Georgia football vs. Ball State: Scouting report, prediction

Kirby Smart liked what he heard and saw in Georgia football’s opener Saturday — from those watching in the Sanford Stadium stands.

“I'll be honest with you, I was concerned about complacency among our team, but I was also concerned with complacency among our crowd,” the Georgia coach said. “We didn't exactly respond to it well early, but I really thought our fans were good.”

A noon kickoff a week later against Ball State may test fans with a schedule that offers up four straight home games for the first time since 1999.

Here are five things to know about the first ever matchup with the Cardinals:

Georgia football running back help may return

Georgia’s depleted running back group broke off just three rushing plays of 10 or more yards last week.

The Bulldogs were missing Branson Robinson (torn patellar tendon) and Daijun Edwards (knee) while running back Kendall Milton played despite not being at full strength due to a hamstring injury.

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"That action he got the other day was like scrimmage one and scrimmage two, because he didn't get to play in those,” Smart said.

Georgia at midweek looked poised to have Edwards return to action and Smart said Milton looked explosive and as good as he has "in a long time," in Tuesday's practice.

Milton rushed for a team-high 53 yards on nine carries last week. His 37-yard run got a second-quarter drive going quickly.

“Once you break a run when it’s been difficult to have a run game, it kind of feels like you’re pushing through that wall," Milton said.

The Bulldogs averaged just 5.3 yards per carry against an FCS opponent that Milton said used “exotic,” stunts and fronts.

“You have a job to block a certain place but once they started moving and mismatching, it kind of messes things up,” he said.

‘Fast and physical’ play in UGA football secondary

So far so good for Georgia when it comes to tackling with Javon Bullard moving to safety to team with Malaki Starks and Tykee Smith stepping in at Star nickel.

“Those guys were just flying around making plays left and right,” cornerback Kamari Lassiter said. “It was just really fast and real physical.”

Starks led Georgia with 8 tackles, Smith had 6 and Bullard 4.

Bullard, the defensive MVP of both playoff games last season, “was in the right place,” Smart said. “He really did a nice job in the perimeter, the RPO game, which everybody runs now."

An inside linebacker has led Georgia in tackles in five of seven seasons under Smart: Roquan Smith in 2016 and 2017, Monty Rice in 2019, Nakobe Dean in 2020 and Smael Mondon in 2022.

Mondon was limited to six snaps, according to Pro Football Focus, as he comes off a foot injury.

A sort of return to Peach State for Ball State coach

Ball State coach Mike Neu spent about a decade coaching in various coaching roles in arena football, including in 2000 as head coach of the Augusta Stallions of AF2 where he went 14-4.

He became quarterbacks coach at Tulane and with the New Orleans Saints before being hired as head coach in 2016 at his alma mater where he was a four-year starting quarterback, including during the 1993 Mid-American Conference championship season.

Neu can see Georgia’s talent on tape and also traits he admires.

“I love when every play is over, they get right back up, they don’t get involved in any post snap activity,” he said. “They get right back to the huddle, get right back, get their eyes to the sideline and get the next call.”

Expect Georgia football defense to see multiple Ball State quarterbacks

The depth chart for Ball State lists Layne Hatcher, a graduate transfer from Texas State, as the starter, but true freshman Kadin Semonza had an impressive debut Saturday in a 44-14 loss at Kentucky.

Semonza completed 15 of 21 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown.

“No matter what happens I think you can expect to see (Semonza) on the football field in some shape or form," Neu said.

Ball State used three quarterbacks against Kentucky. Kiael Kelly rushed for 21 yards on 7 carries and completed a 22-yard pass.

“They do a good job mixing it up in terms of bringing the athletic quarterback in,” Smart said.

Tight ends worth watching for Georgia football and Ball State

Brock Bowers looked the part of a Mackey Award winner last week.

Sophomore Oscar Delp added a pair of catches for 24 yards and a touchdown.

Ball State has tight end talent as well in sophomores Brady Hunt (6-6, 249 pounds) and Tanner Koziol (6-7, 240). They gave the Cardinals the only FBS school with multiple tight ends with at least five touchdown catches last season.

Hunt missed last week’s game with a foot injury and is expected to be out Saturday, according to the Muncie Star Press.

Koziol had eight catches for 66 yards against Kentucky.

"They're big,” Smart said. “Really good, talented tight ends.”

Georgia football vs. Ball State prediction

Georgia 51, Ball State 10

The return of wide receiver Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint and likely running back Daijun Edwards should help Carson Beck and the offense. Ball State, which passed for 223 yards against Kentucky, has nice offensive pieces. Expect a better week two showing for Georgia.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Here are five things to know for Georgia football vs. Ball State