Early Scouting Report: Georgia Bulldogs
The long wait finally ended in Athens last season. Kirby Smart was able to bring a national championship home to Georgia. Now the Bulldogs will attempt to do it again.
Behind an elite defense, UGA eviscerated its competition all season before getting Alabama in a revenge game in the national championship. The Dawgs were finally able to knock off Nick Saban as a former walk-on quarterback made some big throws to bring home the big trophy.
After a giant gorilla was removed from this program’s back, Smart is attempting to lead Georgia into a new era as a legitimate college football blue blood. However, the Dawgs will need to win multiple titles to become that. Running it back in 2022 will be tricky as there is a lot to replace.
KSR’s early scouting report series continues with the SEC East program that has been to the SEC title game in four of the last five seasons.
Nuts and Bolts
Following the 2006 season, the University of Alabama was able to convince Nick Saban to leave the NFL and return to college football. The Michigan State and LSU head coach was making his way back to the SEC with all eyes set on a national championship.
After nearly getting there in year two, Alabama was able to blow by Florida in 2009 to claim the program’s first national championship in 17 years. Since then, the Crimson Tide have claimed five more national titles, and Kirby Smart played a key role as the defensive coordinator in Tuscaloosa for four of those championships. Georgia hired their famous alum to lead the Bulldogs to the promised land.
It took Smart more time than Saban, but after a few close calls UGA finally broke through for a national championship in year six. But what will the Dawgs do for an encore? We should probably look back at 2010 Alabama to find out.
That Crimson Tide squad returned a starting quarterback, the Heisman Trophy winner at tailback, and an All-American wide receiver. However, Bama returned just two starters off of the best defense in college football and saw a drop-off on the field. For the only time in Saban’s tenure, Alabama lost three regular-season games after opening the season at No. 1 in the preseason polls.
Georgia is looking to avoid the same fate, but there is a striking similarity between the two teams. If you’re in the SEC East, this feels like the year where there could be a real opening to have another division winner if the Bulldogs take a slight step back while breaking in some new faces.
Transfer Portal Recap
Kirby Smart has not been afraid to use the transfer portal in the past to strengthen his roster. Potential starters Arik Gilbert (LSU) and Tykee Smith (West Virginia) came to Athens from the portal. The top two quarterbacks last year were transfers.
But when you recruit at an elite level, this form of roster-building is not a must-have every season.
Georgia signed 30 high school prospects in the class of 2022 thanks to the new rules that give college football teams more scholarship wiggle room with the free transfer rule. UGA saw 12 players leave the program, and eight are now at Power Five programs. A handful started games for the Dawgs last season with JT Daniels at West Virginia and defensive back Latavious Brini at Arkansas. The biggest loss was seeing wideout Jermaine Burton move to Alabama.
That could be a loss that UGA has to see head-to-head down the road. However, the coaching staff felt the roster was in good shape entering 2022 thanks to some elite high school recruiting.
Georgia offense
Todd Monken was brought to Athens from the NFL in 2020 to help modernize the Georgia offense. The former Southern Miss head coach created one of the most efficient offenses in college football last season without game-breaking star power at wide receiver.
Georgia had a different offensive profile than some recent national champions. The Dawgs teamed elite efficiency with dependable explosiveness despite not needing a full spread offense that used some form of tempo.
- Scoring: 38.6 (No. 9 overall)
- Success Rate: 50.2% (No. 9 overall)
- Yards Per Play: 7.0 (No. 4 overall)
- Yards Per Rush: 5.3 (No. 14 overall)
- Yards Per Attempt: 9.3 (T-6 overall)
- Explosive Play Rate: 14.6% (No. 14 overall)
- Points Per Drive: 3.39 (No. 4 overall)
- Points Per Scoring Opportunity: 4.9 (No. 12 overall)
Georgia was a top-five offense in college football in 2021. There is no getting around that. Monken’s unit combined elite efficiency with a legitimate big-play punch via a potent play-action passing game. That equaled a lot of points as the Bulldogs overwhelmed opponents frequently. The well-rounded passing game helped UGA reach another level.
