbing
ly predictable Of the team’s 335 offensive plays this year,
270 have been on the ground
In Amp Arnold, Lindsay Scott and Norris Brown. Georgia
has perhaps the finest receiving corps in the SEC. Because
the Dogs have attempted only 65 passes in five games,
Dooley’s offensive approach has recently received no small
amount of criticism.
And two weeks ago, Scott and Arnold expressed some
concern that their skills weren’t being utilized more
Why the Dogs haven’t called on Scott more is a mystery
During the previous two campaigns he was a mainstay of
the Georgia offense, hauling in 70 passes But in 1980 the
junior speedster has caught only three passes for 66 yards.
Quarterback Buck Belue has been sharp at times
throughout the season but thus far hasn’t had the season
many expected him to. It was hoped that the Valdosta
junior would come into his own in '80 with the starting job
unquestionably his, but his potential still seems largely
unfulfilled. After completing 52 percent of his passes over
the last two years, Belue’s completion percentage in 1980
has sagged to 44 percent
Georgia’s offensive inadequacies have so far been offset
by the play of the defense, though Their specialty has been
the forcing of turnovers -they’ve taken the ball away 24
times, nearly attaining their goal of five turnovers a game
Going into the season. Dooley expressed concern about
the lack of speed at linebacker. Apparently, that hasn't
been too much of a factor, though. The starting
linebackers, Nate Taylor and Frank Ros, lead the squad in
tackles with 49 and 42, respectively. And their back-ups,
Will Forts and freshman Tommy Thurson have been
impressive as well.
In the defensive interior, Jimmy Payne, Eddie Weaver
and Joe Creamons have been solid. Weaver and Payne are
tied for third in tackles.
A first-year starter at defensive end, walk-on Robert
Miles has been one of the team’s most pleasant surprises,
recording 19 tackles on the year, along with a crucial
interception against Clemson.
In the secondary, Scott Woerner has lived up to his
reputation as being one of the top defensive backs in the
nation. And senior Jeff Hipp, with 39 tackles and three
interceptions, is padding his reputation for having a nose
for the football. Cornerback Dale Williams continues to
show improvement, adding stability to the secondary
It . + :>
Stall photo Inirry Cutchall
...while Walker has led offense
Dooley was worried about the lack of speed in the
secondary entering the campaign. But that weakness has to
a considerable degree been offset by an effective pass rush
Even if the Georgia offense doesn't improve appreciably
during the balance of the season, the defense just may be
good enough to carry the Dogs to the Sugar Bowl.
Defensive Coordinator Erk Russell has assembled one of
his finest units ever.
Georgia's kicking game has been adequate Punter Jim
Broadway came on to spell the injured Mark Malkiewicz in
the first four games, averaging 37 yards per kick
Malkiewicz returned last Saturday against Ole Miss and
punted once for 37 yards Rex Robinson has been his usual
reliable self at place-kicking The senior has booted six
field goals and has been faultless in 16 conversion
attempts.
Entering the stretch run of the schedule, Georgia
appears to have an excellent chance of providing Dooley
with his first perfect season At this juncture it looks as
though a date with South Carolina is the only formidable
obstacle remaining on the slate.
But the Dogs must avoid letdowns against the remainder
of their opponents-all of which are teams Georgia should
handle.
| Dogs and LSU challenge Bama
By MACK BROWN! NC
Assistant sports editor
Georgia and LSU pulled even with Alabama in the
Southeastern Conference football race last weekend as
Georgia posted a 28-21 win over Ole Miss and LSU downed
Auburn 21-17 while Bear Bryant’s Crimson Tide were
defeating non-conference foe Rutgers up in the Northeast.
Sophomore running back Carnie Norris rushed for 150
yards and the Georgia defense chased Ole Miss
quarterback John Fourcade all over the field most of the
day to lead the Bulldogs past the Rebels in Athens.
LSU blew an 11-point lead, then capitalized on an Auburn
fumble in the fourth quarter to defeat the Plainsmen. Aided
by the running of James Brooks, who rushed for 207 yards,
the War Eagles took a 17-14 lead in the fourth quarter
LSU, however, came back to take a 21-17 lead.
With less than a minute to play, Auburn's Clifford Toney
blocked the I.SU punt to give Auburn four cracks at a
touchdown from the Bengal's 12. Marcus Quinn saved LSU
with an interception of a fourth-down pass from Joe
Sullivan.
The win left LSU with a 2-0 conference record and put a
damper on Auburn’s title hopes, leaving the Tigers with an
0-2 SEC record
Top-ranked Alabama received a scare from Rutgers but
came up with a 17-13 victory in Giants Stadium in East
Rutherford, N.J.
SEC
Overall
1. Georgia
2-0-0
5-0-0
2. Alabama
2-0-0
5-0-0
3. LSU
2-0-0
4-2-0
4. Mississippi St.
1-1-0
4-2-0
5. Florida
1-1-0
3-1-0
6. Tennessee
1-1-0
3-2-0
7. Kentucky
0-1-0
2-3-0
8. Ole Miss
0-1-0
1-5-0
9. Auburn
0-2-0
3-2-0
10. Vanderbilt
0-2-0
0-4-0
Injuries slow Yellow Jackets and Tigers
AUBURN. Ala (UPD-
Auburn’s second leading
rusher, fullback George
Peoples, will miss Satur
day’s game with Georgia
Tech because of badly
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bruised ribs, Tiger Coach
Doug Barfield said Tues
day.
Peoples, a 5-11, 204 pound
junior from Tampa. Fla.,
was injured in Auburn’s 21-7
loss last Saturday night to
Louisiana State
Barfield said Peoples, tin-
eighth best runner in the
Southeastern Conference
293 yards, will not
ctice this week and
definitely will not play
against Tech.
Others listed as doubtful
for the Tech game are
defensive end Quency Wil
liams, a 6-4, 210-pound
freshman from Douglas-
ville, Ga ; linebacker
ChartM Wood, a 6 1. 213
pound senior from HHIin.
and guard Phillip Jail, a 6-2,
241 pound senior from Bir
mingham
Barfield told reporters at
his weekly news conference
that Tech. 1-4, "is playing a
lot better than most folks
realize."
Even though Tech s start
ing quarterback Mike Kel
ley is injured and will be
sidelined for the Auburn
game, Barfield said Kel
ley’s replacement, Ted Pee
ples, may be a better
overall quarterback
Southern Mississippi may not be in the SEC but they
make it a habit to upset the SEC schools they do play Two
weeks ago they defeated Ole Miss and Saturday they
downed Mississippi State 42-14
Tennessee may have been looking ahead to Alabama
when they invaded Grant Field in Atlanta to play Georgia
Tech. The Yellow Jackets were tied 10-10 with the
Volunteers after three quarters, but could not stay with the
talented Tennessee squad in the final stanza as the
Volunteers won the game 23-10.
Vanderbilt lost their fourth game of the year to Tulane
Saturday night. 43-21 The Commodores may have lost
quarterback Van Heflin for the year as he injured a
shoulder
Kentucky and Florida were idle last weekend
The Alabama-Tennessee game will be the big game in
the SEC this week as the Volunteers will try to end the
nation's longest winning streak
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