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Georgia 2021 Position Preview: Running Backs

Georgia has a talented running back stable with a good mix of experience, ongoing development and young talent.

Next up on Dawgs Daily's spring practice position group previews are the running backs.

Georgia football brings perhaps the deepest stable in school history into the 2021 season. The group is full of senior leadership, young promising players and solid prospects. 

Georgia's running back room isn't just talented and varied, it's also deep. The Bulldogs have six solid running backs on the roster and the coaching staff has the good problem of deciding how to utilize all six players. 

Before simply listing the running backs in order like a depth chart, it must first be understood that offensive coordinator Todd Monken has two styles of running backs and uses them differently. We believe the depth chart should be split in such a way to represent that. 

  • Bell Cow Back: The running back that will get the bulk of the traditional early-down, or short-yardage carries. 
  • Gadget Back: This style of running back is ultra-athletic, can make plays in space and out of the backfield. A home-run hitter. 

Bell Cow Back Depth Chart: 

  • RB Zamir White, Senior
  • RB Kendall Milton, Sophomore
  • RB Daijun Edwards, Sophomore

Gadget Back Depth Chart: 

  • RB James Cook, Senior
  • RB Kenny McIntosh, Junior
  • RB Lovasea Carroll, Freshman

White retains his starting role from 2020. He looked fully healed from his ACL tears last season, rushing for 779 yards and scoring 11 touchdowns in 10 games. He is the bruiser of Georgia's backfield, plowing through defenders with his powerful frame. We do expect Milton to have an increased role on early downs. 

Milton was one of the most exciting freshmen on the team last season before injuries forced him to take several games off. Before the injuries, Milton flashed his vision and physicality, earning as many yards as possible in tight spaces. Out of all of Georgia's backs, Milton might be the hardest to tackle, and he showed an increased presence in the passing game as the season progressed. 

McIntosh is Georgia's do-it-all back. He's a quick and patient rusher who makes the most out of any open space he's given in the running game. He's also a reliable target out of the backfield as either a primary receiver or as a check-down.

Cook is the prototypical third-down back. He can turn a halfback screen into a big play if the offense catches the defense off guard. He's also a solid receiver out of the backfield, even on deep routes. Pages of Monken's playbook are devoted to getting McIntosh and Cook open out of the backfield.

Daijun Edwards was a pleasant surprise in Georgia's running game. He typically closed out games, but he ran the ball so well against South Carolina and Missouri that Georgia's offense kept clicking even without most starters on the field. Edwards rushed for 103 yards against the Tigers.

Carroll will be the player that needs a huge spring. Teams rarely travel six running backs, especially if some of them don't play special teams. If he's going to make the travel squad, he's going to have to flash early and often this spring. 

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