Better or worse? Previewing Georgia's offense in 2022
Last year, Georgia brought home its first national championship in 41 years mainly due to its defense. Five first-round NFL Draft picks can prove the point.
In fact, the Bulldogs set a record of 15 players taken overall in this past April’s draft — 8 defensive players and 7 on offense.
It will be nearly impossible to replicate the Bulldogs’ historic defense, which means the 2022 offense will bear a greater responsibility to win games rather than merely contribute.
Quarterback Stetson Bennett is back and this is his show to run. He’ll throw to a revamped receiving corps, but the Dawgs clearly have star-studded depth at tight end. How does the rest of the offense shape up? Let’s take a look.
Passing offense: Better
Bennett threw for 2,862 yards with 29 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, and it proved to be pretty pedestrian among the quarterback elite. However, his 86.7 quarterback rating was among the top 5, and he threw 15 touchdowns and had just 3 interceptions in his final 5 weeks, a stint that certainly played into the Bulldogs’ first national championship since 1980.
Arian Smith, who broke his leg last year, will be a big key to Bennett’s success this season, playing the role as the unit’s deep threat. Smith, a track star and perhaps the fastest player in the SEC, only has 5 career catches – albeit for an average of 37.6 a grab – but he should have a breakout season if he can stay healthy.
With Smith as a down-field threat, AD Mitchell and Ladd McConkey will be Bennett’s go-to targets at the X and Z positions, respectively. Mitchell is designated to replace George Pickens, and he should improve on his 29 catches from last season. McConkey is Bennett’s most reliable option. Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint should see time behind Mitchell, and Kearis Jackson and Dominick Blaylock will get their share of snaps in the slot. Overall, it is a promising group with talent and potential. The opening weeks of the season should dictate how far the group can develop and ripen.
Fortunately, Georgia also has the best tight end room in the country.
Brock Bowers once again can make Bennett’s life easier after his breakthrough freshman year, when he caught 56 passes for 882 yards with 14 touchdowns. Darnell Washington and Arik Gilbert are future pros, too, who give offensive coordinator Todd Monken plenty to mix and match along the way and raise the bar if the wide receivers don’t mature quickly.
Depth is the key to Bennett and the passing game. With that, he should have plenty of options to help spread the field. The Bulldogs have a solid presence up front returning to help give him the time he needs.
Running game: Worse
Run the football. It’s as much a constant and recognizable with Georgia football as the peach is with the state.
Monken will be put to the task here as the Bulldogs haven’t had a 1,00-yard rusher in the past 2 seasons, but they still were a solid group last season. The unit finished 6th in the SEC, averaging 190.93 yards per contest.
The Bulldogs’ tandem of Zamir White and James Cook helped salt away their victory over Alabama in the title tilt last year. They’re gone, so it will up to other Dawgs to share the load this season.
Kenny McIntosh and Kendall Milton appear to have the inside track. McIntosh’s breakout speed mixes well with Milton’s bulldozer style. Both also can contribute to the passing game out of the backfield.
McIntosh emerged as the Bulldogs’ No. 3 back last season, but Milton missed the part of the season’s second half with a knee injury.
Daijun Edwards saw some meaningful snaps late in games last season, and his role should increase. Freshman Branson Robinson is built to bull his way for yardage, and he should see time as the season progresses.
It’s Georgia, so the expectation is that the unit will be good, but it is too early to make a solid evaluation. McIntosh and Milton may be hard-pressed to duplicate the team’s 190 yards per game last season.
Kicking and return game: Better
Kicker Jack Podlesny is back after a 22-for-27 performance on field goals last season. He made a career-best 49-yarder against Alabama in the national title game last season.
McIntosh and Jackson both averaged better than 19 yards on kickoff returns, and another year under their belts should elevate their status.
Jackson has a workmanlike 8.5 average on punt returns, and look to McConkey to be more involved. He averaged better than 16 yards on just 5 returns.
This is a seasoned group, and their experience should make a difference in a few games this fall.
Overall: Slight worse but still dominant
The Bulldogs may fall a bit short of their 38.6 points per game average — which was aided by defensive scores and short fields — but they still will be among the nation’s best in offensive production.
Often lost in the narrative of how the defense did everything last year is the fact that Georgia led the SEC in average yards per play at 6.98.
