What we learned in Georgia fall camp, what’s left to be learned as season begins
Fall camp is complete and the season is upon us in Athens. For Georgia, that means it’s almost time for the opener against UT-Martin on Saturday (6:00 p.m. ET, ESPN+/SECN+).
While it’s far from the marquee matchup that fans have gotten accustomed to the last few years taking on big names like Clemson and Oregon to kick things off, the mere fact that football is here is exciting. Georgia comes in ranked No. 1 in the preseason polls for both the AP and the Coaches and is considered the favorite according to Vegas to take home the title again at season’s end. We’ve got a long way to go before then though and lots to learn about this Bulldogs’ team.
What have we learned already? We’ll discuss that below – and give you a couple of clues as to what the biggest remaining questions are.
Carson Beck is QB1, but how will he handle his new role?
No bigger question was answered in fall camp than Georgia’s starting quarterback question. Kirby Smart came out and named Carson Beck QB1 headed into the opener, and according to the head coach, Beck has handled that news well. Because Beck was the oldest in the room and already getting a large majority of the first-team reps, things haven’t really changed. When they will change though is on Saturday when he trots out there under the lights of Sanford Stadium. How he handles that pressure remains to be seen, and in turn is one of the biggest questions left to be answered. We’ll have an idea of an answer on Saturday, but with the opponent opposite of him and Georgia’s relatively light first few weeks, it may take a little while to figure out an exact answer to the big question.
Georgia’s running back room is a concern, but how big of one should it be?
Branson Robinson is down for the season. Kendall Milton and Daijun Edwards are both banged up as the year begins. That leaves just two scholarship backs healthy with a combined zero collegiate snaps between them – Andrew Paul and Roderick Robinson. Now, Milton and Edwards will be back before too long. Can Georgia get by without them early on? Absolutely, especially with walk-ons contributing. However, is this something that should be a bigger concern going forward knowing that at any point the Bulldogs are just a couple of plays away from being severely limited numbers-wise with its running backs? How does that affect the game plan? For the time being, it’s a small concern, but it certainly has the potential to be turned up a notch if things don’t go according to plan.
The Dawgs have developed depth on the offensive line. How will they use it?
Last year Georgia routinely played seven offensive linemen. This year, the number that the Dawgs feel confident in is at least that, if not more. With Earnest Greene and Austin Blaske battling at left tackle, Amarius Mims, Xavier Truss and Tate Ratledge returning at right tackle and guard, Dylan Fairchild and Micah Morris providing depth both on the inside and outside and Sedrick Van Pran to hold it all down, there might not be enough snaps to keep everyone happy. Sounds like a good problem to have to me. How does Georgia use that depth? It remains to be seen, but know one thing – Stacy Searels is NOT afraid to rotate if it’s to his team’s advantage.
Is there potential for a game-wrecking player on the defensive line in a group full of experience?
Nazir Stackhouse, Zion Logue and Warren Brinson have seen how the likes of Jordan Davis, Devonte Wyatt and Jalen Carter operated on the interior. Same goes for Tramel Walthour on the outside with Travon Walker. With that much experience to go around, there are no questions about how they’ll handle themselves. We’ve seen that. None have shown consistent ability to wreck games though – and Georgia may find that in youngsters like Mykel Williams and Jordan Hall. So, is there a game wrecker up front? It’s been crucial to the team’s success over the past two seasons, and we’re not betting against Tray Scott bringing the best out of these veterans.
There’s typically somebody that makes an impact as a freshman – especially with the way Kirby Smart has recruited. Who will it be this year?
Of course with running back depth a concern, Roderick Robinson is a name to know as a potential impact freshman. Andrew Paul is a redshirt freshman, so he counts too. Most are going to come on the defensive side of the ball though with defensive lineman Jordan Hall, EDGE Damon Wilson and defensive back Joenel Aguero standing out. Kirby Smart has said he likes to use freshmen on defense in specialty roles for areas that they excel coming into college while developing the rest of their game. Hall and Wilson could help with pass rush while Aguero has the kind of ability to potentially play in packages with extra defensive backs. Linebacker CJ Allen has also had a strong camp, and the early season opportunities against the likes of UT-Martin and Ball State could earn him more playing time as the schedule rolls along.
Competition is the name of the game in Athens. How do the final few position battles play out?
Like we said to start this, quarterback was the biggest question coming into fall camp, and that’s been decided. That leaves left tackle and cornerback – plus kicker! – still up for grabs. Predictions as of this point? Earnest Greene seems to have the upper hand at left tackle, but the offensive line will rotate in Austin Blaske too. So too will cornerback in all likelihood with Julian Humphrey having made lots of noise in camp while Daylen Everette and Nyland Green also are in the mix. As for kicker, Jared Zirkel has been around longer and sounds as if he’s been a tad bit more consistent than Peyton Woodring in camp. That can change in a heartbeat.
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