At the end of 2020, JT Daniels became the starter for Georgia, and things started to look different as this unit started taking and connecting on vertical throws. However, the former USC transfer again struggled with injuries. Stetson Bennett (5-11, 190, Super) took over in Week 4 and never looked back. The Mailman finished No. 3 nationally in yards per attempt (10.1), was No. 2 in the SEC in passing success rate (53.3%), and gave the offense an extra punch with his rushing ability. Bennett was a complementary piece of the offense but the veteran delivered with efficiency and explosiveness when called upon.
Expect the super senior to see a heavier role this fall after the offense called for him to throw the ball just 22.4 times per game. However, those numbers increased during UGA’s three-game postseason run as Bennett was able to deliver with strong performances in the playoff against Alabama and Michigan (9.6 yards per attempt, 5 touchdowns, 0 interceptions). If Bennett posts numbers like this again, UGA could field another top-five offense that will be capable of winning another national title.
On the perimeter, however, there are some question marks. George Pickens was a true WR1 that the Bulldogs never got to fully utilize thanks to injury. He’s now balling out with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Leading wide receiver Jermaine Burton transferred to Alabama. Returning deep threat Arian Smith is dealing with an injury again in fall camp.
Georgia does return both Ladd McConkey (6-0, 185, RSo.) and Adonai Mitchell (6-4, 190, So.) who combined for 60 receptions for 873 yards and nine touchdowns as first-year players last fall. UGA needs them to make a jump, but this will be an offense powered by the tight end room.
Brock Bowers (6-4, 230, So.) became one of the best players in college football as a rookie. The top 100 recruit out of the Bay Area in California led UGA in receptions (56), receiving yards (882), and touchdowns (13). Over 24 percent of the true freshman’s receptions went for over 15 yards as the flex tight end was an integral part of the offense. Bowers is a true WR1, but he has some help in the tight end room.
LSU transfer Arik Gilbert (6-5, 255, RSo.) is back after taking last season off. The former five-star prospect will likely be flexed out and be UGA’s go-to X receiver in the boundary. Darnell Washington (6-7, 270, Jr.) would be TE1 on just about every other team in college football. The offense will go as this unit goes. Expect a heavy, heavy dose of 12 personnel this year from the Bulldogs.
It’s fair to wonder about the offense’s overall explosiveness if the tight end group is having to drive the passing game. That can work well as long as the rushing game remains efficient. However, the Dawgs have much to replace.
Both James Cook and Zamir White are now in the NFL. That duo leaves behind 1,584 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns on 5.8 yards per rush. UGA has recruited well at this spot, but the new group must prove it on the field. Kenny McIntosh (6-1, 210, Sr.) and Kendall Milton (6-1, 220, Jr.) have both received extensive playing time but will now take on a heavier workload. Branson Robinson (5-10, 220, Fr.) is a power back that will push for a role as a newcomer.
Georgia lost a couple of draft picks on the offensive line to go along with position coach Matt Luke, but there is still a lot to like about this group. Broderick Jones (6-4, 310, RSo.) flashed in his first year as a starter, and the former top-10 recruit could emerge as one of the SEC’s best tackles this season. He’s teaming up with Warren McClendon (6-4, 300, RJr.) to give UGA one of the best tackle duos in college football. Sedrick Van Pran (6-4, 310, RSo.) returns at center and is the leader of the group. Thanks to some big recruiting wins, the pieces are there for Georgia to have a top-five offensive line in college football.
The personnel is there to talk yourself into Georgia being a top-10 unit again on offense. However, there are some skill talent concerns. If the Bulldogs lose some explosiveness this team could find itself having to grind out games in multiple fourth quarters.