Bennett, who is often underrated, is the pivotal part here, as his confidence and production will dictate how far they can go. Monken has the weapons, and he has the passing options to create a diverse scheme.
Bottom line: The Dawgs will average at least 30 points (and perhaps a touchdown more) for the 6th consecutive season. Among SEC teams, only Alabama (14 years) has a longer active streak.
Stay healthy, if, promise and potential. All words used when you don’t know what to expect. If it wasn’t for that group of TE’s I would look for a greater drop off. Not to the point of being bad but maybe closer to good than really good. But they do have that TE room and they should give opposing D’s fits.
fuzzy…Agreed. Those tight ends must be smiling, as they’ll get a large share of passes this year. The Dawgs defense has to slip back some but with Kirby’s great recruiting they will still be good. Georgia should still win the Cocktail-Party and the East. Looks like the running game is the biggest ? Time tells all.
Stacy Searels is our new OL coach.
His “trademark” is a good running game so I feel we are in good hands.
Yeah, with the talent they have, the drop off is not going to be major. UGA may not win the CFCG but somewhere along the way someone is going to have to beat them for it.
” Monken will be put to the task here as the Bulldogs haven’t had a 1,00-yard rusher in the past 2 seasons, but they still were a solid group last season. The unit finished 6th in the SEC, averaging 190.93 yards per contest. ”
WHO WROTE THIS SILLY ARTICLE?????
Georgia will NOT be worse in the run game and have not been worse!!!! Georgia could have led the SEC in rushing had we wanted to. And we could do it again if we wanted to!!!!!!
Fact are we are ALWAYS 4 to 5 deep. When you go that deep at running back. Everyone needs their touches. It keeps everyone fresh and lends to keeping people HEALTHY!!!!
Georgia signed another 5 STAR BACK who is rock hard and an already NFL STRONG power rusher with 4.4 or under 40 speed!!!! Already as strong as Nick Chubb is TODAY in the NFL!
Wait to the writer sees him whoever he may fall in the order!!!!
We flipped Andrew Paul from clemson and he was only a 3 star. The reason is because he was a LATE BLOOMER!!!! But they believe he’s a big-time SEC BACK waiting to happen!!!!!
Kendall Milton was a 5 star and McIntosh as well as Edwards are big-time SEC rushers with speed, strength and the ability to catch out of the backfield!!!!! Cook could catch with speed. But he didn’t have Macintosh strength and I’m not sure he was any faster!!!!
Like it or not the passing game and feeding 5 backs, held Georgia back from LEADING THE SEC IN RUSHING!!!! Georgia only threw it between 15 or 20 times a game on average. But check it out if you wish.
THOSE FEW GEORGIA PASSES WERE FOR THE MOST PART WILDLY SUCCESSFUL!!!!! DOING JUST THAT GEORGIA HAD A 3 GAME STRETCH WHEN THEY AVERAGED 50+ POINTS PER GAME!!!! STETSON BENNETT HAD A 5 TOUCHDOWN PASS HALF!!!!
THAT GEORGIA OFFENSE WAS WAAAAAAY BETTER THAN GIVEN CREDIT FOR BEING……
PS. Consider that everyone is downing the Georgia running game. I vote BETTER!!!!! They all have no clue, as per usual!!!!
Negan
Fuzzy…….Like anyone you know your own team better than that of a rivals. I’ll agree that without that TE room we wouldn’t be nearly as good. Same could be said of Alabama without Bryce Young or Will Anderson Jr or Tennessee without Hooker etc…
But as one who knows Georgia. I wouldn’t look for much if any drop-off from the running backs. Because we signed a 5 star running back. Who I think was the best of the bunch!!! He’s already as strong as Nick Chubb is right now in the NFL!!!! His body is more than NFL ready. He chained his body by replicating the inhuman Herschel Walker workout!!!! Imagine on top of all your other running, weight lifting and football work. Doing an extra few thousand pushups, sit ups and deep knee bends every day???? Look at the dude without a shirt. He looks like the Hulk!!!
Normally big guys like him can be a bit stiff. Not him. If you see his tape he has a little Barry Sanders in his step at times. Great vision. The only knock on him SUPPOSEDLY is his LONG SPEED!!! He’s been working on it and I’m sure he’s getting better. He runs track like his brother!!!!
