2016 SEC East Preview: Georgia Bulldogs
After failing to take Georgia to the next level, Mark Richt was fired and Kirby Smart was hired as his replacement. Smart inherits a very good Georgia team in 2016, but where will they end up in the SEC East?
Pregame crowd and band at Georgia's Sanford Stadium. Photo obtained via Flickr, courtesy of creativecommons.org. No changes made.
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Last season, Georgia lived up to most of the team’s “expectations,” although fans of the Bulldogs were understandably disappointed at what could have been.
After consecutive losses to Alabama and Tennessee —not to mention losing star running back Nick Chubb for the rest of the season — the Bulldogs faced an uphill battle to win the SEC East. They eventually lost that battle when they were throttled by rival Florida, their last loss on the way to a 9-3 season.
After years of what fans called “good but not great” football, Mark Richt was fired. The Bulldogs brought in former Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart for his first head coaching opportunity.
Let’s take a look at some things to expect from the 2016 Georgia Bulldogs.
Strengths:
The Bulldogs’ offense runs through the backfield, with Nick Cubb and Sony Michel being one of the best duos in college football. Before his season-ending injury, Chubb had rushed for 747 yards and seven touchdowns in just six games. Michel rushed for 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns on the season.
Bulldogs’ fans will have to wait a bit before watching the duo run through defenses, though – Georgia announced on July 4th that Michel suffered a broken forearm and required surgery. When he recovers, the Bulldog backfield will be one of the most dangerous in college football.
The Georgia defense will be counted on to maintain the level of play from 2015 as well.
Last season, the Bulldogs’ defense allowed third-down conversions only 28.9 percent of the time (eighth-lowest in the country), only gave up 189 first downs (third-fewest in the country), had the third-best red zone defense in the country and was ranked eighth in total defense.
Georgia was also ranked seventh in the nation in opponent pass efficiency.
With plenty of returning talent and the addition of defensive mastermind Kirby Smart as head coach, the defense should be just as strong in 2016. Count on heavy doses of the run game and defense as a main part of Georgia’s strategy in the fall.
Weaknesses:
Beginning with offense, Georgia will likely have the same problem that plagued the Bulldogs in 2015 — a lack of consistent play at quarterback.
On one hand, Greyson Lambert returns to Athens this season. With a year of experience under his belt, there’s a chance he improved. It is not guaranteed, however, that he will be the starter under center for the Bulldogs in 2016. Freshman Jacob Eason was one of the top recruits out of high school and Brice Ramsey also remains in contention.
Another issue has now been raised with the injury to Sony Michel. With Michel requiring surgery on his forearm, he will certainly miss some time this season. The question is how long he will be out? As it stands currently, there is no official timetable for his return, but if it is a lengthy recovery, it will cause depth issues in the backfield. After Chubb, Georgia is largely inexperienced, which will take away from the overall effectiveness of the offense.
On the other side of the ball, the new coaching staff will need to improve the rush defense from last season. Although it was not awful (42nd in the country), that is not good enough to be at the top of the SEC. With the loss of most of the starters from the front seven, the rush defense could be even worse in 2016.
Another possible weakness for Georgia in the fall will be their mostly-new coaching staff. Besides Kirby Smart, there have been seven other new hires to the coaching staff. The new coaches may hit the ground running, but it is more likely that it will take some time to find their groove.
Players to watch:
RBs Nick Chubb, Jr. /Sony Michel, Jr. — Chubb and Michel are the engines that make the Georgia offense go. With a healthy and motivated Chubb returning as the starter, the Bulldog backfield will be one of the most explosive in the nation. Once Michel returns from injury, look for the tandem to dominate defenses on a weekly basis.
QB Jacob Eason, Fresh. — Eason was one of the top players out of high school and will be one of the most talked-about players on Georgia’s team in 2016. Even if he isn’t the week one guy, don’t be surprised if Eason becomes the starter later in the season.
DT/NT Trenton Thompson, Soph. — As a freshman in 2015, Thompson was one of the most reliable defensive players for Georgia. With the loss of some explosive talent on the defensive line, 2016 may be the year that Thompson becomes an elite player in the SEC.
Games to watch:
Sep. 24 @ Ole Miss – A big cross-divisional matchup takes place on the last Saturday in September when the Rebels and Bulldogs clash. Both teams figure to be in contention in their respective divisions, making this game an important win for one of them.
Oct. 1 vs Tennessee – Year after year it seems as though the Georgia-Tennessee game has major implications on who will win the SEC East, and 2016 is no different. Whichever team can pick up the win will be firmly in the driver’s seat for a division title.
Oct. 29 vs Florida (Jacksonville) – The 2015 SEC East champion Florida Gators will be strong again, and the annual rivalry match will also be crucial in determining who wins the division in 2016.
Prediction:
8-4 (5-3 SEC)
Losses to North Carolina, @ Ole Miss, @ Tennessee, and Florida
Edited by Nathan Odom
Featured image by David Torcivia
Adam is the Assistant Sports Editor for the Tennessee Journalist and a Junior at UT. Most of his free time is spent watching sports, listening to good music, and enjoying life. If you wish to contact him, you can email him at amillike@vols.utk.edu, follow him on Twitter, @AdamMilliken14, or find him at https://www.linkedin.com/pub/adam-milliken/109/a89/a32.
