By Chris Marler
Georgia begins Fall practice today, and they do so with one giant chip on their shoulder. That’s because of the bad taste in their mouth left after last year’s “down year.”
Remember the horrible depths the program sunk to last season? An 11-3 record. A Sugar Bowl and College Football Playoff appearance. Oh, and another SEC Title. Their third under Kirby Smart.
Georgia beat Texas. Twice. Once at their house and once with a backup quarterback. Nobody seemed to notice outside of Athens.
They’ve had more NFL Draft Picks, two national titles, three CFP appearances, and one single home loss in Sanford Stadium in the last eight years. It’s hard to be the best program in the country for the last five years and still somehow take a backseat to a team in your own conference. But going into a year somewhat flying under the radar, following a season that ended short of your own internal expectations, and a lack of respect from the national media and preseason prognosticators?
Kirby Smart would’ve paid for that scenario heading into Fall Camp if he could.
Sure, there are some question marks on this team and some key pieces that need to be replaced. They’re breaking in a new quarterback which is just one of 17 starters that will see a new name and face fill a position this season. That includes four offensive lineman and multiple first round picks.
Yawn.
No offense to the players gone from last year’s offensive line, but it was one of the more underwhelming units in the Smart era. Carson Beck is still a good college quarterback, but gone is the guy who threw 13 interceptions last season including eight against Alabama, Texas, and Ole Miss alone. Not to mention another three against archrival Florida. And Arian Smith will always be a fan favorite for that catch in the 2022 Peach Bowl, but gone are the receivers in a group that led the nation in drops with 36.
Who’s going to replace them and their production? I don’t know, probably one of the 17 former five stars from any of the top three classes he’s signed every year over the last four years. Who’s going to be the quarterback? Apparently it’s a gritty, locally grown kid from podunk Georgia who no one believes in outside of the people inside the four walls at the Bulldogs facility. I’m sure we’ve never seen that work out well under Kirby Smart. (*Coughs* in Stetson Bennett).
There are a lot of unknowns about UGA this year. Here’s what I do know though.
Nate Frazier may be the best running back in the conference and maybe the country. The offense has stockpiled blue chip offensive lineman and tight ends like they’re nuclear weapons in the cold war. The receiving corps got better with Noah Thomas and Zacchariah Branch from the transfer portal, and at the very least shouldn’t have 36 drops as a unit. The defense will be coached by the best defensive minds in college football, and has another Butkus Award winner in waiting in CJ Allen along with the best Safety in America not named Caleb Downs in KJ Bolden.
However, the one advantage they have more than anything I just listed in this year versus year is they get to sleep in their own beds finally. Last year, Georgia played one of the most brutal road schedules I’ve ever seen. No one seemed to notice because we don’t make excuses for the rich and successful, and in the world of college football, UGA is Elon Musk. Pre-2024, more likable Musk to be clear. Last year, UGA played 6 games against Top 20 opponents, and five of them were away from home.
This year, they get revenge games against Alabama and Ole Miss and get them at home in a building they haven’t lost to since the first Trump administration. They also get Texas between the hedges in Athens as well.
The schedule is way more manageable than last year. The roster is always loaded. So doubt the Dawgs at your own peril. As for me, I’ll be over here on this side. And I’ll be putting my money on the best coach in college football in a year where he’s more motivated than ever while emotionally preparing myself to deal with a fanbase and program that is starving for another national title.
After all, it’s been two years which apparently now is unacceptable.
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