His 40 speed is great. He already runs a 4.4 40. Yet his coaches and brother all say he will run a 4.3 very soon. That was nearly a year ago!!!! Chubb when healthy only ran a 4.5 as did Todd Gurley!!!! If you have 4.4 40 speed. Once you get through the first wave. You are going to build a big lead. And then you are looking at dbs to tackle this runaway train!!! Good luck and they better be physical and well coached!!!!
Just go watch his tape and see how he leaves people in the dust. If you catch him from behind. It’s because you have elite long speed and a long field!!! Inside 40 yards nobody is tackling him from behind unless you have Deon Sanders young speed and are way stronger than him. It doesn’t happen often.
So on top of all Georgia’s 5 star and blue chip running backs. That are ALL a threat rushing and catching out of the backfield. GEORGIA HAS ONE MORE EXTREME RED ZONE THREAT. NOW THINK OF IT…..
Georgia is at the 5 or 10 yard line etc.. in the backfield is true freshman Branson Robinson the strongest running back in all college football likely. Milton is strong to but I think Branson might be stronger. He can also Catch. Stetson Bennett is also a runner! We go to a crazy 4 TE set. With 6.8 270 5 star TE Darnell Washington in to block or catch. Along with Brock Bowers and then Arik Gilbert and 5 star Oscar Delp out at receiver or wherever they want them. We could still add that 320 pound fullback if we want named Jalen Carter!!! He’s actually got decent speed and can catch himself. He caught a touchdown pass and ran for a few!!!
My question is this. How does anyone stop Georgia but Georgia? What if they were on the goal line??? Only Georgia or a turnover could stop Georgia. The turnover would have to be a bad pass or a fumble. But otherwise you are looking at 6 points!!!! So you better keep Georgia away from that red zone if you can. But you still might not!!! Georgia is very good these days with the big play in the passing game. They have always been a big play waiting to happen in the running game!!!
Georgia will still be very good on defense to. Once everyone jells together. Provided we can finally avoid the huge injuries. We finally got through spring without too many huge injuries. Believe me with Georgia that is saying something. The only injuries I know about were the ones players played through and fixed with minor surgeries!!! Like Bowers and Darnell. But they are both BETTER than before now in their health. They are ready for fall camp! As is Tykee Smith, Arion Smith and a few others…
Honestly in fall camp. If I were Georgia I would put HEALTH OVER IMPROVEMENT with a few different guys. Because the guys I refer to are already excellent and ready to totally breakout as stars!!!! Only injuries have prevented it thus far. Now that everyone seems healthy. I would seek to keep it that way!!!! Yes I would do lots of SPEED WORK AND CONDITIONING WORK with the guys I’m talking about. But nothing that could cause any injuries!!! Weight lifting is fine. Straight running is fine. I just wouldn’t push it in things like cutting and PASS ROUTS!!! I know you absolutely have to do some. I’m only saying DON’T PUSH IT TOO MUCH!!!
MAYBE NOW THAT ONE CURSE WAS BROKEN. YET ANOTHER BROKE AS WELL!!! IN THAT CASE GEORGIA WILL BE BLESSED I HOPE WITH GOOD HEALTH!!! Everyone always has injuries. It’s football!!! But Georgia has had waaaaaaaay too many since 2017!!!! Some of Mark Richt’s teams suffered huge injuries. But not on the scale that happened these last 5 years or so!!!! And I know it has some to do with just how hard Georgia works. Because there was some desperation among some to win and not let the FICTIONAL WINDOW PASS US BY!!! WELL IT DIDN’T. WE ARRIVED AND CAN CALL DOWN A LITTLE!!!!
I still want to be the hardest working most physical team in the country!!! But I also was to be HEALTHY!!!! It does no good to have an elite roster if they don’t play!!!! I’M ABSOLUTELY POSITIVE I’M NOT THE ONLY GEORGIA FAN WHO FEELS THIS WAY!!!!
Thus far Georgia has been blessed with better health through spring. God willing it keeps up all season!!! I don’t mind injuries unless they are the long-term kind that hurt the team and the players ability to get better!!!! As I said it’s football and things happen. I just don’t want it always happening to Georgia the most!!! I want NO INJURIES PERIOD FOR ANYONE! But if they must happen. I prefer they get spread around the league and not pile up on Georgia. That’s my honest feelings. Georgia have had enough injuries, to never have another for 5 years!!!! If it were fair!!! I’m serious.
