Georgia Football: expectations and keys for game one against UT-Martin

The expectations are high for the Georgia football team. But the expectations are for the end of the season, not game one. All of us think Georgia is going to win against UT-Martin. My upset radar is probably at its lowest since Georgia last played a game. But what are the expectations for game one of the season?

For me, it is a couple of things. This is a scrimmage against another team. One of my expectations is for Georgia to play a clean game. No stupid penalties, No turnovers, and to score touchdowns in the red zone. It is easy to do those three things against a team like UT-Martin. Stupid penalties, for those who might be asking, are late hits or any other personal fouls. Again, it’s easy to do when you are playing against UT-Martin.

Offensively, I want to see the offense be efficient. Be able to run the ball effectively and convert on third down. The entire fall camp, Kirby kept saying the offensive line needed to improve. Now, the O-line is going against one of the best D-lines in the country. But I would like to see a decent push up-front.

Evednetialy, UT-Martin’s strength is its defensive line, so the Dawgs’ offensive line should have a respectable front against it. I also expect the playing calling to be as vanilla as vanilla can get. Bobo should have the most basic play-calling sheet in the history of football. I am talking about basic formations and primary routes. No gadget plays.

The big key for me in this game is how well the offensive line plays and how the running backs look. If the offensive line and the running backs play well in this game, some of my worries will be alleviated. Based on social media, most of the fan base’s worries will also be alleviated.

Defensively, the expectations for this game are simple. Keep them from running the ball effectively. The one worry I have for this 2023 Georgia football team is that they will not be able to defend the run like they have the past two years. Gone are the days of Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis. So, if the D-line can stop the run or UT-Martin has difficulty running the ball effectively, we should be in good shape against the SEC opponent down the road.

Another aspect of this defense that I want to see is who is the second cornerback. We all know that Kamari Lassiter is the number one corner. Lassiter is the best corner Georgia has had since Deandre Baker and Eric Stokes. So, who fills in on the second corner spot is a massive question mark. Daylan Everette, Julian Humphrey, and Nyland Green, with 5-star freshman A.J. Harris, all have been battling for that second corner spot. If I had to guess, as of Wednesday afternoon, I would say  Everette is the starter, with Humphrey rotating in.

I also want to see Joel Aguero play. I have heard tons of praise about this kid and want to see how good he is. I know Aguero has been dinged up, but he should be able to go this Saturday. Furthermore, there should be a bunch of Freshmen playing in this game. I want to see how many play and how well they do play. If you are a depraved Georgia football fan like myself and are going to the game, we should all stay to see the younger guys get game experience.

Georgia should have this game wrapped up early in the second quarter. Honestly, Smart should pull the starters out by the second quarter. So we should all be pulling to see the backups and should see how good Georgia’s depth is. Also, please, no more injuries, football gods. Georgia can not handle any more injuries. We are already so thin in crucial positions. I do not want to sweat out the South Carolina game because Georgia is thin at running back and linebacker. For game one, that is all Georgia fans can ask for. A clean game, being effective on both sides of the ball, and no injuries.

The season is only three days away! Hunker down, you guys! I know I’m asking a lot, you guys! But hunker it down one more time!