The Georgia Sports Blog  discusses today what I think is one of the most important questions of the season opener.  As pwd notes, the improvements made by the new OSU defensive coordinator is the big unknown.  He’ll likely bring a better defensive game plan,  but will the execution be there in the first game?

The conventional wisdom says that this game could likely end up giving the scoreboard a workout.  Everyone’s heard about OSU’s potent offense with its effective running and passing attacks.  OSU’s defense in recent seasons has had trouble stopping people.  Sounds like the recipe for a high-scoring game, right?  

I think the question under the surface is this:

Do you feel confident in Georgia’s ability to emerge from a shootout?

I’d have to admit that I’d rather it not get to that point.  It’s not that Georgia doesn’t have the ability to score points or that it lacks playmakers.  My questions are ones of consistency and experience.  You like your chances with Stafford under center.  Then it gets foggy:

• Only one returning receiver with more than 15 receptions
• Unsettled rotation at tailback with a history of inconsistency
• Starting tight end out of action
• Mostly-new offensive line with a couple of freshman starters

That last one is the key of course.  Without a functioning offensive line, the rest of the offense is handicapped.  Again, it wouldn’t faze me to see Georgia put up some points.  We’ve seen what guys like Lumpkin, Brown, Massaquoi, Bailey, and Henderson can do.  I just can’t bring myself to say that we can rely on that level of production yet.  Hopefully at some point this season we can.  Getting into a shootout is playing OSU’s game, and the Bulldog defense should have enough talent to present OSU’s offense with a serious challenge.  If they can take some of the pressure off of the Georgia offense and hold OSU under 20, the Dawgs should be in good shape.