I DON’T WANT ANY TEAM TO SUFFER INJURIES. BUT IF THEY MUST HAPPEN. I ONLY WANT IT TO BE FAIR!!! IT WAS VERY BAD WHAT HAPPENED TO ALABAMA AT RECEIVER LAST SEASON. AND THEY HAD OTHER INJURIES. BUT……
ANYONE TRULY KEEPING UP WITH IT KNOWS. GEORGIA HAD A BUNCH MORE INJURIES THAN ALABAMA. IN BOTH GAMES AND DURING THE ENTIRE SEASON!!!!!! I MEAN COSTLY INJURIES AND MISSING PLAYERS.
LIKE ARIK GILBERT AND ADAM ANDERSON. JUST TO NAME ONLY TWO!!! THEY HAD WAAAAAAAY MORE THAN THAT AND BIG-TIME GUYS TO!!!!!!
Had everyone been available & TRULY HEALTHY for Georgia on offense and defense. Georgia likely never loses even once. And would have went down in history as THE GREATEST COLLEGE FOOTBALL TEAM EVER!!!
Instead of just THE DEFENSE getting those comparisons!!!! And that is a fact!!!! Also I still don’t believe Georgia played its best QB. I love Stetson Bennett. I’m not a hater but I’m just honest. I do love his competitive fire. As well as the fact. He played his best ball as far as mistakes go. In the playoffs and the natty. Your guy can’t make mistakes in those huge games. And he didn’t. Plus he made some plays to!!!! NOW HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE LIKE MUSCLE MEMORY FOR HIM!!!!! I don’t believe he was the best QB or even the 2nd or third best IN TALENT!!! But he proved to be better than good enough. And I mean even without JT Daniels. I still believe Stetson Bennett is the 4th best QB on this team RIGHT NOW!!! As far as talent goes. But he was and is THE MOST EXPERIENCED IN ALL COLLEGE FOOTBAL….
And that counts. Especially in the biggest games!!! Plus he is VERY TALENTED himself!!! He’s certainly not a slouch!!! The staff compared him to a smaller Baker Mayfield. And I agree except one thing. Mayfield had better receivers on the outside with more experience than our guys had. George Pickens was literally 50% of himself “MAYBE! ” The others were mostly freshmen except Burton who was a sophomore I believe!!! Mayfield had healthy 5 stars literally everywhere in that spread offense they ran. Plus a great TE Andrews and great NFL running backs. So very similar to Georgia this year except. They stack 5 star receivers or did!!!! Plus OU played in a weak division but still beat Ohio State by 2 TOUCHDOWNS in their own stadium!!!! So being a smaller Mayfield ain’t bad. Only Mayfield don’t have a national championship ring and Stetson Bennett does LOL!!! But I don’t believe he’s the best on Georgia or even close!!!
MY FAVORITE YOUNG GEORGIA GUN…
Another being compared to Baker Mayfield in size and talent is Gunner Stockton. Only one difference. Mayfield has a great arm but GUNNER STOCKTON HAS AN ELITE ARM!!!!! He regularly hit receivers in stride while even being on the run himself for 55 yard touchdown passes and more!!!!
Gunner Stockton beat every Georgia passing record. Including Deshawn Watson and Trevor Lawrence who held the record. Gunner Stockton now holds THE GEORGIA PASSING RECORDS!!! Deshawn Watson ran for 25 touchdowns give or take 1 or 2!
GUNNER STOCKTON RAN FOR 77 TOUCHDOWNS AS WELL. THAT MAKES HIM BETTER THAN WATSON AND TREVOR LAWRENCE COMBINED ON THE GROUND!!!!
Watson passed for around 150 touchdown passes. And Trevor Lawrence passed for 166 touchdown passes!!!
Gunner Stockton passed for 177 touchdowns and 77 touchdowns on the ground.
And remember that is given the 2020 shortened season and problems with c………19!!!!! I think he can be BETTER than Baker Mayfield!!! We will see. We might just get Arch Manning as well. But Gunner Stockton is likely to STAY! As might Brock Vandagriff. Because they are BOTH FROM GEORGIA!!!!! Gunner Stockton’s high school coach was Mike Bobo’s father I believe. Bobo is an analyst at Georgia and Muschamp is coaching defense. Both had a great relationship with Gunner and is the reason he flipped to Georgia!!!!
