Georgia Football: 3 Big Questions Heading Into Spring Practice
Spring football is right around the corner. The Georgia Bulldogs will be looking to bounce back from a heartbreaking overtime loss to Alabama in the national championship game back in early January. Here are 3 big questions about the Dawgs heading into spring practice:
1. Who will step up to replace Roquan Smith?
With the departure of All-American linebacker Roquan Smith to the NFL Draft, the Georgia defense has a massive hole to fill in the middle of its defense, both in terms of production and leadership. Smith, who will likely be a top-10 pick in the draft this year, served as the defensive anchor for Georgia in 2017. His ability to cover the entire field and make every tackle will be desperately missed.
If Georgia’s defense wants to have continued success in 2018, somebody (and probably more than one person) will have to step up to fill Roquan Smith’s shoes. One of the most likely candidates to do that is Natrez Patrick, although his playing status going forward is still up in the air due to some off-field incidents.
Other candidates to fill this role include Nate McBride, Monty Rice, Juwan Taylor, and incoming freshman Quay Walker. The Dawgs appear to be solid at every other position group in terms of experience, depth, and production going into 2018. Sharpening the linebackers group during the spring will certainly be big focus of linebackers coach Glenn Schumann and defensive coordinator Mel Tucker. Georgia needs that anchor in the middle of its defense again in 2018. The question is, who will it be?
2. What role will Justin Fields play in 2018?
The most talked about recruit for Georgia during the 2018 recruiting cycle was quarterback Justin Fields. Ranked the #1 overall prospect in the 2018 ESPN 300, Fields is one of the highest rated recruits that Georgia has ever signed. Yet his decision to sign with the Dawgs has left many scratching their heads because Georgia already has an established starter at quarterback in Jake Fromm.
Make no mistake: Justin Fields will play in 2018, and he will play a lot. That’s not saying he will take Jake Fromm’s starting position. I severely doubt that happens (this season) barring some unexpected drop in production from Fromm. But Fields is simply too good to keep off the field.
At 6’3″ and 220 pounds, Fields is a dynamic dual-threat quarterback that could add an extra dimension to Georgia’s offense that the team hasn’t had in a long time. I expect offensive coordinator Jim Chaney to have specific plays/packages for Fields so that he can get on the field early in 2018. The quarterback situation will be a delicate one for the Dawgs in 2018, but the fan base should really trust Kirby Smart in how he chooses to handle it. I think he’s earned that trust by now.
3. Will a new wide receiver burst onto the scene like Javon Wims did in 2017?
Georgia fans would love to have wide receiver Javon Wims back for another season. Unfortunately, Wims was a JUCO transfer so he was limited to just two seasons of eligibility. It’s safe to say he made the most of it, evidenced by his invite to this year’s NFL Scouting Combine.
Wims was a tall receiver with exceptional hands that provided the Dawgs with both a legitimate deep ball and red-zone threat in 2017. Now that Wims is no longer in Athens, Georgia needs another receiver to emerge to serve as a nice complement to Terry Godwin and Mecole Hardman.
Who could be the guy to step up? I see 2 options here: Jeremiah Holloman and Matt Landers. Holloman, a highly rated recruit in Georgia’s 2017 recruiting class, never quite found his stride in 2017, mostly due to nagging injuries. He has the size, strength, and physical build to be an absolute stud at receiver for the Dawgs in 2017. Having had a full year to prep, Holloman should be ready to contribute this year.
Landers reshirted in 2017. He was the lowest rated recruit in the entire 2017 class but he’s got unique traits. Standing at 6-5, he apparently lit up the scout team this past season. While he’s still a work in progress, he has the ability to ‘go up and get it’ just like Wims.
Next: Two big time 2019 recruits in Athens this weekend
Just like in 2017, opposing defenses will be committed to stopping Georgia’s run game in 2018. It will be extremely important for Jake Fromm and Justin Fields to both have a reliable group of weapons to throw to this fall. I expect Holloman and Bush to step up to help with that task.