I have to admit; the cheap shot by Vanderbilt’s Logan Stewart last season on Kwame Geathers would have made Nick Fairley, the all-time dirtiest player in the game, smile.

And it fueled the fire of Georgia fans everywhere; even me, and I don’t get that emotional about games. (Unless the Dawgs are playing the Auburn Cheaters).

The cut, or chop block, leveled on Geathers last season was designed to hurt the Dawgs’ big nose tackle, plain and simple.  Stewart was called for clipping; Geathers for a personal foul for punching.  A lousy case of he-who-hits-last-gets-the-big-penalty type foul.

But, there is good news.    Logan Stewart was kicked off the Vanderbilt team in January.  It was for “violation of team rules.”  And one has to think if he doesn’t follow the rules of football, then what do team rules mean to a guy like that?

So here we go for Georgia-Vanderbilt 2012 or, as some fans like to call it, James Frankin vs. Todd Grantham II. 

However, I don’t expect much in the way of cheap shots or dirty plays by either team.  Usually revenge games like this never live up to the hype.  One of the reasons is that the officials are put on high alert to thwart any of that stuff.  And let’s be honest, the NFL is looking for GOOD replacement refs, and the SEC bunch would love some extra money.  Another reason is that usually the better team, in this case Georgia, likes to take the high road and let their play do the talking.  Let’s hope that is the case.

Moving away from all this brouhaha (something I could never do in wrestling), the Vanderbilt game is going to be all about the defense; the Georgia defense that is.  I think we all know they are due for a breakout game.  Don’t expect to see Ogletree or Rambo.  Sanders Comings is still getting his game legs back.  So they are still not the full squad.   

However, there is still a load of talent there, and they need to do better than the first three games of the season.  Chip Towers of the AJC reports the Dawgs nationally rank 46^th in scoring defense, 42^nd in total defense. 57^th in rushing defense and 43^rd pass defense.  Not what you would think from a Grantham-led defense.  

Linebacker Amarlo Hererra says he is not surprised the defense has not been up to expectations, because it early.  “It’s the beginning of the year.  I feel we’re on a roll now, so there are better things to come.  We are working hard, trying to get better and put a good scheme in to win.”

When it comes to Grantham, you get both good schemes and good, fiery emotions.  Coach Mark Richt likes that combination, “Defense is played a lot on emotion.  You certainly have to have good schemes, and Todd had a great reputation for that understanding not only how to pressure people, but also how to play the back end in coverage.  But it’s an emotional game.  It’s about playing hard.  It’s about just getting after it.  And when the guy in charge of that group is that type of a personality, it tends to bleed over into the way those players play.”

Expect “those players,” the defense, to step up very soon.  What occurred in Nashville last season, combined with a emotional leader have given them every reason to turn things around this Saturday.