Takeaways from Georgia’s G-Day game

The 2016 edition of Georgia’s spring game is in the books, and Kirby Smart got the 93,000 fans he wanted. 

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UGA not only broke their record for best spring game attendance ever (46,815 in 2015) but also broke the record for most fans at a spring game in SEC history. The next highest attendance this year was by Alabama with 76,212 fans.

UGA head coach Kirby Smart had this to say in his press conference following the game.

“Wow. Tell you what, for the fan base to come out and support our program, to support our kids the way they did, it touches me to my heart. It makes it a special moment to know that the fan base has your back and has got your program’s back. There were a lot of doubters out there. There were a lot of doubters that said it couldn’t be done. They said, ‘they won’t come.’ They said, ‘they’ll find something else to do. They’ll stay in Atlanta.’ But they came. They came in droves and I appreciate that — more than they know. Our kids appreciate that,” said Smart.

The game, itself, was both entertaining and intriguing. (The Red team defeated the Black team 34-14.) There were many storylines and things to watch for in the 2016 G-Day Game. Some questions were answered, and some will remain until fall camp. However, here are the top takeaways from the G-Day game.

Georgia Fans Are Fully Behind Smart

When Greg McGarity announced Georgia and Mark Richt would part ways, there was a little division among the fanbase over the decision to get rid of Richt. Then, we all know what happened next.

Kirby Smart was hired at UGA, and in his first public appearance at a Georgia basketball game, he challenged 93,000 fans to be at the spring game and for Dawg Nation to unite. Many people still doubted that UGA would get their attendance wish.

But they indeed did get their wish, and then some. The stadium was completely full on Saturday, and many people were forced to stand. It was an impressive atmosphere to say the least, and it was eye-opening to many recruits including Jeremiah Holloman. The full stadium was definitely a huge statement for Smart’s UGA program going forward.

Jacob Eason Shined, But the QB Race Is Not Over

The biggest storyline in the G-Day game had to be if anyone would stand out at quarterback. Jacob Eason did just that. The early enrollee and the top quarterback in the 2016 class got his first real collegiate action in the spring game.

Eason performed the best out of all the quarterbacks as he went 19-of-29 for 244 yards, no interceptions, and a touchdown according to 247 Sports. Most young players have first “game” jitters, but he had a great performance, as he didn’t seem fazed at all by the amount of people watching him.

He looked poised in the pocket, made some great downfield throws, had a zip on his passes and was, overall, very accurate. Most people came away very impressed with Eason.

Still, the quarterback race is far from over, as Kirby Smart said earlier this month that the position battle would probably remain in question into fall camp. However, if Eason continues to look like he did in the spring game, it will be hard to keep him off the field on September 3rd.

Georgia Is Stacked at Tight End

Kirby Smart said Georgia would utilize the tight ends much more under new offensive coordinator Jim Chaney. They are definitely stacked at the position. Current starter Jeb Blazevich looks like one of the best tight ends in the conference, and his backups certainly shined in the spring game.

Freshman early enrollee Isaac Nauta was one of the top prospects the Dawgs signed in the 2016 recruiting class, and he certainly looks like he’s going to live up to the billing. Nauta has six catches in the game for 54 yards and a touchdown according to 247 Sports.

Jackson Harris and the forgotten Jordan Davis were also very solid. This area will definitely be one of UGA’s strong suits in 2016.

Defense Still Needs Some Work

Georgia’s defense was a very good unit last season. The Bulldogs even had the No. 1 passing defense in the country according to NCAA.com. Georgia brings most of last season’s starters back this year, and their secondary will be one of the more experienced units in the SEC.

Smart seemed upset in his halftime interview with ESPNU at the lack of turnovers the UGA defense was creating in the game. In the second half, Aaron Davis recorded an interception, but the Georgia defense didn’t force any other turnovers.

A lot of that can be attributed to Georgia losing their top pass rushers in Leonard Floyd and Jordan Jenkins to the NFL Draft. Someone needs to step up in that area. Also, Kirby Smart is still looking for leaders to step up in his defense.

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However, there are some guys who shined in the spring game. Sophomore outside linebacker D’Andre Walker was the biggest standout on defense, as he recorded seven tackles, four sacks and four tackles for loss. Inside linebacker Juwan Taylor also added seven tackles himself.

Georgia has some good talent on defense, but, as Smart always says, they got a lot of work to do.

Bottom line, the G-Day game has to go down as a success. Kirby Smart got his 93k, and it was an entertaining game. It was also injury free, which is always the best outcome in a spring game. The 2016 edition of the G-Day Game has got to go down as a very encouraging start for the Smart Era in Athens.