Georgia Football surrounded by question marks as they begin practice
By Andrew Honea
Heading into the 2016-17 season, Georgia Football has numerous question marks surrounding an always dangers group of athletes, but the real question might be whether or not the Bulldogs can use their bevy of talent to finally silence the critics.
August 1, 2016, a day that many of us have eagerly anticipated for months finally fell upon us. Georgia Football’s preseason camp has finally begun and questions can finally begin to be answered – sort of.
The one burning question surrounding Athens since the start of the Kirby Smart era has obviously been in regards to the Georgia quarterback situation. Greyson Lambert arrived in Athens last year and kept us all on our toes all season long, whether it was his record-setting performance against an underwhelming South Carolina defense or his inability to perform in clutch situations.
Fast forward a year and Jacob Eason is now the talk of the town. But can a freshman really walk into Sanford Stadium and make that much of a difference for the Bulldogs? Many people seem to think so, myself included. But despite the hype surrounding the freshman phenom, coach Kirby Smart has made it clear that this quarterback battle will come down to the wire. In other words, consider the quarterback question unanswered for now.
There is another obvious question surrounding the Bulldogs as they enter the 2016 season. Is Heisman hopeful Nick Chubb going to be able to return to his old self? If you are anything like me, you probably still cringe at the thought of the season-ending injury Chubb fell victim to against Tennessee last October.
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Well, lucky for Georgia fans, all signs from camp point to a full recovery for Chubb. Although the extent of contact that Chubb is currently facing in camp is some slight blocking, all reports seem to be the same. We can expect the same dangerous Nick Chubb in Athens this fall.
Unfortunately for Georgia fans, Chubb isn’t the only member of the talented Bulldog backfield with a question mark next to his name. Sony Michel, who took over for an injured Nick Chubb in 2015, is coming into camp at less than 100 percent as well. Michel stayed healthy enough during the regular season to compile over 1,000 yards on the ground for the Bulldogs.
Surprisingly, it is the offseason that showed to be his unlikely kryptonite. Michel suffered a forearm injury on July 3, courtesy of an ATV accident, which resulted in surgery and an inevitable delay to the start of his season. Although Michel was seen participating in conditioning exercises, it will be interesting to see when his full return will occur.
It is no surprise that the highlight reel plays by the athletes on the field are what keep the fans watching on a weekly basis, but can a head coach can bring that same level of excitement? That could very well be the case for Georgia and new head coach Kirby Smart.
Smart competed for Georgia during his own collegiate playing career before eventually ending up as a defensive coordinator in Tuscaloosa. Smart ran a defense at Alabama that was nothing short of a dominant, and Georgia fans now hope that he can bring that same magic to Athens.
Much like Eason, it is yet to be seen if Kirby Smart can make an immediate impact in Athens. Although his past achievements and current recruiting seem to be speaking for themselves, time is the only thing that will truly determine Smart’s success back with his alma mater. Patience will surely be hard to come by in Athens over the next month or so as we all wait to see what this coming season will have in store for the Bulldogs.