Georgia Bulldogs 2018 Football Preview

Georgia Bulldogs 2018 Football Preview

Opening Statement: Georgia had one of the most thrilling postseasons in modern college football history, with a huge Rose Bowl win over Oklahoma, followed by a heartbreaking late loss to Alabama in the national title game. The Bulldogs lost a massive amount of talent to the NFL, but do not worry, as the Bulldogs have enough talent on hand to not only return to the top of the SEC East with relative ease, but they have what it takes to make another national title run as well.

Breakdown Offense: Jacob Eason got hurt last fall, and never regained the starting QB job from the rock solid freshman Jacob Fromm. Eason transferred to Washington, and Fromm remains, but he cannot rest this fall, as another talented player comes into the QB position in Justin Fields. If Fromm struggles, Fields will be there to jump on the job. Fromm was a rock star in the playoffs, as nothing seemed to phase the freshman. He passed for 2615 yards with 24 TDs and 7 INTs. Between the SEC title game through the national title game, he tossed 5 TDs and just 2 INTs (both in the title game), and passed for 625 yards. He completed 62.2% of his passes, an area I expect will improve this fall.

Nick Chubb and Sony Michel are gone, and they take 31 total TDs rushing out the door with them, along with 2572 yards from last fall. That may seem like a set of numbers to dispair over, but the talent coming back is immense. D'Andre Swift averaged 7.63 yards per carry, Brian Herrion carried 61 times, and Elijah Holyfield is built like a Mack Truck, and averaged 5.86 yards per carry as well. This unit should not disappoint.

Javon Wyms, the leading receiver with 45 receptions, has moved on, but look out for those who are returning. Terry Godwin averaged 16.82 yards per catch last season and scored 6 times. Mecole Hardman averaged 16.72 yards per reception, and Riley Ridley averaged 15.57 yards per catch. This is a talented projected starting unit. Ahkil Crumpton caught just 5 passes last fall, but averaged ovr 19 yards per grab, and will be a primary reserve. Tyler Simmons, Matt Landers, and freshman Kearis Jackson all will work into reserve roles in fall camp.

Isaac Nauta caught 9 passes at TE last fall, and returns as the starter. Charlie Worner is the TE2 when needed, and also caught 9 passes. Jackson Harris returns as well, and should be the 3rd TE.

The line could be a key area of concern in camp, as 3 sophomores are projected to start. Andrew Thomas (LT), Ben Cleveland (RG), and Isaiah Wilson (RT) bring the youth, while Kendall Baker (LG) and Lamont Gaillard (C) are the senior leaders. Depth is a concern as well. D'Marcus Hayes and Cade Mays are the listed backups at the Tackle spots, but Mays is a freshman. Trey Hill projects as the backup Center, while Solomon Kindley, a sophomore, is the backup at OG.

Breakdown Defense: The Bulldogs were dominant at times on defense, and allowed just 16.4 points per game. They gave up 34 points per game in the playoffs, however, so the hope is that the regular season dominance bleeds over to the 2018 season, and not the playoff version.

Jonathan Ledbetter and Walter Grant are projected as starters at DE this fall, with Grant being a sophomore this fall. They combined for 8 TFLs, so there is some reason to believe that they can play to a higher expectation this fall in larger roles. Michail Carter and Robert Beal are projected as the backups, while Malik Herring, a sophomore, provides depth on the 3rd unit.

Julian Rochester and Tyler Clark are slotted in as starters at DT. Clark finished with 6 TFLs up the middle, while Rochester added 2.5 in the rotation. DaQuan Hawkins-Muckle and David Marshall are the primary backups, while Michael Barnett and Justin Young are the 3rd team candidates.

Roquan Smith has moved on at LB, and that is a huge loss, but D'Andre Walker returns at WLB. He finished with 39 tackles, but totaled 13.5 TFLs, 5.5 sacks, and 6 QB hurries. Juwan Taylor had just 13 tackles as a junior, but is the primary candidate to replace Smith at MLB. Natrez Patrick had 35 tackles, and is projected to start at SLB. Keyon Brown, Tae Crowder, and Brenton Cox will provide depth at the OLB spots, while sophomore Monte Rice figures in as the backup at MLB to Taylor.

Deandre Baker and Tyrique McGhee are the starters at CB. Baker led the team with 9 PBUs, while McGhee added another 5. Baker also added 3 INTs, good for 2nd on the team. Tray Bishop and Ameer Speed, both sophomores, are the primary reserves, while Latavious Brini and KJ Smith roll up the 3rd unit.

Richard LeCounte III starts at SS, while Mark Webb is the FS. This is going to be the concern area on defense, as neither provided much in the way of production last fall. William Poole III and Jarvis Wilson should provide some push in fall camp, while Jake Skole and Joseph Hull are your 3rd team unit.

Breakdown Special Teams: Rodrigo Blankenship quietly became one of the best kickers in the nation last season, hitting 20/23 FG attempts, and he returns to work once again, while Marshall Long looks like the new Punter.

Hardman returns as the primary kick return man, as he averaged 25.25 yards per return. He also averaged 11.78 yards per punt return, and should handle that job as well.

Final Analysis: There are few reasons to worry about the offense, but 3 sophomores on the line may be something that needs some watching early in the season. The other areas, QB, RB, and WR, should be well taken care of. Defensively, it would seem that the line is solid, but the LB corps could be a bit diminished, even with the return of Walker. The CB slots are solid, but the Bulldogs are weak deep, an that could become a problem. Overall, there is plenty of talent to mitigate the concerns, but if one or two things go the wrong way, the Bulldogs could get exposed. I still see them as a top 5 program with the tools to push for an SEC title and national playoff appearance.