Georgia’s Kirby Smart defends aggressive but ill-fated play calls in season-ending loss to Notre Dame – WABE

Locked in a defensive battle by which neither staff gained 300 yards, Georgia coach Kirby Sensible made an aggressive however ill-fated resolution late within the first half of the Sugar Bowl.

Proper after Notre Dame took a 6-3 lead on a 48-yard subject objective, Sensible had untested sophomore quarterback Gunner Stockton drop again to cross from his 25-yard line with 38 seconds left as an alternative of operating out the clock. Defensive finish RJ Oben broke by for a strip-sack, and the Combating Irish’s Junior Tuihalamaka fell on the ball on the Bulldogs 13.

One play later, Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard hit Beaux Collins for a 13-yard landing.

Identical to that, No. 2 Georgia (11-3, CFP No. 2) trailed 13-3 in a sport by which each level was valuable. The No. 3 Combating Irish (13-1, CFP No. 5) went on to win the School Soccer Playoff quarterfinal 23-10, ending Sensible’s bid for his third nationwide title with the Bulldogs.

“Usually once you’re down, you want each possession you possibly can have, and we decided that we had been going to be aggressive and we had been going to attempt to go two-minute, and that’s what every thing says you must do,” Sensible stated. “You possibly can’t quit possessions once you’re trailing. We felt like we had a bit quick-game cross. Actually not relying on getting beat that fast at left sort out, and acquired a sack-fumble, which gave them some momentum.”

Really, the Bulldogs already had misplaced momentum. Their earlier possession lasted all of 31 seconds — counting the punt.

Taking on at his 14 with 3:40 left within the half, Stockton threw three consecutive incomplete passes — the final two whereas scrambling away from stress — giving Notre Dame time to maneuver into subject objective vary.

However Sensible continued to belief his struggling offense, regardless that Stockton had thrown solely 35 profession passes earlier than changing injured starter Carson Beck for the second half of the Bulldogs’ 22-19 time beyond regulation victory towards Texas within the SEC championship sport.

Whereas the transfer backfired, Sensible defended his thought course of.

“We acquired a chance to go rating,” he stated. “We labored two-minute each week. I don’t query that decision, as a result of I actually agree with the choice to be aggressive.”

Stockton went 20 of 32 for 234 yards, together with an ideal strike to Arian Smith for a 67-yard achieve that arrange a go-ahead subject objective within the second quarter and a 32-yard landing cross to wide-open operating again Money Jones that closed the deficit to 20-10 within the third.

The Bulldogs did little or no outdoors of these performs, although, producing 62 yards speeding whereas Stockton was sacked 4 instances.

“It simply hurts,” guard Tate Ratledge stated. “This staff’s acquired one objective, and that was to win a nationwide championship.”

Georgia outgained Notre Dame 296-244 however went 0 of three on fourth downs, 2 of 12 on third downs and allowed a 98-yard kickoff return to open the second half.

Combating Irish coach Marcus Freeman ceaselessly outmaneuvered Sensible. The final time got here when Notre Dame rushed its punt staff off the sector and its offense again on whereas dealing with a fourth-and-1 at its personal 18 with 7:17 left.

Within the commotion, Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker jumped offside, and the Combating Irish didn’t punt till the two-minute mark.

“I’ve been instructed by our head of officers within the SEC which you could’t try this, you possibly can’t run 11 on, 11 off,” Sensible stated. “We acquired our protection on the market. We had been wonderful. They had been going to hard-count us. We put together for that, however we jumped offsides.”

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