G-Day Spring Game: what to watch for

The 2016 G-Day game is this week, and excitement around the program is at an all-time high.

The UGA spring game will take place at 4 p.m. in Sanford Stadium this Saturday. It’s arguably one of the most anticipated spring football game in the history of the University of Georgia.

There are a bunch of storylines in this game, and it’s going to be very interesting to watch. That’s one of the reasons why many are hoping for and expecting a full-capacity crowd on Saturday afternoon.

The spring game is definitely going to be an event with a first ever Dawg Walk taking place prior to kickoff as well as a pre-game concert. Anyway, the football itself is going to be interesting, and here are some of the top things to watch for at the G-Day game.

Quarterback Play

Face it. This is the biggest storyline in the spring game, and the biggest position battle is at quarterback. It’s a three-man race between last year’s starter Greyson Lambert, junior Brice Ramsey, and early enrollee and top recruit Jacob Eason.

Head Coach Kirby Smart has already said that the quarterback competition would extend into August, but the spring game will provide the first real game environment in front of fans. Smart doesn’t yet know what the quarterback rotation will be, but he wants Lambert, Ramsey, and Eason to get as many reps as possible. Whichever quarterback performs the best in the G-Day game might very well prove to be a factor in who eventually gets the job.

Greyson Lambert brings the most experience into the quarterback race. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /

Attendance

We’ve heard Smart call for 93,000 fans to come out and support the Dawgs on Saturday afternoon. The question is will it really happen? Many believe it will. There’s more excitement around this spring game than any other in recent memory, and fans that don’t normally attend G-Day have pledged to go.

There will be a huge list of big-time recruits that will be in town for the game. Filling the stadium would definitely impress these players. It would also make a statement that Bulldog Nation is fully around Smart and the new regime.

Leaders on Defense

Will a leader emerge on defense during the spring game? Smart said that the defense lacked leadership in his press conference after last Saturday’s scrimmage. This will be the biggest stage yet, and it will be the perfect time for a leader to rise to the top.

Whether it be Lorenzo Carter, Dominick Sanders, Quincy Mauger, or someone else, Georgia has got to find a vocal leader on defense. This will go a long way in determining how good this unit will be this fall.

Kirby Smart wants to see some leadership on his Bulldog defense. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /

Play of the Early Enrollees

Georgia had six early enrollees this spring. They are quarterback Jacob Eason, offensive lineman Ben Cleveland, defensive back Chad Clay, wide receiver Riley Ridley, tight end Isaac Nauta, and defensive tackle Julian Rochester.

Smart has heaped praise on these guys through his various press conferences on georgiadogs.com. This will probably be the most impactful group of early enrollees that UGA has had in recent years, and it will definitely be interesting to see how they perform in the G-Day game.