TCU and Georgia to get defensive in AutoZone Liberty Bowl (Dec 30, 2016)

Published Dec. 25, 2016 6:59 p.m. ET

Sometimes it's all about doing what you do best. For TCU and Georgia, two teams coached by former defensive coordinators, defense -- especially the end-of-season type -- could be the key to victory when they meet in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl on Dec. 30 in Memphis, Tennessee.

TCU's Gary Patterson was defensive coordinator for the Horned Frogs before he moved up to the top spot after the 2000 season. He'll be coaching in his 14th bowl in 16 seasons for TCU, and his second in Memphis, where he won his first bowl game as a head coach in 2002.

Georgia's Kirby Smart, a longtime coordinator and disciple of Alabama coach Nick Saban in his first year at the Bulldogs' helm, knows a little about defense and coaching in bowls as well, even though it's his initial trip to the postseason as the head coach.

But coaches don't run between the tackles, execute passes or cover receivers -- players do. Both coaches want to use their appearance in the Liberty Bowl, and the practices allowed in the run up to the game, as a springboard for next season.

TCU (6-6) and Georgia (7-5) will be meeting for just the fourth time in their history and first time since 1988. The Bulldogs won all three games in the series (40-26 in the 1942 Orange Bowl; 34-3 in Athens in 1980; and 38-10 in Athens in 1988).

Over the last three seasons, the Horned Frogs are tied for the Big 12's best overall record (29-9) while having the second-best conference mark (19-8). TCU has only 13 seniors on this year's roster.

"Our standards have been very high at TCU, and being 6-6 is not something that we're that happy about," Patterson said. "But we're glad that we got back to a bowl game. I think that helps us, especially playing against a great opponent.

"For us, it's really growing up as a football team and finding out how we need to play going into next season because we weren't happy with this one."

TCU quarterback Kenny Hill, who left the Horned Frogs' regular-season finale with Kansas State a foot injury, returned to practice and is "running around," Patterson said.

This will be Georgia's 52nd bowl-game appearance, fourth most of any team in the country. The Bulldogs' all-time bowl record is 29-19-3.

"We've had some good days of fundamental work and a couple game-week-related practices as part of our preparation," Smart said. "Our kids are excited; they've been working hard. We've done some work in the kicking game and the red (zone) area too."

Smart will likely employ nickel and dime packages on defense to try to stop TCU's attack, which averaged 32 points this year.

"Our defense is going to have to go against some four- and five-receiver sets and that puts you in pass-rush mode," Smart said. "The TCU offense presents some challenges that we're not used to seeing."

Smart said he's hopeful that sophomore linebacker Natrez Patrick will be able to play in the Liberty Bowl after he missed the final three games of the regular season due to an injury. Patrick still ranks second on the team in tackles with 55.

To make the defensive challenge even tougher for Georgia, inside linebacker Reggie Carter missed some practice time due to an injury.

"We do not have a lot of healthy inside linebackers, however there may only be one or two linebackers on the field when we play this type of offense," Smart said.