Ely-Kelso comes through for Dawgs

AUBURN – Georgia may want to consider more double-duty kickers.

On Saturday against Auburn, senior Gordon Ely-Kelso became the first Bulldog to hit a field goal and punt in the same game since Dax Langley did it in the Bulldogs’ 1997 upset of Florida. The result of this game was no less shocking: Georgia 37, Auburn 15.

“Maybe next year when we need a big upset, we’ll throw the punter out there,” said Ely-Kelso, who made four of his of five extra point attempts and a 34-yard field goal.

His first field goal since high school wasn’t a thing of beauty, but it went right down the middle and put Georgia ahead 10-0 early in the second quarter.

“I’ve just been trying to get a ball that goes through,” he said. “I don’t kid myself that I hit a beautiful ball. I’ll leave that to Brandon (Coutu) and (Andy) Bailey. They hit a lot prettier ball than me, but as long as I can get it through the uprights, I’m happy.”

Ely-Kelso, the Bulldogs’ senior punter who was thrust into the place-kicking job when Bailey was demoted, was nervous before the game, he said.

“It’s the first time since early in my freshman year I’ve had those nerves, like ‘Wow, this is college football, and this is a big stage,’ but once I got into it, I felt fine,” he said.

His only punt of the game went 55 yards.

“We were joking that finally I found a comfort zone. Now punting seems like where I should be,” he said. “I’m a lot more relaxed that thankfully I’m punting instead of kicking.”