Bye Week Means Position Battles for Bulldogs
Due to the impact of COVID-19 on the Southeastern Conference, commissioner Greg Sankey decided to alter team schedules. The current result is that the previously scheduled Georgia vs. Kentucky game this weekend has been moved to Halloween weekend. The Bulldogs now have their bye week following a disappointing second half against Alabama.
Would Georgia have liked to have a bye week before facing Florida? Perhaps. However, this allows them to hopefully figure out several issues on their roster and then have a game before Florida to work through them in live action.
Most teams use the bye week to get healthy and lick whatever wounds they might be experiencing. However, it's safe to assume that won't be the case in Athens this week because there's too much to clean up.
Quarterback
This has been a hot-button issue during the season. It will continue until a signal-caller is found that provides them the ability to win a shootout like the game Saturday night against Alabama. With an additional week before the Dawgs head to Lexington to play the Kentucky Wildcats, redshirt sophomore quarterback JT Daniels will have ample time to get prepared to play.
Head coach Kirby Smart has said it's difficult to give Daniels reps during a game week to evaluate him. When Daniels was cleared after undergoing ACL surgery, Smart said, "He still has to be able to go out there and prove to us that he can do it in the game-like situations and the practice-like situations. That's not easy to do during the week at times."
Now, it's the bye week. There should be enough time to provide game-like situations and evaluate the young quarterback.
Interior Offensive Line
Based on the first four games of the season, Georgia has settled in at the tackle positions. Jamaree Salyer has manned the left tackle spot and will continue to do so, with Warren McClendon at right tackle. However, the interior still has some battles brewing, even if the rep count doesn't exactly portray it that way. Guards Justin Shaffer and Ben Cleveland, along with center Trey Hill have started every game this season. It's possible line coach Matt Luke will give Warren Ericson an opportunity to earn one of those spots during the bye week.
Defense
While there is still room for improvement, the position battles remaining at this point in the season on defense are minimal. This week will be about getting linebackers Monty Rice and Jermaine Johnson fully healthy, and cleaning up mistakes made during the Alabama game.
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