Drew Bobo may not return for the rest of the season, and that could be a crucial blow to Georgia’s offense.
The redshirt junior left the Bulldogs’ 16-9 win over Georgia Tech on Black Friday last week with a left foot injury and did not return. He was later seen in a walking boot and crutches for the second half of the game.
Bobo unfortunately has already been ruled out for the SEC championship this weekend, and it’s uncertain if he suits up for the Bulldogs again this year. If not, that’s a massive loss.
Drew Bobo will be tough for Georgia to replace
Bobo started 11 games for Georgia at center this year and has been an anchor in the middle of the offensive line. As the Bulldogs struggled with injuries along the offensive line to start the year, Bobo was the one constant with Georgia starting a different five-man lineup up front in each of its first five games this season.
Bobo’s absence was immediately felt when he left the Georgia Tech game. The Bulldogs had gashed the Yellow Jackets for 145 rushing yards on 27 attempts (5.3 yards per carry) in the first half. Without him in the second half, Georgia rushed for just 45 yards on 19 attempts (2.4 yards per carry).
There was a noticeable dropoff with redshirt freshman Malachi Toliver at center, and there were a few snaps that quarterback Gunner Stockton had to stretch out to catch. But head coach Kirby Smart appeared to give him a vote of confidence Sunday.
“[Toliver] did some good things,” Smart said via 247sports.com. “He's got to continue to work and improve on some others, but I was really glad he got to go in the Charlotte game and play as much as he did and get the experience of that time and continue to grow and get better."
Georgia will need better center play than what it got on Friday if it wants to make a deep run in the College Football Playoff. If that means Toliver playing better, then that’s probably the best case scenario. But other options could include moving freshman Dontrell Glover, who has already played both guard spots this year, to center, or veteran guard Micah Morris.
Georgia may not have a perfect replacement for Drew Bobo
Bobo has been instrumental this year for Georgia in making the calls at the line and mauling in the run game. There’s likely not a good one-for-one replacement for him anywhere on this roster. But the good news for Georgia is that they’ve already been able to navigate several injuries to the offensive line this season, so there’s reason to believe they can overcome this one too.
They’ll need to on Saturday when they go up against a talented Alabama front that allows just 3.9 yards per carry. Toliver has never started against an SEC opponent. If Toliver struggles to the extent he did against Georgia Tech, the Bulldogs might have a hard time moving the ball.
And the Crimson Tide themselves seem to believe they have a favorable matchup on their hands up front.
“In SEC play, the trenches, it kind of gets nasty and that,” Keenan said. “It’s definitely going to be a great battle, one for the centuries, like it always is when Alabama and Georgia plays. I think that’s like the mismatch of the game.”
If Keenan is correct, Bobo’s injury will have a lot to do with it. Georgia has seen what injuries to the offensive line can do to a team as last year’s injury-riddled group struggled to protect the quarterback and carve out rushing lanes, which doomed them in the College Football Playoff against Notre Dame.
Georgia has been able to weather a storm of injuries to its offensive line this year. This one however might be the most challenging yet.