Notebook: Bulldogs focus on Lattimore

It’s Lattimore Week.

No. 6 South Carolina might have plenty of offensive weapons in its arsenal. Dual-threat quarterback Connor Shaw is formidable and the cadre of receivers might be one of the SEC’s most underrated units.

But don’t wander onto the Georgia campus and think for one minute the No. 5-ranked Bulldogs aren’t fixating on Marcus Lattimore, USC’s junior running back.

“He’s a big guy,” said senior linebacker Christian Robinson.

“He’s a powerful runner. You never arm-tackle him,” said junior defensive lineman Kwame Geathers.

“Him and Connor Shaw in the same backfield, it’s like West Virginia when they had Pat White and Steve Slaton,” said senior defensive lineman John Jenkins. “It’s a deadly combination.”

Lattimore burst onto the major-college scene against Georgia during his freshman season. He pounded the Bulldogs for 182 yards and two touchdowns on 37 carries.

One year later, as a known commodity, he again gouged the Bulldogs, this time to the tune of 176 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries.

Jordan Jenkins was at home this summer playing the NCAA Football 2011 video game when his friend stuck him with the Gamecocks. An incoming freshman linebacker, the video game was his indoctrination into Georgia’s Lattimore conundrum.

“I’m running Marcus Lattimore, and I remember thinking, ‘OK, he’s legit,’ ” he said. “Then I started watching him more and more. He’s a quick, shifty back and he’s also got the power to run over you if you slip up.”

Robinson said there is a feeling among the Bulldogs that Lattimore has made his name against them.

“Although, he has lived up to that name since,” he said. “He falls forward. Instead of getting hit and falling down, he’s getting two extra yards just by leaning forward. Over a whole game, that’s a lot of yards.

“You’ve got to gang-tackle, knock him back, control the gaps. Dog pile and knock it down instead of letting him go for two more yards,” Robinson continued. “That’s the difference between fourth down and first down, and that’s huge for us.”

Getting defensive

Georgia’s defensive reputation took something of a hit against Tennessee this week when the Volunteers rattled the Bulldogs’ cages over the first three quarters.

Through Saturday, the Bulldogs are tied for seventh in the SEC in points allowed (22 ppg.) and 10th in total defense, allowing 370 yards per game.

And there is no difference when teams run or pass against the Bulldogs. Georgia ranks ninth in the league against the run and 10th against the pass.

“But in the fourth quarter, we’re allowing an average of four points,” linebacker Christian Robinson said. “If we can do better early on, I think the numbers wouldn’t look so bad to the public.”

He said it

Defensive end Abry Jones walked off the Georgia practice field wearing a protective boot on his injured left ankle. When asked about it, he deadpanned, “No, I’m good. I just left my other shoe at the house.”

He is expected to play with no limitations against USC.

This story was originally published October 2, 2012 at 12:17 AM.