With Eason at quarterback, Georgia’s run game is more important than ever
By Clay Cribbs
Georgia’s win over North Carolina saw the emergence of freshman quarterback Jacob Eason. Assuming he starts, Georgia’s run game is more important than ever.
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Coming into Saturday night, many wondered where Georgia’s offense production was going to come from. Although we knew the Bulldogs were going to run the football against the vulnerable Tar Heel defense, many questioned how productive the run game was going to be.
Nick Chubb was returning from his PCL tear, and Sony Michel was still nursing his broken arm. If Chubb wasn’t the same and Michel was out for the game, where were the yards going to come from? Although Michel did not play on Saturday night, Georgia showed why their run game was the bread and butter of the offense.
Nick Chubb placed himself at the top of the early Heisman race, amassing 222 rushing yards on 32 carries. The junior tailback also scored two touchdowns, the second a 55-yard romp to seal the game.
Brian Herrien quickly became the secondary runner behind Chubb after Brendan Douglas fumbled deep in North Carolina territory. The true freshman Herrien performed well in his UGA debut, taking his first handoff 19 yards for a touchdown. He would finish the game with 59 yards on seven rushes.
For Georgia to have success, however, it is more than likely that this trend will need to continue. With quarterback Jacob Eason seeming to further increase his chance of being the long-term starter, Georgia’s run game will now be more crucial than ever.
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Although the freshman is seemingly as talented as any quarterback in the country, his progression will continue to take time. Luckily, with one of the most talented backfields in the country, Kirby Smart can afford to take the pressure off his young quarterback.
Once Michel returns, Georgia will return one of its most dynamic playmakers on offense. A sharp change of pace from the hard-hitting Chubb, Michel provides a burst of speed to the Georgia backfield.
Surely, Eason will continue to develop and make his fair share of plays along the way. His numbers from Saturday night were far from earth shattering, but he played consistently and made few mistakes. The true freshman went 8-of-12 for 131 yards.
Against North Carolina, Eason’s big arm proved to be valuable, stretching out the North Carolina defense to give space for the run game. A 51-yard pass to McKenzie also proved to be huge, setting up a field goal for Georgia to take a lead they would never relinquish.
The pass was Georgia’s longest since 2014, when Todd Gurley found Jeb Blazevich for 50 yards against Vanderbilt. However, Eason will be sure to make mistakes as well. Although he did not turn the ball over against UNC, surely his fair share is coming against talented SEC defenses.
Until Eason can adjust to the SEC, Georgia fans will see heavy doses of Chubb, Michel, Herrien and most likely Elijah Holyfield when he gets healthy. At this point, however, Georgia’s offense will go as far as its run game will take them. Jacob Eason, for now, is just along for the ride.