Georgia offense hitting stride with growth, health of playmakers

ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia’s offense is coming into form as of late, totaling over 400 yards of offense in each of the last four games including 580+ in a pair of those. Carson Beck‘s continued development at the quarterback certainly plays a part, as does his growing comfort with offensive coordinator Mike Bobo. You also can’t forget tight end Brock Bowers and the incredible things he done. However, if you listen closely to what Georgia head coach Kirby Smart has to say, there’s still more that this offense can do and a couple of players that can help get it there.

After Saturday’s 51-13 win over Kentucky, a game in which Georgia went for 608 total yards of offense – most in a game by the Bulldogs since 2020 when they went for 615 against Missouri – Smart was asked about wide receiver Rara Thomas. His response was telling.

“He’s the biggest guy that can change our offense,” Smart said. “We have some guys that can do things, obviously Brock is special, and Carson has played well. There are are a lot of guys who can do things, but it loosens your whole defense up when you’ve got a guy at X that can win some one on ones. If he comes to life and keeps growing like he’s done, he makes us harder to defend. Because there are a lot of answers you have, it’s hard to answer if the guy can go up and catch the ball one-on-one.”

Thomas had five catches for 63 yards and his first score since transferring from Mississippi State. There he led the Bulldogs in receiving yards in 2022 with 626 and seven scores on 44 catches. Now in Athens, Thomas is trying to make an impact on a different Bulldogs squad, totaling 14 grabs for 230 yards (good for third on the team) and the touchdown halfway through the regular season.

“He’s definitely capable of making explosive plays. He helps our offense be explosive,” Thomas’ quarterback Carson Beck added. “I would say this, we have so many guys and so much depth at the wide receiver position where anybody that we put out there we fully expect to go out there and make plays. One thing he did really well in the game was make those contested catches in third down situations, obviously in the red zone, and man to man situations where its 1-on-1, him against the DB and there’s nothing else. I’m just going to give him a chance and let him go make a play.”

Georgia’s other potential difference maker on offense would be running back Kendall Milton. The senior out of Fresno, Calif. has battled injuries throughout the season, dealing with a pair of pulled hamstrings in the offseason before suffering a sprained MCL against South Carolina. Milton has been banged up over the course of his entire career, but when he’s been on the field and fully healthy, he’s had an impact. In the final six games of last season, Milton averaged six carries per game and managed to find the end zone four times. He also had 113 yards in one of the games he didn’t score – the SEC Championship Game.

Milton, after not playing against UAB, made his return on the road at Auburn. He did not record a carry, but in the Bulldogs’ win over Kentucky on Saturday, the senior toted the rock eight times for 47 yards and a touchdown, showing signs of what he could be this season if healthy.

“I thought Kendall did a great job tonight,” Smart said in his postgame press conference. “Kendall hit it, and Mike talked about it during the week, he said, ‘We’ve got to get somebody that can get us three, four, five yards. We can’t be behind the sticks like we were at Auburn.’ I thought Kendall brought a little hefty punch, stuck it up in there. He got a lot of yards after contact. It’s the first time that I thought he looked healthy all year.”

“It’s very special. At the beginning of the game and before the game, everybody in the locker room was like, ‘You’re going to have a night.’ Just being patient, letting everything come to me, the linemen keeping them in my ear,” Milton added. “I’m just very blessed to be in this situation. A lot of adversity, a lot of tough situations, but one thing I always try to keep in mind is God, no matter how tough things are, no matter how sidetracked things get. I always try to keep that faith and focus.”

Georgia is back in action this Saturday, going on the road to Vanderbilt to take on the Commodores. Kickoff in Nashville is set for 12:00 p.m. ET, 11:00 a.m. locally, on CBS.