Regular Season Awards: MVP, Most Improved, DAWG Award
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We’re finally through the regular season at the University of Georgia, which is insane to think about, as it seems like we just started yesterday! The dawgs made some big plays, had some big moments, and even made some history as a fan base. The end of the season tends to come with end-of-the-season awards, and we have a few for you:
MVP on Offense: Kenny McIntosh
There are several different ways you can go here, Brock Bowers, Stetson Bennett, Ladd McConkey; you could even argue center Sedrick Van Pran, but the reason we’re giving Kenny the nod as Offensive MVP is because of the threat he has become on both the ground and in the air. Kenny McIntosh has tallied over 650 rushing yards and 437 receiving yards on the season on 158 total touches. (6.9 yards per touch). He’s given Georgia the ability to spread out the opposing defenses even more than you can in today's spread offensives, particularly when you're struggling to find a true X-receiver with the absence of Adonai Mitchell, giving the opposing team reason to respect his abilities.
MVP on Defense: Jamon Dumas-Johnson
There will be a reoccurring theme where we could go with several different athletes that could be given specific awards, and defensive MVP isn’t any different. Dumas-Johnson was the choice largely due to how important the Inside Linebacker group was going to be and a position group that needed to step up in a big way with guys like Nakobe Dean, Quay Walker, and Channing Tindall all now playing in the league. The box score may only show 40 solo tackles, three sacks, and a forced fumble. Still, his ability to be a vocal leader and play at an elite level as a first-year starter when the inside linebacker group needed him to be, is what makes JDJ the defensive MVP.
Most Improved: Christopher Smith
Chris Smith has drastically improved from last year to this year in several different ways. Whether it’s his ability to recognize when to transition from pass phase to run stopper almost instantly and attack the alley or his ability to stay in phase when asked to drop back and defend the pass. He has definitely improved his draft stock this year as well; the question is how high he can go.
Best Play: Malaki Starks vs. Missouri
There are a lot of jaw-dropping plays we can list for this award. Still, if we’re looking for the best play that had a significant impact on a game, we shouldn’t have to look any future than the time Malaki Starks chased down Missouri running back Cody Schrader after he broke off a 63-yard run but was tackled right at the one-yard line and the Georgia defense would go on to hold them to a field goal that made the score 16-3 instead of 20-3. Needless to say, that play could have saved Georgias' entire season and playoff hopes arguably.
The DAWG Award: Javon Bullard
What’s the dawg award, you ask? The dawg award is the player that comes out, and you can’t help but say, “this dude is a DAWG.” From being someone who constantly makes big plays to a player that is just consistent from snap to finish, the dawg award goes to the player that amplifies what it takes to play for the University of Georgia. Javon Bullard fits that to a tee, a defensive back listed as 5’11 and 180 pounds which will hit you like he’s a 245-pound linebacker and isn’t afraid of ANY contact. Bullard has been as consistent as they come under a Kirby defense and can do it all.
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