In a rare Sunday contest, Georgia defeated South Carolina behind an impressive effort from its running game. The Bulldogs ran the ball the way many had expected when the season began, but they were woefully inept when it came to the passing game.

There were several factors for Georgia’s struggles through the air. Jacob Eason, just 5-for-17 for 29 yards with an interception, had several more freshman moments in an SEC road game, the game plan was very run-heavy and the windy conditions likely played a role.

Although Eason struggled through his worst day, he once again delivered a tremendous throw on a deep route down the sideline that hit Isaiah McKenzie in stride in the end zone. As has happened far too often, though, the ball slipped through his receiver’s hands and fell harmlessly to the turf.

“He saw things out there that didn’t exist and he’s growing,” Kirby Smart told reporters of Eason after Sunday’s game. “We’ve got to help him through that with A: The way we call the game, B: The way we run the ball, and C: The receivers catching the ball. Nobody’s saying anything if the receiver catches the ball and runs it in for a touchdown as opposed to tipping it up in the air and the ball bouncing around.”

Smart is right in the sense that Eason is still growing. Of course he is, he’s only one of a handful of true freshmen to start at quarterback in the school’s history. But right now, he isn’t getting consistent support from his wide receivers.

Smart and the staff are addressing that on the recruiting trail.

Georgia has only 10 scholarship wide receivers on the roster and the position is among the smallest in the SEC. The average height of the Bulldogs’ receivers is just under 6-foot-1.

Teams like Ole Miss and Tennessee are filled with taller wide receivers who are capable of stretching the field and winning jump balls, something that would be extremely fitting for Eason’s skill set at this point.

That’s not to knock players like Isaiah McKenzie or Terry Godwin, both proven play-makers, it’s just that there is a lack of versatility among the team’s wideouts.

The Bulldogs have three wide receivers committed for the Class of 2017, which matches the number from last year’s class. But Georgia isn’t likely finished recruiting at the position and could stand to add a few more players.

Mark Webb, a 4-star prospect from Pennsylvania, became the latest and highest-rated receiver to commit to the Bulldogs, when he did so mid-September. Webb joins fellow 4-star Trey Blount and 3-star Matt Landers as Georgia’s commitments at the position.

Smart and his staff clearly want to add height to the receiver corps, as both Blount and Webb are 6-2 and Landers is 6-5. That’s a theme that is consistent among Georgia’s remaining targets at the position.

Nico Collins and Jeremiah Holloman appear to be atop the Bulldogs’ wish list and could turn this position class into one of the best in recent years.

Collins is a 4-star prospect from Alabama and has been one of the state’s top players during his career at Clay-Chalkville High School. The 6-5 receiver caught 60 passes for 1,103 yards and 16 touchdowns as a junior, according to his Max Preps page.

He has the height and the athleticism that the Bulldogs clearly need, but they have some stiff competition for him at this point. Collins has said that Michigan and Alabama are alongside Georgia at the top of his list. Smart is among the best recruiters in the country, but he has his work cut out for him on this one.

Holloman might be an easier commitment to gain, but he is no less important. A 4-star prospect from Newton High School, the in-state receiver has the ability to stretch the field and provide a deep threat.

As a junior, Holloman caught 32 passes for 632 yards, an average of 19.8 yards per catch, with 7 touchdowns, according to Max Preps. He’s already on pace to blow past those number as a senior, however, with 20 catches for 360 yards and 5 touchdowns.

Georgia has a nice connection with Holloman already, as the receiver’s cousin is former Bulldogs star Leonard Floyd. Holloman has taken several visits to Georgia this season, and it looks like Smart is in a good spot with this speedster.

Eason has already provided a spark to Georgia’s passing game, which has lacked explosion since Aaron Murray’s departure. The next step is to surround him with a variety of weapons on the perimeter.

It’s likely that nobody knows this more than the Bulldogs’ head coach, and Smart has already put in the work to land a crop of receivers that could provide a boost at the position.

There is still young talent in Athens that might grow alongside Georgia’s 5-star quarterback, but the Bulldogs are working the recruiting trail hard to make sure help is on the way.

All rankings are courtesy of the 247Sports Composite Rankings

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