Georgia defense
Defensive coordinator Dan Lanning teamed with Kirby Smart to build one of the best defenses we’ve seen in college football in recent memory. Georgia was loaded with pro talent, and the numbers were ridiculous for this group from start to finish.
- Scoring: 10.2 (No. 1 overall)
- Success Rate: 32.6% (No. 1 overall)
- Yards Per Play: 4.1 (No. 2 overall)
- Yards Per Rush: 2.6 (No. 2 overall)
- Yards Per Attempt: 5.6 (No. 2 overall)
- Havoc Rate: 13.0% (No. 45 overall)
- Pressure Rate: 34.9% (No. 32 overall)
- Points Per Drive: 0.69 (No. 1 overall)
- Points Per Scoring Opportunity: 2.3 (No. 1 overall)
No matter how you viewed it, Georgia clearly had the best defense in college football last season. The unit dominated opponents from start to finish and led the way in the national championship game before the offense finally broke the seal in the fourth quarter. But there is a lot to replace.
Lanning is now the head coach at Oregon. To replace him, Smart promoted Will Muschamp and Glenn Schumann to co-coordinator roles. The Bulldogs have to replace nine draft picks and will be counting on a ton of players in the front seven who haven’t played much football in college.
The biggest separator for Georgia last season was the overall depth of talent the Bulldogs had on the defensive line. This group mowed over folks, but all of those guys are gone outside of Jalen Carter (6-3, 300, Jr.). A former five-star recruit out of Apopka (Fla.) High, Carter played less than 400 snaps last season but was consistently one of Georgia’s top players. He’s an All-American that will be a wrecker on the line of scrimmage.
Next to him, Georgia is very young and could start a freshman or two at some point this season. The defensive line is a question mark, but the presence of Carter should help alleviate growing pains. At off-ball linebacker, UGA doesn’t have any player with any real experience returning.
Jamon Dumas-Johnson (6-1, 245, So.) played a special teams role as a true freshman, and Georgia is depending on the Mid-Atlantic product to become a playmaker at inside linebacker. However, the competition is wide open for this group heading into the last week of fall camp as this group still needs to develop.
On the outside, Georgia will have help. Former No. 1 overall recruit Nolan Smith (6-3, 235, Sr.) decided to return for year four after recording 56 tackles last season. The veteran could’ve been an early draft pick, but a productive pass-rushing year could catapult the outside linebacker into the top 10. The Bulldogs will need high-level production from the EDGE player who is already an outstanding run defender.
In the secondary, Kelee Ringo (6-2, 210, RSo.) enters the year as one of the top cornerbacks in college football and UGA will need the backend to take on more responsibility as the defense rebuilds in the front seven. Christopher Smith (5-11, 195, Super) returns at safety, but UGA must find another cornerback opposite Ringo. Freshman Malaki Starks (6-1, 205, Fr.) is pushing for early playing time and could be the fifth defensive back when this defense goes to subpackages.
There is still a ton of talent on this defensive roster, but we’ve seen a lot of turnover. UGA has a new play-caller and front seven that must plug in a ton of new faces. Don’t be surprised if this defense gets off to a slower-than-expected start.
Outlook
Georgia has finally added a national championship to their trophy case and enters the 2022 year as the consensus No. 3 team with a top-five roster in college football. There is more NFL talent waiting in the wings in Athens, but all the signs of a reset year could be there.
We still don’t know if Stetson Bennett could carry a team at quarterback, and this will be an offense that must rely heavily on tight ends. Does that lower the group’s ceiling? On defense, Georgia lost so much production and will have a ton of young players who must prove their value this year.
The talent is there to make another run, but this is a team that will likely go through some growing pains. UGA will be susceptible a couple of times this season. Will the rest of the SEC East be able to take advantage or are we headed towards another matchup with Alabama in Atlanta?
Discuss This Article
Comments have moved.
Join the conversation and talk about this article and all things Kentucky Sports in the new KSR Message Board.
KSBoard