The Georgia Bulldogs are striving for their third consecutive undefeated regular season, but there are three key Alabama defenders that could wreck the Bulldogs’ plans of stealing a conference win on the road.
LT Overton — Bandit
In just three games, Overton has racked up a dozen pressures, the most on the team.
Against Wisconsin, he accounted for six tackles, a pass breakup and a strip sack that sent many viewers into a frenzy.
Alabama edge rusher LT Overton with a huge hit on Wisconsin backup quarterback Braedyn Locke pic.twitter.com/lqQNLhfJTq
— Matthew Mason (@mattm_2k) September 14, 2024
On Saturday, Overton will face Georgia left tackle Ernest Greene III, who allowed four pressures against the Kentucky Wildcats in Week 3.
This is a favorable matchup for the Crimson Tide because of Overton’s speed, so the Bulldogs may need to add an extra blocker to protect quarterback Carson Beck’s blindside.
Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack has labeled Overton as a “280-pound ass-kicker” and highlighted the reason that he fits in at the Bandit position.
“He plays with a high motor,” Wommack said. “His ability to create havoc in the backfield on first and second down, I think it’s really important for us as a defense structurally.”
If Overton gets a one-on-one match, he could wreck Georgia’s offensive game plan by flushing Beck outside the pocket.
Tim Keenan — Defensive tackle
Keenan is the anchor of Alabama’s defensive front, and his teammates feed off his energy.
“It’s all about his extreme faith in God, and everyone feeds off that,” redshirt senior Que Robinson said. “When Tim is hyped, everybody is hyped.”
There is a lot of pressure put on defensive tackles in college football. Establishing a strong front seven starts with having defensive tackles that can control the A gaps on the inside of the line.
Keenan said that “pressure makes diamonds” and that he lives for big moments.
According to Wommack, Keenan is a threat because he plays with great hand placement and block recognition.
Georgia’s offensive line will be shorthanded, as star offensive guard Tate Ratledge suffered an ankle injury two weeks ago against Kentucky. Without him, the Bulldogs were held to 13 points and did not surpass 300 total offensive yards.
Redshirt junior Micah Morris in Ratledge’s place against Alabama. If Morris struggles to block Keenan, then Georgia’s run game will have another disappointing outing.
Deontae Lawson — Linebacker
Lawson is one of the nation’s top linebackers and serves as Wommack’s voice on the field.
During the Alabama-Wisconsin broadcast, FOX commentator Joel Klatt said that Lawson is “the best linebacker for Alabama since Reuben Foster.”
Against Wisconsin, Lawson tallied up seven tackles, forced a fumble and stuffed the Badgers on an important fourth-down play in the first quarter.
Lawson said that he feels like Wommack’s 4-2-5 “Swarm” defense was made for inside linebackers because he gets to play fast and free. So far this season, no one has been able to stop Lawson from blowing up plays in the backfield.
Former ESPN college football analyst David Pollack called out Georgia’s offensive line by saying that it was not “creating holes at all” against Kentucky. With game wreckers like Overton, Keenan and Lawson in Wommack’s scheme, Georgia may have a difficult time running the football and keeping Beck’s jersey clean.
The Bulldogs match up against the Crimson Tide on Sept. 28 at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium at 6:30 p.m. CT. Fans can watch the game on ABC.
