Georgia Football: There is unfinished business in Athens

Georgia football upperclassmen want to finish what they started.

History does indeed repeat itself. There are multiple examples of this throughout the course of history. History has once again repeated itself in the city of Athens, Ga. A multitude of Georgia football players has decided to come back and finish what they started at the University of Georgia some three or four years ago.

Much like another group of seniors in 2017, these soon to be seniors have one goal in mind, come back and bring Georgia home a championship. This was the goal when they stepped on campus and that remains the goal to this day. They have made the decision to come back for another year and make sure that goal is achieved through their very own leadership.

Just like when Nick Chubb, Sony Michel, Lorenzo Carter, and Davin Bellamy decided to come back for the 2017 season, this group is loaded with talent. However, this time one of those juniors coming back plays the most important position on the team, quarterback. He will be joined by two more offensive studs and two cogs in Georgia football’s rush defense.

That quarterback is none other than USC transfer JT Daniels. After sitting out a good chunk of the 2020 season, Daniels started the last four games of Georgia football’s season. Right away he showed that he was head and shoulders better than the rest of the quarterbacks that had played earlier in the season. With Daniels on the field, Georgia’s offense hit a second and third gear.

In just four games Daniels was able to put up some impressive numbers in Todd Monken’s offense. Daniels attempted 119 passes and completed 80 of them for a completion percentage of 67.2. With those 80 completions, Daniels wracked up a total of 1231 yards while averaging 10.3 yards per attempt. He also threw ten touchdowns to just two interceptions.

With Daniels back in the fold for Monken’s second year running Georgia’s offense the sky really is the limit for Georgia football’s 2021 team. It looks like Daniels really has found a home in Athens with the Georgia Bulldogs.

Another Junior that has decided to come back is running back James Cook who was arguably Georgia football’s most dynamic weapon in 2020. Of all offensive players that touched the ball more than 50 times (excluding quarterbacks) Cook averaged the most yards per touch. Cook had the ball in his hands 61 times while averaging 8.7 yards per touch. He tallied a total of 528 yards and five touchdowns.

Having Cook back in the fold could mean huge things for Georgia football’s offense in 2021. He is a dynamic weapon both running and catching the ball. Having a safety valve like him in the backfield is a huge advantage for a quarterback, especially for one that isn’t as mobile as the other top quarterbacks in today’s college football.

He won’t just help his quarterback, but with linebackers having to know where he is at all times, Cook will also help Georgia’s wide receivers get open over the middle of the field. So they will be quite happy to know that Cook wants to “run it back.” With Cook back, Georgia’s offense will have speed all over the field.

Speaking of helping a quarterback to perform, senior Justin Shaffer is also coming back to Athens for another season. Georgia football had the No. 11 offensive line in the nation in 2020 according to Football Outsiders. Georgia’s offensive line averaged 3.03 line yards a game. Shaffer coming back will help to improve that ranking with another year of cohesiveness on the line.

With Daniels, Cook, and Shaffer coming back for their senior seasons, Georgia football’s offense should not be short on leaders in 2021.

Speaking of leaders, Devonte Wyatt has decided to take advantage of the NCAA’s extra year of eligibility due to COVID 19. Wyatt will be coming back for a fifth year in Athens. Wyatt had his best season as a Bulldog in 2020 amassing 25 tackles, two tackles for loss, and nine quarterback pressures. He did this while not only playing his normal role of defensive end, but also having to fill in at nose tackle.

Wyatt showed his versatility on the defensive line this year, something that will undoubtedly be quite valuable in 2021. Georgia is quite thin at the nose tackle position and could very likely ask Wyatt to take up some snaps there in the coming year. Only time will tell if he will be needed there, but having already answered the call in 2020, he will be ready.

Alongside Wyatt, big Jordan Davis has also decided that he would like another year in Athens. The big guy in the middle of Georgia football’s defense (who loves the Red Coat Marching Band as much as all of us) will be back clogging running lanes this fall. Davis was a major part of Georgia football’s rush defense being the best in the nation.

In fact, here is a comparison of that defense with and without Davis.

Georgia’s run defense with Davis: 64 yards allowed, 2.03 yards per carry

Georgia’s run defense without Davis: 85 yards allowed, 2.42 yards per carry

There doesn’t seem to be much of a difference in these numbers, however, when looked at closer, that 20 yards difference is two first downs a game and possibly two more possessions for Georgia’s offense. That is the difference that Davis brings to the defense. This is why it is such a big deal that big number 99 came back for 2021.

These five guys want to “run it back” and finish what they started. Their one goal is to bring Georgia the championship it has longed for over 40 years now. They are hungry, starving even, and they want to be the leaders that get Georgia football over the hump and over the finish line. These men are driven to achieve the ultimate goal, winning a College Football Playoff Championship.

Will their drive to succeed be enough? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure, it is always a great thing when your upperclassmen step up and become leaders of your locker room. It is always a great thing when men that have committed to a school stay all four years to see their commitment through and try to raise the bar a little higher than where it was when they stepped on campus.

That is exactly what these five men have decided to strive for, just like the men before them in 2017 strived for and almost achieved. There is once again unfinished business in Athens. These men have decided to put it on themselves to see that it gets finished. They have made it their main focus to ensure that they do not leave the University of Georgia without getting the job done.