Georgia Spring Game: What to Watch For Saturday From Clemson's Opening Foe
You can bet Dabo Swinney will be watching the Georgia spring game, which takes place Saturday at 2 p.m.
The Clemson head coach will get his first and only look at the Bulldogs' personnel before the Sept. 4 season opener at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. He won't be expecting UGA coach Kirby Smart to roll out some intricate plan.
After all, Smart had the opportunity to see Clemson perform a couple of weeks ago, and aside from the names on the back of the jersey, Swinney probably didn't show Bulldog Nation too much of what they'll see down the road.
That being said, there are still reasons to watch what Georgia does in this spring game, even for Clemson fans. The Bulldogs will enter the fall highly ranked as always. They're returning a more than competent quarterback and a loaded backfield. This was one of the best defenses in college football the last two years, but it could take a step back with so many departures from 2020.
Time will tell, and while a two-hour scrimmage might not tell the full story on who the Bulldogs will be in 2021, it's still worth checking out. Here's what to watch for Saturday:
1. Backup QB: This is what spring games are all about when you have the starter locked down, and there's no question J.T. Daniels will be behind center against the Tigers, barring injuries. But as college football fans know, things happen. Circumstances out of human control can alter the most important position on the field. While Clemson looks to be in trouble if anything were to happen to D.J. Uiagalelei, what about Georgia? Carson Beck and Brock Vandergriff are two highly-recruited prospects battling it out to back up Daniels. Neither have ever started a collegiate game, so reps in front of a Red and Black crowd is still a worthy test.
2. Who are the playmakers?: Georgia's offense already took a huge blow when George Pickens, the best overall returning receiver, suffered a knee injury that will likely keep him out of the opener. Jermaine Burton, the third-most productive pass-catcher a year ago, is also out Saturday with a knee injury. The good news for Georgia is that means other players will get more opportunities to show they can be reliable playmakers against Clemson. Kearis Jackson is coming off a good season, and Demetris Robinson has received positive praise this spring. Keep an eye on how tight end Darnell Washington and receiver Arian Smith are used.
3. Rebuilt secondary: There's no doubt that Georgia's recruited well in recent years, but that will be put to the test the most in the secondary, where six players from one of the SEC's better pass defenses are gone. Ameer Speed is one of the few veteran cornerbacks returning, so it'll be a youth movement from heralded prospects like Kelee Ringo and Nyland Green. Veterans Lewis Cine and Christopher Smith should man the safety spots. Clemson's loaded at receiver heading into the opener, so this is one position Saturday that could give fans and coaches a glimpse into what that September contest could look like.
4. Air raid progression: Don't expect offensive coordinator Todd Monken to unload the playbook or anything, but it will be interesting to see if Georgia looks more and more like the high-powered offensive scheme it displayed late last season when it scored 31 points or more in three of the final four games. A healthy Daniels had a lot to do with that, and there should be signs that the Bulldogs will be more explosive in 2021 in a scrimmage that protects the QB from hits.
5. Defensive front: Speaking of hits, the defensive playmakers won't be able to unload on Daniels, but it does have a chance to show it can overcome some key losses when it goes up against a deep offensive line. Azeez Ojulari, who had 9.5 sacks last year, is off to the NFL, but take a look at Adam Anderson and Nolan Smith to get an idea of how Georgia will match up against a Clemson offensive line that struggled to block Ohio State in its last game.
