Georgia defense missed 'eraser' KJ Bolden as Auburn, Byrum Brown proved tough to handle
· Yahoo Sports
Byrum Brown made an observation matter-of-factly midweek ahead of Saturday’s game against Georgia football when talking to Auburn reporters.
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He had a chance during the Tigers' off week from games to watch Alabama put up 346 yards against Georgia's defense.
“Alabama moved the ball well against them,” Brown said. “So, obviously going to use that."
In Auburn’s stunning 27-24 win over then No. 1 Georgia, Brown led Auburn to 24 unanswered points after the Bulldogs went up 14-0 and the Tigers finished with 366 total yards, the most allowed by Georgia this season.
Georgia was missing preseason All-American safety KJ Bolden, who was on the sideline with a boot on his right foot.
Bolden is “a little bit like an eraser,” coach Kirby Smart said.
His replacement, Ja’Marley Riddle and cornerback Ellis Robinson ended up on the ground when Chris Neptune took a pitch and threw a 24-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter to Keshaun Singleton who adjusted to make the catch.
“They hit two plays,” Smart said. “You have to make this guy throw the ball and beat you so they throw a trick pass. We had two players on him and they kind of collide and the guy makes a good play.”
Auburn’s other touchdown pass was from Brown to Chris Nimrod for 9 yards.
Nimrod secured the ball off Demello Jones’s back with his left hand and managed to pull in the pass for the score.
“Demello was in a great coverage position,” Smart said. “That happens. They made two plays to get 14 points. If you hold either one of those to field goals then it’s a different ballgame.”
Brown was 15 of 26 for 150 yards with the touchdown and no interceptions.
The South Florida transfer rushed for a season-high 115 yards on a career-high 26 carries.
“He has a big frame, so you’ve got to make sure you wrap up,” Georgia linebacker Chris Cole said. “Sometimes we did and sometimes we didn’t. That’s something we can work on throughout the whole week to get better with that.”
Brown became the first quarterback to hit 100 rushing yards against an AP No. 1 ranked time since Vince Young’s 200 against USC in the 2005 BCS national championship game, according to the SEC Network’s Cole Cubelic.
“He’s a great quarterback, a mobile dual-threat,” Georgia linebacker Raylen Wilson said. “He’s just a good player. …He was forcing us to miss tackles. We just got to get better.”
Georgia had a season-high 15 missed tackles in the game, according to Pro Football Focus.
Riddle, the East Carolina transfer, had a team-high four on a day when he had six tackles and a pass breakup. He played 75 of 80 defensive snaps.
“I thought Ja’Marley stepped up,” Smart said. “He made some plays. He got tired in the game, but we tried to play Ja’Marley and Zion (Branch) some. KJ’s been really good back there.”
Cole said Georgia has a next man-up mentality, but that “having KJ down, obviously, you know, he’s a good player and he makes an impact on this team as a player and also as a leader.”
Brown led all SEC quarterbacks in rushing entering the game.
“They did a good job of twisting and stunting and getting back there, but I’m pretty hard to bring down,” the 6-foot-3, 235-pounder told reporters.
Said Smart: “Give them credit, they’re physical. Their quarterback is a good runner and when you have the quarterback run game, man, it’s just really hard. They had an extra hat. They were running plays with a lead blocker and a back and we’re in good run defense to stop people. They made it hard."
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Georgia defense missed 'eraser' KJ Bolden as Auburn, Byrum Brown proved tough to handle