5 things that went right for Georgia this regular season … and 3 that didn’t

Georgia looked destined to end the season with a four-game winning streak and plenty of momentum heading into its bowl game.

Instead, the Bulldogs crumbled in the second half against rival Georgia Tech and ended 2016 with another disappointing loss between the hedges.

Now, it’s time to take a look back at the entirety of the 7-5 regular season and evaluate the things that went right and wrong for the Bulldogs.

5 things that went right

Jacob Eason’s progression: Arguably the most important thing Georgia fans wanted to see in 2016 was progression from their true freshman quarterback. Improvement means something different to each person, but there is no question that Eason looks more comfortable and his decision making is much better.

Early in the year, Eason locked onto one receiver and often looked rushed with his throws. Poor protection didn’t help matters, but Kirby Smart spoke of his quarterback seeing ghosts. Starting with the Kentucky game, Eason seemed more confident in his reads and knew where the ball was supposed to go.

Talent isn’t the issue. He has the ability to make any given throw. His improvement came in the form of pre-snap intelligence, making the correct reads and learning how to throw certain passes. Eason isn’t a finished product, but he finished the regular season as a more polished one.

Eason, who has thrown 14 touchdown passes, broke that Georgia freshman record and will try to add to it in the bowl game. Eason has thrown for 2,266 yards, so he probably won’t catch Quincy Carter’s freshman record of 2,706.

Special teams improvement: To say that Georgia’s special teams had issues this season would be a massive understatement. For more than half of the season, there were seemingly problems every week. Down the stretch, however, those problems lessened to the point where they were no longer apparent.

The first major improvement came in the form of kicker Rodrigo Blankenship. That the bespectacled kicker has become a cult hero in Athens should speak to how poor the kicking game performed before he took over. Blankenship’s consistency proved important late in the season, and he should be cemented as the team’s kicker of the future.

Georgia’s coverage units also saw great improvement. After allowing an average of 26.25 yards per kickoff return through the first seven games, the Bulldogs gave up just 17 yards per return over the final six games.

Nick Chubb’s health: After his sobering injury at Tennessee last year, many wondered what Nick Chubb would look like during his junior season. While he did not maintain the elite level he displayed in the season opener, Chubb looked more like his old self with each passing week.

Poor offensive line play held him back at times, but Chubb averaged 95.5 yards over the Bulldogs’ final four games. Displaying more burst than he had during the first half of the year, Chubb has put himself in great position to finish with more than 1,000 yards for the second time in his Georgia career.

John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

Defensive foundation in place: Before the season, Georgia’s defensive front seven was one of the team’s biggest concerns. The unit was inexperienced, especially along the line, but continued to grow as the fall rolled along.

Now, that youth has spent a full season in Smart and Mel Tucker’s defensive scheme and should be supplemented with another recruiting class. Georgia finished the year among the SEC’s top defenses and its performance against Auburn is something Smart and his staff will try to build upon.

Invaluable experience for a young team: It’s worth noting Georgia played almost 20 freshmen this season, many of whom have made sizable contributions.

Eason has some nice freshmen options around him in Isaac Nauta, Riley Ridley and Brian Herrien. Defensively, Julian Rochester, David Marshall and Tyler Clark are the defensive stars for the Class of 2016. That’s not to mention the numerous sophomores making plays on both sides of the ball.

Bottom line: There was a lot of youth in 2016. The Bulldogs will return several of their key contributors and hopefully continue to build upon this season’s trial by fire.

3 things that didn’t

Offensive line never jelled: Throughout camp, Georgia sought to cement its starting offensive line. With three returning starters, the Bulldogs needed to lock down either the left tackle, left guard or right guard spots. Nobody really claimed those jobs, and it showed in 2016.

Georgia’s line was inconsistent in the run game and in pass protection. It will be an area of emphasis on the recruiting trail, as the Bulldogs seek to find the type of physical linemen that Smart desires.

Poor play from receiver corps: Another position coaches will recruit heavily is wide receiver. While there were some positives, most notably junior Isaiah McKenzie, the group as a whole struggled.

Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Drops plagued Georgia’s receivers all season and played a role in the loss to Georgia Tech. Several of Eason’s passes hit their intended target in stride only to fall harmlessly to the turf.

Another issue: There isn’t a physically imposing receiver among the group who can cause matchup problems for opposing defenses.

Inconsistency in execution: This is to be expected from a first-year head coach with a young team. While it was undoubtedly frustrating for Georgia fans, and never appeared to get fixed, the hope is that these tough lessons will pay off down the road.

Mental lapses, such as those against Tennessee or Vanderbilt, and emotional letdowns, like in the final quarter against Georgia Tech, showed just how far the Bulldogs have to go. Those who believed Smart would come in and win immediately underestimate how difficult it is to succeed in the SEC.

There were some difficult and disappointing moments, to be sure, but this year should only be a small part of the evaluation process.

William McFadden covers the University of Georgia for Saturday Down South. For news on everything happening between the hedges, follow him on Twitter @willmcfadden.