Kirby Smart, Georgia preparing for a challenge against Auburn's defense

Some of the SEC’s top defenders will face off this week when Georgia takes on Auburn. Kirby Smart knows the challenge at hand despite the Tigers’ up-and-down start to the season.

One year after boasting the nation’s best defense, Georgia is holding opponents to an SEC-best 10.8 points per game and looks primed for another big year on that side of the ball. But Smart pointed out Auburn has playmakers, as well, led by EDGE Derick Hall — the No. 21 player in the latest On3 Impact 300.

Couple Hall with Eku Leota, who’s seventh in the SEC with 5.0 tackles for loss, and Smart said the Tigers have the talent to make some noise.

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“They’re fast and physical, playing really hard, two elite edge guys, some athletic linebackers,” Smart said. “They play really, really hard. Just call it what it is. They scratch off and play with confidence, they’re flying around. I know almost every single player on that defense. They’re good football players.”

Kirby Smart: Georgia is ‘hopeful’ Adonai Mitchell can return from injury against Auburn

No. 2 Georgia is coming off two relatively ho-hum performances by its lofty standards as defending national champions, sleep-walking through a win against Kent State before surviving a real scare in a 26-22 win over Missouri. One of the issues against the Tigers was the passing game being a touch out of sync, an issue exacerbated by an Adonai Mitchell injury keeping him from taking part yet again.

Mitchell was on the trip to Columbia, Mo., but did not play. Could he return for this week’s home game against Auburn?

“AD is hopeful again,” coach Kirby Smart said. “He was close to being able to go, we thought, last week. We took him with the intention of seeing if he could go. Pre-game thought he looked pretty good, didn’t feel comfortable putting him out there.”