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The main thing that will keep UGA from being truly great in 2016

By Jay Hawkins

Nov 28, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs defensive end Josh Dawson (91), defensive lineman John Atkins (97) and defensive tackle James DeLoach (89) celebrates with fans after their game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium. The Bulldogs won 13-7. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 28, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs defensive end Josh Dawson (91), defensive lineman John Atkins (97) and defensive tackle James DeLoach (89) celebrates with fans after their game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium. The Bulldogs won 13-7. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /
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One thing will keep UGA from being elite in 2016.

Don’t get me wrong. I think Georgia Football will have a good season this fall, but they will not be great. Here’s why.

Think of the best team in the SEC over the past several years. It is Alabama. What is one thing that is synonymous with the Crimson Tide? They always have outstanding play on the lines of scrimmage. The SEC, after all, is a line of scrimmage league. If you have the guys that can dominate consistently in those positions, odds are your team is going to be awfully good.

Now, I am starting to feel a little better about UGA’s offensive line. UGA head coach Kirby Smart appears to feel the same way,

“I feel much better now going into fall camp having watched what we had in spring and watched those guys improve under Coach (Sam) Pittman’s tutelage. And Tyler Catalina coming in as a transfer, we hope to give us some competition there for a starting job,” said Smart at SEC Media Days.

UGA head coach Kirby Smart is not happy about his defensive line. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports
UGA head coach Kirby Smart is not happy about his defensive line. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports /

With that being said, the main thing Georgia fans should be concerned about is the play and depth of its defensive line. If anything will stop UGA from being great, it will most likely be this unit.

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The unit lost four contributors to graduation. This year, Georgia’s most talented returning player on the defensive line is sophomore Trent Thompson, who has shown flashes of being really good. Georgia also returns junior John Atkins, but other than that, they only have guys with lack of starting experience and freshman.

Add to that the dismissal of Chauncey Rivers for his third marijuana-related arrest and the suspensions hanging over Johnathan Ledbetter and most likely Julian Rochester, and UGA defensive line coach Tracy Rocker has a dicey situation, indeed.

Depth is the biggest concern of the unit as Kirby Smart is even considering moving some offensive lineman over to the defensive line for the time being. It is that bad.

As fall camp has begun this week, maybe some freshman will step up and make a statement, but for now Georgia fans should be worried about this position group. The state of the defensive line is definitely a concern heading into the season.

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