So if we get Arch Manning for 2023. We will likely have Brock Vandagriff, Gunner Stockton and Arch Manning at the very least. We could potentially keep Carson Beck but he’s from Florida. Still I doubt he would transfer to Florida or Alabama. Considering he used both to get the Georgia offer and ADMITTED IT!!!! Plus he’s good and could potentially start in 2023 one season and go to the NFL!!!!!! 2022 Stetson Bennett will start but could go another way!!!! 2023 is WIDE OPEN!!!!!
PS. All that is certain is that Georgia has a bright future, especially at QB!!!!
Negan
Neggie. Nobody gonna read that long winded drivel.
True. And I’m even a Dawg fan.
That went well beyond the ‘healthy and sane’ length and even surpassed the ‘you spend WAY too much time alone’ threshold….
I got a headache in the first 20min reading.
You need to find a hobby or something lol. No way I’m reading even 10% of that.
Agreed! Can’t tell you the last time I read one of his posts.
I know this was take on the offense. I think both the offense and defense will not be as good as last year. But Georgia will still be a very good team.
@Luvdaride I actually think that about the Tide and A&M this year. UGA will take a step back on defense but the offense might be the best one Kirby has ever had this year.
Just to be clear I’m not convinced that any of that will matter when it comes to wins and losses.
I think Alabama defense will be better. The jury is still out on the offense. There are some unproven players that must step up on the offense.
Georgia will the team to beat in the East. Alabama in the West. I am not sure who else will stand out. Maybe Texas A&M? Arkansas?
Why wouldn’t we know what to expect? Returning starting QB, experienced, talented backs, experienced receivers, returners on the o-line, and the best TE corps in college football history.
I expect more of the same.
I have to agree with class of 98. They had RB’s graduate to the NFL, but it is not like any of those guys were Nick Chubb level.(who really is?)I expect this offense to be better and can only ask why in the world Washington would not transfer. Does not matter if the D takes a step back, they will still be near the top and 88 is by far the best Dlineman in CFB. Florida is on the rebuild and no gimmick offense is going to beat this team.
Offensive stats are so misleading it’s almost impossible to make judgments like this. Suffice to say the offense will be very good.
I think the running game will actually be better because of a (hopefully) better OL, improved passing game to keep defenses honest, and one of the best TE rooms in the country. The offense in general this year could very well be better than last year.
I agree box. Running game will be better due to now defenders having to stay back or play double team in receivers/tight ends due to Monken’s prolific, advanced passing game. It will open up for some great runs by K-Mac and my favorite RB K-Milt. Milton is underrated and can’t wait see Branson Robinson hit the field. That is a grown man at a young age, good golly! He looks to be a beast. Chubb 2.0.
Also, happy father’s day to all the dads of SDS
Todd Monken is the real deal. He will find a way to make the offense better.
simply stated and true
I don’t think they’re gonna hold any punches this season, no salting away with big leads. Kirby knows to recruit the big time QBs and WRs,the offense is going to have to show some flash and then turn the backups loose.
Multiple mismatches with our Tight Ends. Can beat Alabama or Ohio State if we play them because of them and our offensive line play.
Correction: Can beat Alabama or Ohio State if we play them because UGA plays complete offense and complete defense and those other teams only play 2 pass rushers on defense and a QB and 3 wrs on offense and forget to coach their 17 other positions.
I mean Bama did beat UGA last season… Congratulations on the Natty but you still only went .500 against the Tide..
I feel like this series could be called “which position group has the same players” If they do then writer says “better” if it loses key contributors writer says “worse”. Its really that simple to them.
Yeah sds is definitely full of sports writers and not sports analysts.
Full of guys who have never put on a helmet.
I’m just excited to see a returning QB, not named Jake Fromm, start every game for UGA in a season.
Was Grayson Lambert the last one to do so?
I believe so. Liked Lambert a lot but he was a lot like Fromm… Hit his ceiling early and was stuck there forever. Is it crazy that Stetson might have a higher ceiling than both?
