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Week 12 position battles: Who plays ‘F’ receiver for Georgia?
By Alex Zorn
Published:
Ever since an embarrassing loss to Florida to end October, Georgia has retooled its offense to give its speedsters more chances with the ball.
The changes to the game plan, including more “Wild Dawg” formations with WR Terry Godwin or KR Isaiah McKenzie taking direct snaps in designed run plays, opened the field for a Georgia team struggling to move the ball without Nick Chubb.
In the two games since the SEC East battle in Jacksonville, the Bulldogs have run the ball for 446 yards and three TDs.
As Georgia prepares for Saturday’s tuneup against Georgia-Southern and the regular season finale in Atlanta against Georgia Tech, the question is does coach Mark Richt have any more changes in store?
Nobody would fault the coach for wanting to make a change at quarterback, but after starting all but one game this season it looks like Richt plans to stick with QB Greyson Lambert through better or worse in 2015.
Instead let’s look at the “F” receiver position, essentially the slot, where two Bulldogs look to fight it out for the starting spot to end 2015: WR Godwin and KR McKenzie.
With two superb athletes at his disposal, Godwin and McKenzie, either way Richt will have plenty of talent at the position, but after scoring two touchdowns last week, the coach should give the nod to McKenzie against Georgia Southern.
Time and time again McKenzie has proven to be truly special with the ball in his hands, something the coach could use more in this offense rather than just making him a punt returner (though he might be the best return man in the country, seen below).
So. Much. Speed. #UGAvsAUB
Isaiah McKenzie kicked it into high gear for this TD. https://t.co/8C6awbxL80
— CBS Sports College Football ? (@CBSSportsCFB) November 14, 2015
Over the course of his career at #UGA Isaiah McKenzie returns a kick/punt for a TD about every 9 times he catches one.
— Dawgs247 (@Dawgs247) November 15, 2015
“Coach told me all week, ‘If you get a pitch to hit, take it,'” McKenzie told ESPN reporters after the game. “My teammates had great blocks, I got around the corner and scored a touchdown.”
McKenzie may be a weapon best left to the return game, but without Chubb, the 5-foot-8 sophomore should be promoted to starter on an offense that desperately needs him to make big plays.
It’s not that Godwin hasn’t performed as the team’s third receiver, he’s just failed to make a consistent impact in the passing game. The 5-star freshman has been held without a catch in the past two games, both of which he started.
Obviously there haven’t been many passes thrown with 187 passing yards combined in the two wins, but still the upside is higher with McKenzie.
Godwin will be a great player during his SEC career, but right now McKenzie is the bigger game-breaker of the two and deserves to start at “F” receiver to close out 2015.
