Georgia fans and college football experts alike thought that they had a good idea who would get the bulk of the carries against Marshall on Saturday. The University of Georgia has forever prided itself on running the football. Going back to old school ways, Georgia ran the ball on 58 percent of their offensive snaps.
What many people didn't expect was how many running backs this offense would split the carries with, so let's break down the numbers and look at what surprised fans versus what was expected.
Nate Frazier, Gunner Stockton get the bulk
It was no surprise to anyone that Nate Frazier and Gunner Stockton led the charge in the running game. What was surprising was how many carries Stockton actually had.
Stockton ran the ball 10 times for 73 yards with two impressive touchdowns on the ground. Likewise, Frazier carried the ball 11 times for 47 yards and no scores. The read option play became vital to Georgia's offense, and with edge rushers taking the bait on Frazier, Stockton was given plenty of opportunities to run. Not only that, Stockton made the right read every time.
Dwight Phillips and Chauncey Bowens utilize opportunities
Dwight Phillips Jr. and Chauncey Bowens became unexpected workhorses in the charge against Marshall. Phillips had an impressive five carries for 60 yards and a score. What impressed fans so much about Phillips is what he did with the carries he had. He ran for an average of 12 yards per carry and did not let his chances slip.
Bowens had six carries for 33 yards as well. These two weren't expected to get much, if any, carries in this game, but they made the most of their opportunities.
Supporting cast gets involved
Though the rest of the group did not quite have as much success as the previous players mentioned, they got their time too in the fourth quarter. Freshman Bo Walker was able to add six carries for 12 yards. Other than Walker, Puglisi at quarterback had two carries for 13 yards, and transfer Josh McCray had two carries for six yards, Cash Jones had one carry for a yard, and Dillon Bell at receiver had a handoff go for negative six yards.
If anything should stand out in this game, it is the stable of runners Georgia has in their arsenal as it was not just about one guy in the game against Marshall. In fact, nine players had a rushing attempt against the Thundering Herd.
Fans should be excited to see this healthy utilization of a strong and competitive backfield. Every running back now runs with 100 percent energy and knowing their next carry could potentially be their last in that game. Stockton's supporting cast behind him might just be the best in the SEC, if not the country.