Georgia was plagued by injuries last season.  But when they’re fully healthy, we saw how good they truly can be.

After a relatively slow start, the Bulldogs turned it on in the second half in a convincing 45-21 victory over Clemson Saturday night at Sanford Stadium.

Here are five takeaways from the ‘Dawgs thumping of the Tigers:

  • Todd Gurley’s the frontrunner for the Heisman: After a stellar freshman campaign and a sophomore season ended prematurely due to injury, Gurley made a statement Saturday night against a very good Clemson defense.  He set a career record with a 198 rushing yards and three touchdowns on just 15 carries.  He also returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown.  With Georgia’s depth at running back, Gurley is going to have to make his touches count if he is to stay at the forefront of the Heisman race and he did just that on Saturday.  Give credit to Mark Richt, he used Gurley sparingly in the first half, in order for him to be fresh late in the game and was that ever the case.
  • The defense will be much improved: The first 30 minutes were a little worrisome for Bulldog fans.  Clemson moved the ball with ease and scored all of their 21 points in the first half.  However, Leonard Floyd and the Georgia front seven came out in the second half and pressured the quarterback allowing just one first down.  The Bulldogs seemed to fly to the ball faster and play with a greater intensity.  Jeremy Pruitt and his defensive staff made some great halftime adjustments.  The defense will be much improved this season under Pruitt than the Bulldog defense we saw in 2013.
  • Georgia’s deep at running back: We saw significant action from Gurley, Sony Michel, Nick Chubb and Keith Marshall on Saturday.  Gurley and Chubb both found the end zone, and we saw the ability from Michel to run between the tackles and get to the outside.  Marshall was the chosen back in many of the short down-and-distance situations.  Georgia coaches saw that they have a stable of backs they can rely on in key situations which is huge for this team.
  • Leonard Floyd is the leader of a potent Bulldog front seven: The Bulldogs’ front seven received praise throughout the offseason as one of the best in college football, and they proved their capability in the second half Saturday night.  Leonard Floyd was quite early in the game, but came alive after the half to help Georgia dominate the line of scrimmage.  Floyd was moved around a lot by Pruitt and we saw him disrupt the quarterback from the inside part of the line and also by coming from the edge.
  • Georgia’s freshmen made an impact: Georgia walked a lot of freshmen out on Saturday evening and they showed up, for the most part.  Sony Michel, Nick Chubb, Isaiah McKenzie, Lorenzo Carter, Aaron Davis and Dominick Sanders all saw big chunks of action for the ‘Dawgs and made an impact in their college debuts.  Their ability to play well in a big situation will able the Georgia coaches to take advantage of their depth as the season goes and sets the ‘Dawgs up for years to come.