Kirk Herbstreit identifies where Kirby Smart must test Kalen DeBoer, Alabama

Kirk Herbstreit joined SportsCenter to dish on the gigantic SEC clash between Georgia and Alabama, prior to the start of College GameDay.

One of the areas of focus for Herbstreit was identifying where Kirby Smart must test Kalen DeBoer and the Crimson Tide on Saturday evening. Evidently, Herbstriet has his focus on the Bulldogs defense entering the showdown.

“I think where he tests them is he’s got a big, strong defensive line that has a lot of these guys coming back,” Herbstreit explained. “If you look at the Kentucky game, they don’t have the depth that they typically have, so guys that usually play 20 snaps in his defense, that’s key, because they rotate, they stay fresh, and with those injuries that they had up front, you had guys playing 50 or 60 snaps, and that’s a big difference for them.

“Obviously, Malaki Starks is back there. This defense, I think, is very confident. They want to try to keep Jalen Milroe in the pocket. We saw what Milroe could do against them in Atlanta. I mentioned the SEC championship game. He was running, he was throwing. That’s his game. Kalen DeBoer comes in. Think about that offense of Michael Penix in Washington. It’s not the kind of offense that they’re running.

“It looks very reminiscent of what Jalen Milroe was doing a year ago, where they’re able to get the ball out, let him run some QB runs, and it puts a lot of pressure on any defense. That’s what Kirby’s got to stop in this game.”

As for the Alabama quarterback, Herbstreit is more than impressed with the way the Crimson Tide have helped continue Milroe’s growth throughout the season thus far, and he expects him to create some problems for Georgia in Week 5.

“He has such a dynamic, play-making ability, and if you’re in defense, you have to account for — it’s not just zone-read, it’s designed quarterback runs. You have to be able to account for that extra gap,” Herbstreit said, regarding Milroe. “When you do that, you’re giving something up on the back end, kind of like when you watch Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. He’s so dynamic that you have to respect that you get an extra guy down inside to have to defend plays. What that does is it opens Milroe, who’s very capable, obviously, throwing the football, it opens up and simplifies the back end, and I think that you can’t do it both ways. You can’t be super complicated in the back, and also account for a quarterback that’s a legit threat running the football. So, you have to give something up, and Georgia’s got to mix up the looks and try to confuse him. But man, Milroe right now is in sync.

“I think one of the things you have to look at is Nick Sheridan as a play caller. First time he’s calling plays. He came over from Washington last year, and I just feel like he and Milroe, every single week, get more and more in-sync. What he challenges you with is, what are you going to take away his legs, or the ability to take shots downfield, throwing the ball.”

Alas, it won’t be easy for Georgia to stop Alabama and their potent offense in Tuscaloosa, but Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs will try their damndest to get the job done. Whoever gets the win will be set up nicely moving forward.