Clueless comment. Jake Fromm was one play from winning a Natty as a true freshman. The next year Fromm led UGA to the SECCG against Bama and threw for 300+ and 3 TDs and no turnovers. Fromm performed more than good enough to win that game. Others around him didn’t.
For as much as 303 posts here you think he would have a clue.
Agreed Dawglb. Anyone who doubts Fromm in college needs to go back and watch the 2nd half of the Rose Bowl. Fromm was amazing on the biggest stage.
Wow didn’t realize that would be controversial. Fromm and Lambert were very good QB’s and neither of them were at fault for not winning championships. Just think Stetson as a higher ceiling. Lol I thought I was a troll
Quality journalism once again, SDS staff. Podlesney’s career long is 51, not 49, he kicked the game winner against Cincinnati in 2020. A quick google search would have helped…
53 yards to be exact for Hot Pod.
I think SDS does it on purpose to get their biggest fan base riled up and posting. That’s why I use AdBlock.
Should be better. UGA will start the season knowing who their starting QB is. That already puts them in a better spot than last year.
Umm… we did know who our starting QB was to start the season. He got hurt in the practices leading up the first game, played with obvious pain against Clemson, and was in and out of the lineup.
You can’t say that couldn’t happen to Bennett.
Dear Lord someone said something so dumb that I had to agree with Negan correcting them. Must be snowing in hell right now.
Umm… I’m not Negan.
That makes sense
If you think the Dawgs offense is going to be any kind of worse this season, you’re a frakking moron.
The fact that the defense is likely to give up 5-10 points more per game than they did last year means the offense will have to be more productive this season.
Of course, more productive is extremely objective when the idea of better or worse is subjective.
The Dawgs will be in more second half games this season whereas if you look at their first half passing stats from last season we were Top-5 in the nation. The idea that we didn’t pass the ball is a lie. We did. We got the lead, and then in the second half we ran it down their throats until the other team quit.
The offense will be a bit more balanced, and Bennett should have more yards and more TDs this season.
Jeff, sorry but this is pretty think analysis. I realize whatever I say will be chalked up as a Georgia homer in denial. But I think objectively, this offense should be better.
Bennett at QB all season. But the real story is we get the Bennett who finally became his best self… confident… attacking… decisive. QB will be substantially better.
OL will be top three in the nation.
Receivers… this is where folks seem to fall short. Burton was our best receiver only because others were still licking wounds. AD, Arian Smith, Blaylock, Jackson will all stretch the field. We are BETTER at receiver. Not worse. Shocked by anyone incapable of taking 10 minutes to look at stats beyond last year.
Running backs… this is the same old narrative. Georgia’s running game will be questionable with the loss of Gurley & Marshall (enter Chubb & Michel). Dawgs are going to decline with the loss of Chubb and Michel (enter Swift & Herrien). With Swift out Dawgs running game will take a hit (enter Zeus & Cook). Georgia lost Zeus and Cook… running game is in trouble (enter McIntosh and Milton). To be honest, McIntosh might have been our best back last year. And Milton lit it up as a freshman before getting hurt. He’s a beast. Objectively, the running game is going to be very difficult to solve.
This offense is going to be better than last year.
I think Jeff only ever watched the highlights from last year. He must not have noticed that we were starting our 3rd stringers at WR due to injury. But oh those Bammers lost 2 of their 3 first string wrs for 1 game and quickly became a dumpster fire on offense.
Metchie and Williams ain’t walking through that door.
Does anyone recognize Negan having a coronary fit anytime somebody says anything about either Georgia or Alabama? Negan old chum, get a grip on yourself & seek professional help before you get committed to the funny farm. It’s only a game, not a matter of life & death as you see it. If you need Dr.Phil’s number, I’m pretty sure he will take you under consideration.
It would take a panel of the world’s best psychiatrists to even diagnose what’s wrong with Negan. We can all agree he’s crazy, but it’s also possible he’s a plant to get more comments and views.
I had to read this through a second time to be sure, but my first take was correct: every position group mentioned but offensive line. How can you credibly review an offensive unit’s ability without discussing the line? Especially one expected to be among the best in the sport? The skill positions don’t operate in a vacuum, but that’s the way it’s presented here.
