Booger McFarland reveals biggest question for Georgia against Tennessee

Heading into Saturday’s marquee matchup between Georgia and Tennessee, all eyes are on the UGA offense. ESPN’s Booger McFarland called that his biggest question mark for the Bulldogs.

McFarland said Georgia could have an opportunity to push the ball downfield in the passing game. Tennessee is expected to be without cornerback Jermod McCoy, and No. 2 corner Rickey Gibson also got hurt in Week 1.

But Gunner Stockton is averaging less than six yards per pass through the first two games of the year. That, McFarland said, is why he pointed to downfield success as a reason Georgia can get a huge road win.

“I think if you’re [the] Georgia Bulldogs, we know you guys are going to be physical and run the football,” McFarland said Wednesday on SportsCenter. “But I think you’ve got to be able to throw the football. Can ‘Runner’-slash-Gunner Stockton, can he throw the football? Because Tennessee is down its top two cornerbacks. So I think you’re going to have to push the football down the field. I don’t think you’re going to be able to line up and just pound Tennessee up and down the field. Can you get some explosive plays in the passing game?

“Right now, his average yards per pass is below six yards. You’re going to have to put that down 10, 15, 20 yards down the field just to back that defense up where, again, you can get the running game going. If you can do that, I think the Bulldogs will be successful.”

Greg McElroy: Georgia should ‘take the handcuffs off’

Stockton did most of his work with his arm last time out against Austin Peay, going 26 of 34 for 227 yards in the effort. That came after he showed his dual-threat ability in the season opener against Marshall, throwing for 190 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 73 yards and two scores on the ground.

Still, all eyes will be on Georgia’s passing attack. ESPN’s Greg McElroy said this week offensive coordinator Mike Bobo should “take the handcuffs off” and let Stockton air it out considering Tennessee’s shortcomings in the secondary.

“They need to kind of take the handcuffs off the passing game,” McElroy said. “So far, in the first two games, they’re just not trying a whole lot downfield, but when they have, they haven’t had success. The protection also hasn’t held up very well, either.

“But Gunner Stockton right now is averaging less than 5.5 air yards for attempt – meaning the ball, on average, is traveling just five yards downfield. That’s not good enough. He’s just 1-for-7 on throws that travel 20 [or] more yards downfield.”