Georgia running backs ready to take on challenge of upholding 'RBU' history
Georgia Football has established a tradition as RBU over the program’s history with guys like Herschel Walker and Garrison Hearst stepping through the locker room doors in the 80s and 90s. More recently, running backs like Todd Gurley, Nick Chubb and Sony Michel have added to the rich history. And that’s just a few. We can’t name them all because we’d be here all day.
Headed into the 2022 season, the Bulldogs are tasked with replacing two more talented running backs that put their imprint on the program for the last four seasons, Zamir White and James Cook. While White was the workhorse ball carrier, totaling over 2,000 rushing yards in his career, Cook was able to impact the game in multiple ways with his combined rushing and receiving ability. In 2021, White led the team in rushing, and Cook had over 1,000 yards of offense. Replacing one is hard. Replacing both in a single offseason is quite daunting.
However, Georgia has a stable full of talented running backs that have waited their turn. Kenny McIntosh was a year behind White and Cook, signing with Georgia in the 2019 recruiting class. He enters his fourth year with the program. Kendall Milton and Daijun Edwards are both going into their third ready to break out with more opportunities, and the Bulldogs added two more to the room in the Class of 2022 with the nation’s No. 2 ranked running back, Branson Robinson, and one of the most coveted commitments on the February National Signing Day, Andrew Paul. Georgia head coach Kirby Smart spoke on the status of the running back room recently.
“We know enough about Kenny (McIntosh) and Kendall (Milton) to know their strengths,” Smart said. “They’re both talented guys and played featured roles within drives within their careers here. But never the featured guy. They’re both talented and improved immensely. I think Dell’s (McGee) done a great job developing those guys as pass protectors, route runners. I think the more unknown is Daijun (Edwards), who’s been able to get in a lot of games, mop up. And has really done a good job. He’s going to play a larger role this year. And then finding out the two freshmen. Both Branson (Robinson) and Andrew (Paul) have got to help us from a depth standpoint. So I’m excited to see what those guys can do.”
Of the group that returns, McIntosh is the most proven from a production standpoint. However, as Smart said, he’s never been asked to be the feature back for a full season, or even a game. On his career, the Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. native has 130 carries for 753 yards and six touchdowns to go along with 33 receptions, 356 yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, Milton has struggled to stay healthy at times, playing 15 games and accounting for 484 total yards – mostly on the ground – and one touchdown. Milton is Georgia’s best bet at finding the workhorse while McIntosh can the versatile Cook-type option. All the while, the Bulldogs will do their best to establish depth in the backfield as well and should be able to do so between Edwards, who has shown signs of promise in his action, and the freshmen getting their feet wet in their first camp.
