Georgia Football Offensive Players to Watch vs. Auburn
Saturday is take two for the Todd Monken era of Georgia football's offense.
Last week, the Bulldogs got out to a rough start, turning the ball over twice and only mustering three points through the first 33 minutes of the game.
But Georgia's offense did a complete 180 in the middle of the third quarter with quarterback Stetson Bennett. The Bulldogs reeled off 32 unanswered points (25 by the offense) in the second half to beat Arkansas 37-10.
This week's opponent isn't Arkansas. The Bulldogs host No. 7 Auburn this Saturday. The Tigers lost a lot of players from last season's team, but they still enter 2020 with SEC Championship aspirations. Here are a few players Georgia will rely on Saturday to defeat the Tigers and move a step closer to its goal of winning the SEC east again.
Quarterbacks
Until Georgia's quarterback situation is figured out, you have to watch pay close attention to the players behind center. Stetson Bennett is the hot hand right now. He completed 20-of-29 passes for 211 yards with a pair of touchdowns against Arkansas. Along the way, he connected with 11 different receivers and scored a two-point conversion with his legs.
But that performance came in a backup role. If Smart elects to start Bennett, it'll be up to him to prove he's not another Frank Reich, a better backup than a starter. If not, JT Daniels is cleared and ready to play, and we haven't seen the last of D'Wan Mathis either.
If Mathis gets in the game, he has a lot to prove. Mathis has all of the physical tools; ideal size, a great athlete and string arm. But he struggled against Arkansas and the team had to make a change. It's worth noting that Mathis wasn't the cause of Georgia's issues, but he didn't help his own cause.
Daniels is the quarterback everyone is waiting to see. He had an up-and-down freshman year at USC in 2018 before tearing his ACL in 2019. He is a bit of a gunslinger, he threw 10 interceptions in 2018 and has thrown his fair share of picks in scrimmages. But he's the most talented quarterback on the team and is certainly surrounded by the best offense of his collegiate career.
Bottom line, we believe it’s going to be Stetson Bennett getting the start with Mathis being the first man off the bench, followed by Daniels.
Zamir White - Running back
Georgia has a distinct physical advantage over Auburn. The Tigers lost their best two defensive linemen and their best linebackers from 2019. Georgia is obviously rebuilding its offensive line as well, but after finding the right combination of players in the third quarter Saturday, the Bulldog line seems to be on the right track.
This creates the perfect environment for Zamir White to finally have the game Georgia fans have been waiting on. White appears to be back to his high school self. He was little more than bowling ball back last season after recovering from his second ACL tear. His power and speed were obvious, but he struggled at avoiding contact.
Against Arkansas, White finally got to display the agility he was known for. He dished out some nifty juke moves, the most notable were a pair of cuts to rumble into the end zone in the fourth quarter.
George Pickens - Wide receiver
George Pickens had a quiet game last season against the Tigers, catching just one pass for 11 yards. But Auburn also had Noah Igbinoghene covering receivers and Daniel Thomas patrolling downfield, neither of them are suiting up for the Tigers this Saturday. It'll be hard for Auburn to keep up with Pickens.
Against Arkansas, Pickens proved why he's on the Biletnikoff Award watchlist. He made physical grabs against the Razorbacks on three of his receptions, and let his athleticism shine on his touchdown catch. Whoever plays quarterback this Saturday, Pickens will make their job easier.
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