Georgia linebacker Rennie Curran used the same word repeatedly when asked how to slow the Oklahoma State rushing attack.

“Discipline,” he said over-and-over. “Discipline.”

The Cowboys’ feature a backfield with mobile quarterback Zac Robinson and first-class tailback Kendall Hunter.

Oklahoma State averaged 245 yards on the ground in 2008, ranking eighth in the country. The Cowboys use their rushing attack in tandem with an equally threatening passing game, keeping defenses off-balance, and unsure what’s coming next.

“You have to really play fast and be on your guard-really know your keys,” Curran said. “Anything that will give you that extra boost in terms of knowing what’s coming, that’s really all you can do. The more preparation you have for this offense the better, because of the amount of playmakers they have.”

Hunter rushed for 1,555 yards and 16 scores least season. OSU likes to get the junior involved early, establishing the run to set up the play-action pass. Curran said this is where discipline is most important, as Georgia defenders must remain focused on what specific job each is doing on every play.

“They have a great running back in Kendall Hunter who can gash you if you’re not reading the right gaps and take the right angles and everything,” he said. “He’s very quick, similar to Knowshon [Moreno], just quick, instinctive, able to make plays if you’re not disciplined.”

“There are a lot of things that have to be defended with this bunch,” said Georgia coach Mark Richt. “They run the ball so well that their play-action is very viable.”

Robinson can kill defenses with his arm, throwing 48 passing touchdowns the past two seasons. But he also delivers when rushing the ball, adding 17 touchdowns on the ground.

Richt said the defensive line must get to Robinson, or at least create havoc in the pocket.

“Quarterbacks love a nice, firm pocket,” Richt said. “They want to stand there where they have space and they can see well and throw strikes.”

Richt said the defensive ends getting pressure off the edge is crucial, a feat that didn’t happen very often last season. Curran said the ends have had a great preseason.

“I’ve seen a lot of want-to from them,” he said. “We’ve got playmakers in Demarcus Dobbs and Rod Battle. Those guys have made huge strides, not only on the field, but in the weight room, so hopefully it will pay off.”

But, Richt said, the pass rush would only be effective if the defensive tackles squeeze the pocket up the middle.

If Robinson can’t find a receiver open, or is flushed from his stance, Curran said Georgia has to be disciplined in its approach to stopping the dual threat.

On every play, at least one Bulldog defender will have the task of containing Robinson, meaning his job is to watch the senior play caller, to make sure he doesn’t reel off a big run if he takes off.

Yes, it’s complicated, but defending Robinson has to be a collective effort

“Really it’s just playing assignment football,” Curran said. “If one of our defensive ends has contain on him, making sure that he’s disciplined in that and not chasing the running back. One of us linebackers, we’re going to have Zac Robinson in contain and we can’t forget our assignments. That’s going to be the biggest key.”

“If Robinson does break contain, it’s going to be tough to know that he can run or throw it accurately, so we have to find a way to contain him,” Richt said.

Georgia’s goal is to take away the option to run-force the Cowboys to throw more than they’d like.

“You just try to make them one dimensional by taking away the quarterbacks running ability,” Curran said. “If you can do that, I feel like it can get really frustrating for them.”