Georgia coach Mark Richt sensed Missouri coach Gary Pinkel was as worn out by what transpired in Sanford Stadium Saturday night as he was.
A 9-6 outcome, with Georgia coming out on top, can do that to two coaches that have been at their schools for 15 years.
“When I saw coach Pinkel I know he looked pretty tired and I looked pretty tired,” Richt said. “It takes a lot out of you those kind of games.”
Said offensive tackle John Theus: “Thank God our defense played very well and put us in position to win. Any win’s a win and we’ll take it.”
Asked if he was concerned about the offense, senior wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell offered a quick response: “Nope. I’m never worried.”
He laughed. “How often do you see me worried? …Maybe somebody else is worried. I’m not worried.”
He said this after Georgia was held to three Marshall Morgan field goals, 298 total yards and had no touchdowns on five red zone trips.
Asked later what the offense needs to do to be more effective, Mitchell said: “I think that’s a question for the offensive coordinator. I don’t see everything they see.”
Brian Schottenheimer has not been available postgame this season.
Quarterback Greyson Lambert was shaky at times again on a night he completed 23 of 32 passes for 178 yards with an interception (and another overturned).
Georgia had just 120 rushing yards on 45 carries.
“We don’t mind running plays going for first downs and touchdowns,” Richt said. “When you think about it, this is the first game all year in the running game we didn’t break a run of some substantial number.”
The longest run of the night was 12 yards by Keith Marshall.
The Bulldogs had first-and-goal at the 5 late in the third quarter.
“We’ve got a run-pass option and we rip it out there (from Lambert to Mitchell) and end up losing five yards. I mean that’s sickening. There’s times we’ve just got to call the run and run the run. We’ve got to make sure, we do have the ability to do that. Sometimes as a play-caller, you’re like surely he won’t throw it out there and bam there it is and you lose five yards and it’s second-and-goal from the 10. That puts you in a third down and (seven). Now instead of hammering the ball in for seven, you’re taking the risk of throwing the ball down in that red area where there’s not a lot of space.”
On the interception that was overturned, Richt thought it was an “ill-advised throw. I don’t want to be judgmental until I see it (on film) and talk to Schotty a little bit.”
• Check out more photos from the game in our slideshow.
Some other tidbits:
--There will be no Dominick Sanders against Florida in the first half after he was called for targeting in the third quarter.
“Oh, I forgot that part,” Richt said. “So it happened in the second half, didn’t it? That stinks. After seeing it in the replay, it was a helmet-to-helmet hit and I don’t think that could have been overturned. I think the officials were right. We had other guys come in and play well the rest of the game so we’ll have to have other guys come in and play well in the first half.”
--Georgia started three freshman on defense since the Bulldogs first defensive snap was at the 1-yard line: linemen Trenton Thompson and DaQuan Hawkins and defensive back Rico McGraw. Freshman Juwuan Briscoe from Maryland was announced as a starter but didn’t end up starting in that scenario, but saw increased playing time and was credited with a pass breakup.
--Georgia now gets to face a Florida defense that is considered one of the best in the SEC.
“They’re a great defensive team, no doubt,” Richt said. “We’ll have time to think about them. We just needed to get this victory to feel good again. It’s no fun losing. Two in a row is rough. To get the victory is big but we also know we’re still in the race. That’s good as well.”
--After seeing Tennessee run 90 plays against it last week, Missouri only ran 48.
--Isaiah McKenzie went through warmups but didn’t play, but Richt expects him to play against Florida in two weeks.
Richt said outside linebacker Jordan Jenkins (hip strain) should probably be back for the Gators.
--Collin Barber’s 36.0 punting average doesn’t jump out, but he had three punts downed inside the 20 with no touchbacks. Missouri’s average field position was its own 28. Georgia’s was its own 36.
--Missouri was shutout in the second half when it had just 37 yards. The Tigers had just six first downs in the game.
“Both teams played so well defensively,” Richt said, “and both offenses were trying like mad to get something going.