Georgia’s running game gets a big boost on gameday, but the help isn’t for this season

Heading into No. 5 Georgia’s Week 6 matchup with 2-3 Auburn, the Bulldogs have struggled to run the ball. Running Back U, could use some serious help in the backfield because despite Florida transfer Trevor Etienne averaging 5.9 yards per carry, Georgia is 94th in the country in rushing yards per game, 51st in yards per carry, and 46th in rushing success rate. 

The lack of success on the ground forced offensive coordinator Mike Bobo to put a lot of responsibility on Carson Beck in last week’s 41-34 loss to Alabama, and even the fifth-year quarterback couldn’t handle it, turning the ball over four times. So, on Saturday morning, Georgia fans got some much-needed good news when Kirby Smart’s coaching staff landed a commitment from Ousmane Kromah, a four-star running back from Leesburg, Georgia, and the fifth-ranked running back in the 2025 recruiting class. 

Kromah was between Georgia and its Week 6 opponent Auburn as the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry extended to the recruiting trail. This is a big get for Georgia’s No. 5 ranked 2025 recruiting class which only featured one running back, three-star Bo Walker. 

True freshman four-star Nate Frazier impressed in the Dawg's Week 1 win over Clemson when Etienne was out after an offseason arrest for a DUI. In that game, Frazier ran for 83 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries, with one catch for another 24 yards. However, since Etienne has returned to the lineup, Frazier has been all but phased out of the offense, with just nine carries since and none against Alabama. 

Yet, the freshman is still the team’s second-leading rusher with only 20 carries on the year. Georgia has had a storied history of elite running backs and while that won’t be the case this season, even if Roderick Robinson II eventually returns from offseason toe surgery. However, Smart’s staff is clearly working to fix the problem going forward and Kromah is a huge piece of that solution.