In Georgia’s 31-17 win over the Tennessee Volunteers, there were several standout players. The SEC honored senior guard Tate Ratledge and junior punter Brett Thorson for their performance versus Tennessee.
Ratledge earned SEC Co-Offensive Lineman of the Week, which is unbelievable considering he’s currently managing pain from the tightrope surgery from a high ankle sprain. Regardless of the injury, he played all 76 snaps of offense. He had a 77.5 pass-blocking grade, according to PFF (subscription needed), and he was part of a line that didn’t allow Carson Beck to get sacked once against a fierce Tennessee pass rush.
“It’s probably the first game that we haven’t subbed an offensive lineman the whole time,” Kirby Smart mentioned about Ratledge, “And we were concerned about that because we didn’t know how Tate would hold up. And that game meant a lot to Tate. Tate grew up in a Tennessee family and a dad that was a Tennessee fan. That game’s a lot of pride to him. And I thought his energy and toughness really showed. And just a week ago, he dinged it and couldn’t go. And he went out there tonight and really played physical, played tough.”
Thorson won SEC Co-Special Teams Player of the Week. The Australian native averaged 44.2 yards per punt, with a 53-yard boot and two punts inside the Tennessee 20-yard line. He also had a touchdown-saving tackle in the first half.
Thorson gave a presentation to the team after his tackle.
This year, Thorson has averaged 46.3 yards a punt, which is ranked tenth in the country. He also ranks fifth in the country on net punt average, with 43.5 net yards per punt.
