Georgia Football: Early Offensive struggles could be a result of COVID-19
One of the most vital times of the year for college football teams is spring practices and scrimmages. New bodies are rolling into the program and players are duking it out to claim that starting spot on the roster. Unfortunately due to COVID-19, players have not been given those opportunities, and coaches have been relying on online meetings as their only source to prepare their players for the upcoming season.
Georgia's offense might be the unit that is hurting the most from all of this. ESPN's Bill Connelly released a list that showed how much production on both sides of the ball that teams had returning. According to that article, Georgia only has fifty percent of its offensive production from 2019 returning for this upcoming season.
Jake Fromm was a player who Georgia lost to this year's draft which puts all eyes on Jamie Newman, the grad transfer from Wake Forrest. Without Newman being able to take advantage of what would be valuable practice time right now it could be the cause of a slow offensive start to the new season.
This time of the year is not only important for the guys returning, but it is also a key time for early enrollees to get their feet wet and get themselves some valuable reps before fall practice.
Not only is Georgia going to have a new man under center, but they are also implementing a new offensive playbook with the addition of offensive coordinator Todd Monken, a coach that is new to all of the players. With a new quarterback and OC, spring practice would have been the perfect opportunity for Newman and his wide receivers to build chemistry and digest as much of the playbook as possible.
Unfortunately, the only thing Georgia can do right now is wait for things to pass over and hope that the team can hit the practice field before the upcoming fall semester starts. With all that up in the air outside of football, it is unknown as to when teams will be allowed to get back on the field.
The good news is that Georgia will not be forced to rely on an incoming freshman to take over the reins of the offense. Newman having three years of college football under his belt softens the blow of losing a guy like Jake Fromm, but with an entirely new team and coaching staff, there will still be a lot for Newman to adjust to. Without spring practice, it could be the cause of some early offensive struggles for Georgia's offensive unit in the 2020 season.
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