ATHENS, Ga. (AP) -A.J. Green even managed to impress himself.
While Georgia’s super sophomore receiver has gotten used to making the acrobatic catches, he took it a step higher – and then some – to set up the 18th-ranked Bulldogs for a huge Southeastern Conference game against No. 4 LSU next weekend.
Sure, Green had another stellar pass-catching performance Saturday night, hauling in eight throws for 153 yards in Georgia’s 20-17 victory over Arizona State. He scored the Bulldogs’ first touchdown on a 56-yard play, then was on the receiving end of a 36-yarder that set up Blair Walsh’s winning field goal as time ran out.
But it was what Green did on the other side of the line that made this one stand out. After Joe Cox threw his second interception of the second half, giving the Sun Devils a chance to kick a go-ahead field goal with about 4 1/2 minutes remaining, the coaches sent out Green on the kick-blocking team.
The orders were simple: Just as high as you can.
that. The ball caught his left elbow and fluttered harmlessly into the end zone.
“That’s got to be my best play ever. That tops all the catches right now,” Green said. “This was a great game for me. Getting the field goal (block), then keeping my composure and just going down there and making the great catch when my number is called.”
He stayed on the field after the block, catching a 4-yard pass on the very next play. But the bigger one came when Georgia faced third-and-6 from its own 42 with overtime looming as a very real possibility.
Green beat his man off the line, then looked back to see Cox’s pass hanging up in the air. The receiver had to adjust his body a bit and ward off the defender, but he made the catch falling out of bounds at the Arizona State 22.
“That was a hell of a play,” Arizona State coach Dennis Erickson said.
From there, all the Bulldogs had to do was run down the clock and leave the ball right in the middle of the field for Walsh. He knocked it right through from 37 yards away to spark a jubilant celebration in the middle of soggy Sanford Stadium.
But everyone knew who the real star was on this night.
man-to-man coverage.
“You’ve just got to give him a chance to make a play. He’s definitely a special guy to have on our team. I’m glad he’s on our side.”
Coach Mark Richt gave credit to one of his assistants, John Jancek, for realizing that Green might be able to come up with a big play on the kick-blocking team.
“We want A.J.,” Jancek said during preseason camp when assembling his kick-blocking team.
Richt agreed, putting one of his most valuable offensive players on the special teams, even though it put him at more risk of an injury. Green’s long arms and basketball-like jumping ability sure came in handy against Arizona State.
“I jumped as high as I could,” he said. “I got everything into it and came up with the block.”
Green’s magnificent play helped the Bulldogs (3-1) move up three spots in the latest Associated Press rankings and stay on course for an SEC showdown against LSU next Saturday between the hedges. The Tigers also avoided a major upset, holding on to beat Mississippi State 30-26.
While Georgia appears to be a team with several glaring flaws, Cox senses that something special could be in the making – something special beyond Green, that is.
“This the best team as far as attitude and unity that I’ve ever been on,” the senior quarterback said. “I get a feeling when I come off the field if we’re not doing well (on offense), the defense will do well. Or vice versa. I think we have a good thing going.”
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