There was no mention made of Stet’s mobility either, which is key to his game, nor the critical fact that he’ll go through spring, summer and fall camp as the no. 1 QB for the first time in his career at UGA. That might be a salient point, especially under Monk’s tutelage.
This was a 30,000-foot look with a near-sighted eye.
You gonna need to lower your expectations.
Yep
For this site or the 2022 football season?
“The Bulldogs may fall a bit short of their 38.6 points per game average — which was aided by defensive scores and short fields”
It was also hindered by the fact that Georgia had large leads in virtually every game and took their foot off the gas in the 2nd half/4th quarter.
Exactly. Georgia pulled back on the throttle by mid third quarter of almost every game. That cost probably 7-13 points on average. There is either no ability to conduct true analysis… or they aren’t given the time to do it. I suspect it is the latter.
Pointing out the lack of a 1,000 back as some sort of “proof” that the running game is suspect is just proof that the writer doesn’t understand football.
TYLER BADIE RAN FOR 1600+ YARDS. MISSOURI LOST SIX GAMES AND BADIE WAS DRAFTED AFTER ZAMIR WHITE AND JAMES COOK.
The best part about having dominant TEs is that it should open up both the run and passing games. I don’t expect UGA to be in 13 or even the much-desired 14 personnel much at all this season, however, you have 4 players who can rotate regularly without much of a drop-off between them. The defense can’t sell out on run or pass, even when down and distance might dictate.
Also, it may just be offseason optimism but I have high hopes for this year’s O-line compared to last year. Hopefully having an all-NCAA candidate center who can manage the game and highly talented tackles will allow whoever grabs the job at LG and RG to gel in and we won’t see too much rotation at those spots during the year. I think that allows the running game to get going. And the success of the run game isn’t predicated on 1,000 yard rushers. UGA has been down on a yards per game basis since losing Ben Cleveland, Isaiah Wilson, Solomon Kindley, and Andrew Thomas left. I expect an uptick with more consistency between the OL and RBs.
I actually think our offense will be significantly better than last year. OL better, receiving room better, add a motivated arik Gilbert to what was already the best TE room in the country? C’mon. As for running back, I actually thought McIntosh was the best back on our roster last year. We’ll see about Milton. If he can stay healthy, he’s a stud.
I am always ready to see SEC football & especially the DAWGS. This year the 1 thing that I think that I am most looking forward to is seeing UGA in 13 personnel on offense. Three incredibly gifted tight ends & a cloud of dust. If the defense bulks up to stop the run, that will present a nice opportunity to watch a linebacker try to cover 1 of these guys. If the defense stays light to cover the pass, these big boys will have a nice advantage with the run.
I mean, when you recruit the No. 1 team every other year, there’s not going to be a whole lot of drop off on any level. To be honest, neither Zues nor Cook ever lived up to our high running back heritage, but I believe McIntosh will change that this year. I’m personally more excited to see what Stetson and Bowers will do in 2022 than anything else, the kid is just exciting to watch and never drops a single pass, something Georgia hasn’t seen since Murray was in Athens.
Sometime later in the week when I finish reading Negan’s comment I will reply. For now, I’m on the horn with the Guiness people and it looks like the neg has a new world record for exclamation points in a single post. Congratulations sir.
I think the offense will be better overall. I believe PPG will be up from the 2021 – 38.6 points per game average.
The 2021 team started the year with essentially every returning receiver out with injury, and to make matters worse the starting QB was playing injured, and they were also facing the No.2 scoring defense in the first game.
Then you look at how dominant the team was – leading by a comfortable score in almost every regular season game, meaning Kirby just needed to run the ball during the 4th quarter in most games.
The defense won’t be quite as dominant, and that will lead to closer scores during more 4th quarters – which will lead to more 4th quarter points.
Anybody who doesn’t think the 2022 offense will be better is selling this offense short. They have more starters returning and the defense can’t be as good.
Agree, I think the offense will be slightly better in 2022, but more out of necessity than influx of talent, which I think is about = with 2021. The defense has to take a step back so the offense won’t be sitting on their hands in the 4Q in as many games.
It is a possibility that the UGAly Dawgs could repeat. Their current QB may not be NFL or CFL or USFL or XFL material. He is a leader, with that along with the rest of those silver britches. Them Dawgs could run all the way to L.A. for a repeat. Best wishies to UGA offense.