Georgia football fans have sharpened up their pointing fingers and aimed them at the quarterback position. It’s the wide receiver room that needs more dudes.
The Georgia football offense faltered against Alabama, and the Bulldog Nation promptly threw their latest quarterback hero under the big red bus. The problem is simpler than finding the right trigger man for Todd Monken’s offense, though. There aren’t enough dudes lining up on the outside for this Georgia offense to catch fire.
Until UGA can get some dudes at WR, this offense will continue to be average. So much man last night from Alabama and they could not create separation @DrewButler @PuntandPass
— Aaron Murray (@aaronmurray11) October 18, 2020
Injured and out
While the Bulldog Nation took issue with Murray’s tweet, signs of trouble appeared before quarterback Stetson Bennett ever took the field. The easiest to read was the loss of returning wide receiver Dominick Blaylock, a debilitating loss for the Bulldog offense.
Blaylock caught 18 balls last year for five touchdowns, including one each against Florida, Auburn, and Georgia Tech. He won’t be returning for an encore sophomore year and an expanded role as he has injured his left knee again and is lost for the 2020 season.
Missing in action
Since his transfer to Georgia, Demetris Robertson has provided only window dressing for the Georgia passing game. He hauled in 30 passes last season, but for an 11.1 average yards per catch and only three touchdowns, none in the last eight games.
During an excellent freshman campaign for Cal, Robertson caught 50 passes and averaged over 15 yards per catch and scored seven touchdowns. Robertson was injured before his transfer to the Georgia football team and has yet to resemble his freshman self.
Signs of better Georgia football days
There are, however, success stories at wide receiver for the Bulldogs. After struggling for two seasons, Kearis Jackson exploded with the appearance of Stetson Bennett at quarterback. Although he struggled against Alabama, Jackson has 21 receptions at 15.4 yards a catch so far in 2020. Also, Freshman Jermaine Burton had his best game against Alabama, catching four balls and scoring a touchdown.
While the loss of Blaylock and the lack of production from upper-classmen will leave the Dawgs undermanned at wide receiver for the season, there is dude potential in the wide receiver room in the enigmatic George Pickens.
That Pickens guy
When Pickens is good, he is very, very good. When he’s not, he’s invisible between the lines and infamous after the whistle. If Pickens can consistently hold his own when split into the boundary, making defenses occasionally pay for one-on-one coverage with big yardage, every indication is Jackson and Burton will do a workmanlike job to the wide side.
Georgia had an open date last weed to tweak the offense to Stetson Bennett’s strengths and give him the starter reps he missed out on in preseason camp. On Saturday, the Kentucky Wildcats will provide a run-through before the resumption of hostilities with the Gators in Jacksonville.
Expect Bennett to be more effective, and expect Burton to take another step forward as the Georgia staff preps for a re-match with Alabama in Atlanta. The result could be different a second time around, but only if Pickens plays like a dude.