Georgia Football's Offensive Players to Watch
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Georgia's offense returns seven starters from last season's national championship-winning team. Expectations are rightfully high with the likes of quarterback Stetson Bennett, wide receivers Ladd McConkey and Adonai Mitchell, tight ends Brock Bowers Darnell Washington, and three offensive linemen all returning starters from a year ago among other talented supporters.
With their season-opening contest set to be a clash between two top-15 teams, Georgia and Oregon could be in for an early season-defining game, much like how the win over Clemson last year for Georgia set the tone early.
With all the production that Georgia is bringing back, along with new additions like players returning from injuries, and even Arik Gilbert, offensive coordinator Todd Monken has plenty of weapons heading into his third season at the helm.
Facing off with former Georgia defensive coordinator and now Oregon head coach Dan Lanning is sure to make for an interesting matchup. So who are the players to watch for Georgia on offense?
Kenny McIntosh - RB
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Injuries have managed to seemingly thin out the depth in the running back room before the season even started; Kendall Milton is now back from a hamstring tweak, and freshman running back Andrew Paul's ACL injury has ruled him out for the year. As a result, a lot of the focus and snaps will rightfully go to Kenny McIntosh.
While waiting his turn behind NFL backs Zamir White and James Cook, McIntosh showed a similar ability to Cook where he can function as a receiver out of the backfield. The senior out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, will take on the "Swiss-Army Knife" role that James Cook held during his time at Georgia.
What makes Oregon such an intriguing matchup for Georgia's running backs specifically is the two potential first-round picks playing at inside linebacker for the Ducks. Both Noah Sewell and Justin Flowe will give Georgia trouble with their versatility. But, knowing what we know about Dan Lanning and how he runs a defense, don't be shocked if those two inside backers are doing more than just sitting in pass coverage and chasing backs out of the backfield.
Beating either of those linebackers in a 1-on-1 in space could be enough to trigger an explosive play.
Adonai Mitchell - WR
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With George Pickens off to the NFL, fans are anointing Adonai Mitchell as the "next one" at the X-receiver position. While Pickens rehabbed from the ACL injury he suffered in the spring, AD Mitchell, a true freshman at the time, ascended the depth chart to assume that starting role.
His 6-foot-4 frame and crisp route running make him an ideal player for that X-receiver role. After capping off his freshman season with one of the biggest catches in program history, the 40-yard touchdown reception that gave Georgia the lead in the national title game, he has set the bar high.
With the two inside backers trying to control the middle of the field, Georgia will need to win on the outside. An explosive catch or two from Mitchell could be the difference, as it was in the national championship.
The Tight End Room as a Whole
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It would be easy to say Brock Bowers or even Arik Gilbert is the player to watch here; while that is true, it is also worth stating this will be the first opportunity to see Georgia's tight-end room at its best.
The addition of former five-star 2020 recruit Arik Gilbert after he missed all of the 2021 season due to personal matters unrelated to football, and freshman Oscar Delp, adds to a position group that was arguably the nation's best a year ago. Bowers and Gilbert are expected to be the two primary go-to's as receivers, with Darnell Washington and Ryland Goede being the two best blockers on the team, but don't count out Washington and the potential of him seeing an increased role in the offense.
This season, the expectation for Georgia's offense will be they will stay in formations with multiple tight ends on the field (12 personnel, 13 personnel, etc.). So this weekend's game will be a sliver of the pie.
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