Georgia football knows what it takes to win a national championship, but it’s even hard to try and repeat a remarkable season as the Dawgs had in 2021.
However, head coach Kirby Smart was a part of the 2011-2012 Alabama teams that won back-to-back national championships, so if anyone outside Nick Saban knows how to do it, it’s Smart.
Alabama won in 2012, coming off the 2011 season that, much like the 2021 season, had a historic defense.
The Tide had significant guys return that season, and it set up to be another successful year.
While Georgia isn’t Alabama, and we’re not claiming that just because Smart was on the staff of those two teams, but the Dawgs are the only team close to reloading the way Alabama does.
Georgia football knows how to reload to attempt at a repeat in 2022.
The Dawgs have five big pieces of the puzzle returning in 2022 as Stetson Bennett, Nolan Smith, Christopher Smith, Tykee Smith and William Poole chose to run it back and attempt a repeat.
While it would have been nice to see others return like George Pickens on offense or a couple of others on defense, they did what they set out to at Georgia, so it’s time for them to take it to the next level.
Georgia has four and five stars behind those talented playmakers that made up one of the best scoring defenses in college football. While the Dawgs defense may not be as dominant this coming up the season, they will still have the same mindset that the other did.
This team knows that good things happen when you play as one unit with one common goal.
Plus, having the quarterback that took you all the way in 2021 return is a big advantage. The staff and team love Bennett’s grit and determination, so there should be no complaining about his return. Who says he can’t do it again?
Alabama went back-to-back in 2011 and 2012 with AJ McCarron, who I’m not directly comparing to Bennett by any means, but having the same guy leading the team is an advantage.
His teammates know him and trust him, which is half the battle. Of course, there are far more pieces to the puzzle of repeating, but the Dawgs are setting themselves up for another joyous season with the way the first 20 days into 2022 have gone.