Georgia football defensive production returning: by the numbers

The Georgia defense’s dominant 2021 season left a mark all over college football, breaking NFL Draft records and carrying the Bulldogs to a 14-1 record and their first National Championship in 41 years. Now, the Dawgs’ coaching staff is tasked with an overwhelmingly difficult obstacle:

Replacing them.

Sure, the Georgia defense will still return dominant defensive players like Jalen Carter, Kelee Ringo, and several other future NFL players, but do they have enough depth to replace their offseason departures?

While everyone is looking for the next ‘Moneyball’ statistics for college football, including myself, analyzing returning production is about as close as you can get to estimating the success of a  team.

So what does Georgia’s defensive depth really look like, and how does it compare to the 2020 offseason?

Georgia football’s 2020-21 offseason

Looking back, the 2020 offseason kind of went by in a blur. Expectations were at an all-time high for the Dawgs after an 8-2 season ended in a Peach Bowl victory. Bulldog fans were aware of the loss of production on defense, especially in the secondary of the Georgia defense which included names like Richard Lecounte, Tyson Campell and Eric Stokes. 

However, after looking back at the percentage of production that the Dawgs were returning, the success of the 2021 Bulldog defense is surprisingly even more impressive.

Tackles returning: 58.3%

Sacks returning: 20.5%

Interceptions returning: 0%

Yes, you read that last number right. Out of Georgia’s nine interceptions during the 2020 season, not a single one of those players returned to the team for an extra year. It doesn’t get much better when looking at the returning production for sacks, as the departures of Azeez Ojulari and Jermaine Johnson alone made up 66% of the Dawgs’ sack totals in 2020.

Now, what does the returning production look like for the 2021 offseason?

Georgia football’s 2021-22 offseason

Having five players selected in the first round of the NFL Draft is impressive. But when they all come just from your defense, it’s a little bit unfair. In total, the Bulldogs are set to lose nine defensive starters from their 2021 defense. While the Bulldogs will absolutely miss the leadership and versatility of their departing players, what does the returning production actually look like for the Dawgs?

Tackles returning: 43.5% (14.8% less than 2020)

Sacks returning: 41.8% (22.3% more than 2020)

Interceptions returning: 56.3% (56.3% more than 2020)

It’s no secret that losing so many elite defenders will have an impact on the Bulldogs’ production in 2022, but ultimately, the situation is not nearly as great as many make it out to be.

The Bulldogs will enjoy the return of Robert Beal Jr., who led the Bulldogs in sacks in 2021 with six and a half, as well as Christopher Smith and Kelee Ringo, who combined for five interceptions on the year. 

Georgia’s 2021 defense was’t good because it returned all of its upperclassmen. Georgia’s 2021 defense thrived because its athletes stepped up and reloaded. So, with the departures of Dawgs that played important roles in the Georgia defense, which players will be called upon to make an impact this season?

So what does it mean for Jalen Carter, Kelee Ringo & company in 2022?

To answer this question, we first must look at the positions most in need of replacement. In 2021, the leader in tackles for the Georgia defense was safety Lewis Cine. The current Minnesota Viking racked up 73 total tackles on the year, just one more than ILB Nakobe Dean. While the official roster won’t be set anytime soon, David Daniel-Sisavanh may be expected to replace Cine’s position in the secondary this Fall. With only six total tackles throughout his freshman season, Daniel-Sisavanh showed flashes of his potential in limited playing time. The 6’2 safety out of Woodstock, Georgia will have to compete with players like Malaki Starks, JaCorey Thomas, and Dan Jackson for the spot, but Georgia fans can feel safe with any one of these players stepping into the spotlight.

Georgia gets Its 2021 sack leader back in Robert Beal Jr. But the Dawgs lost a significant amount of QB pressure from the ILB position. Last year, Tindall, Dean, and Walker combined for 13 sacks, more than a fourth of the entire Georgia roster. In 2022, Georgia will look for players like Xavian Sorey, Jamon Dumas-Johnson, and Smael Mondon to replace this production.

Finally, we come to the interceptions. Current Los Angeles Rams cornerback Derion Kendrick led the Bulldogs in picks last year with four, and the Bulldogs are going to have to replace his production in 2022. The two players most likely to fill that spot are William Poole III, the fifth-year senior who played a huge role for the Bulldogs in the National Championship game, and Kamari Lassiter, a sophomore corner from Tuscaloosa. Regardless of who steps up, he will have the opportunity to line up alongside presumed starter Kelee Ringo.

Georgia may never have a defense exactly like the unit that suited up for in 2021

And that’s OK. This year’s team will present different strengths and weaknesses.

The biggest similarity between Georgia football’s 2020 and 2021 offseason is its opportunity to reload.

Ultimately, it will come down to who makes the most of it.