Punters are often the butt of jokes in football, but Georgia's Brett Thorson showed off some athletic ability in his team's 31-17 win over Tennessee on Saturday. As a result, Thorson got to give the rest of the Bulldogs a lesson on tackling in their team meeting this week.
Thorson made a critical play early in the game when Tennessee had Georgia on its back foot. The Vols were leading 7-0 when Thorson booted a punt to Tennessee return man Boo Carter, who quickly evaded Georgia tacklers and built up some speed.
Carter crossed midfield, and it looked like he had a shot to score on the return, but Thorson was able to make an impressive play. The Bulldogs' punter shed a block and brought down Carter at the 37-yard-line.
That play earned Thorson some respect from the coaching staff, and Georgia coach Kirby Smart let him put together a presentation on proper tackling technique.
Coach called in a professional tackler to talk to the team 🤣#GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/J5JfBFVmm9
— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) November 19, 2024
Throughout the course of his presentation, Thorson had some fun with Georgia coach Kirby Smart's height and referred to defensive analyst Will Muschamp's lack of production as a college player.
"(Muschamp) went four years here and didn't lay a single tackle," Thorson said. "He has no idea what he's talking about."
Thorson more than earned the right to have some fun with his coaches and teammates because his tackle wound up being somewhat of a turning point. Tennessee had to settle for a field goal on the ensuing drive, and the Georgia offense was able to seize the momentum and begin its comeback.
