Whoops, thought I posted this yesterday
| #7 Georgia Bulldogs |
| #2 in SEC |
For all of the criticism Jake Fromm took for not really developing from what he was as a freshman, which only escalated last year when Justin Fields lapped him in development after leaving. But for better or worse, he was a steady hand, although watching SEC rivals Alabama and LSU open it up and sling it all over the field had to hurt. Wake Forest transfer Jamie Newman looks to have the lead going into the fall. He was outstanding last year for the Demon Deacons, but struggled a little bit down the stretch without future first round NFL Draft pick Sage Surratt healthy, completing 46% of his passes or worse in 4 of Wake Forest’s last five games. Newman has to hold off three more highly recruited, but less accomplished challengers, in redshirt freshman Dwan Mathis, a 2019 signing day Ohio State flip, true freshman Carson Beck, a top 10 quarterback prospect, and USC transfer J.T. Daniels, the #2 quarterback prospect in the 2018 class, who will need a waiver to be eligible. He’s struggled with inconsistency and ineffectiveness, so a year off to just soak it in and get healthy wouldn’t be the worst thing. Georgia has seemingly had the “next guy” in training, ready to step up at running back for the past decade and a half. This year that’s less of the case, although there is still plenty of talent at the position, just that D’Andre Swift and Brian Herrian took their 299 carries last year out the door with them. Herrian was probably never a #1 option anyway, but he complimented Swift well. Zamir White, James Cook and Kenny McIntosh will vie for carries in a time share, after combined for 5.9 ypc on 134 carries last year. The bigger problem for Georgia’s run game is who is going to open holes for them, trying to replace both tackles and both guards, around All-SEC center Trey Hill. While Jamie Newman isn’t Joe Burrow, what Georgia can take away from LSU’s offensive renaissance last year, is to take their receiving talent, and use it to pressure defenses. I’m not sure if he’s Ja’Marr Chase or Justin Jefferson, but George Pickens has way more talent than the offense allowed him to show last year. They had Mecole Hardman, who has been unlocked with the Chiefs, they need to figure out how to better use Pickens, whose 2019 numbers were fairly similar to Justin Jefferson’s 2018 numbers. Both were still good enough to lead their team in receiving, but there’s more there. The Bulldogs’ defense has nearly zero questions. It was the top unit in the SEC last year in ypp, #1 nationally in SP+, and returns 80% of their defensive production, which on paper, makes them the best defense in the nation again, on paper, going into 2020. Watch out for Nolan Smith, the #1 overall recruit two years ago. While he only had 18 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss, he was fourth on the team in quarterback hurries. With one full offseason, and the other talent Georgia has at linebacker, the havoc creator should rack up more of the traditional stats to get onto people’s radars. A “neutral” site game against Virginia, in Atlanta, to open, should help them focus early, which will help for a Week 3 trip to Tuscaloosa, Georgia’s first since 2007, which is also the last time Georgia beat the Tide. They’ve lost 5 in a row since, all in their home state, twice at home, twice in the SEC Championship Game, once in the National Championship Game in Atlanta. Combined with a home game against Auburn, and the Cocktail Party in October, by the time the calendar turns to November, Georgia very well could be out of it, or have a clear path to the #1 seed.
| KEY PLAYERS |
| QB | Jamie Newman, Senior |
| WR | George Pickens, Sophomore |
| C | Trey Hill, Junior |
| . |
| LB | Monty Rice, Senior |
| LB | Azeez Ojulari, Sophomore |
| S | Richard LaCounte, Senior |
