How Georgia Can Make Up for the Loss of Washington
Truth be told, Georgia’s receiving core once looked to be one of the best in College Football heading into camp, and that was without the so-called “X-factor” George Pickens. Now just two weeks away from the season opener against Clemson, receiver looks to be a minor concern once again.
Last week was a rough one in Athens; two more offensive playmakers in Darnell Washington and Arik Gilbert were lost for some time in Georgia’s second full week of camp.
It was announced by Kirby Smart in his Saturday presser a week ago that receiver Arik Gilbert was not with the team due to “personal issues,” despite that news keeping away the expected replacement for a hurt George Pickens, Smart is keeping hope alive that he and the Bulldogs will have Gilbert back soon.
Gilbert’s news came when the Bulldogs were already getting thin at receiver due to multiple players dealing with injuries. Both Jermaine Burton and Kearis Jackson sat out of the first scrimmage to go along with Dominick Blaylock. Both Jackson and Blaylock were rehabbing from surgeries, while Burton picked up an ankle injury through camp.
The bad news would not stop there as the latest blow dealt to the offense is the loss of tight end Darnell Washington. Washington, like defensive back Tykee Smith underwent surgery Wednesday to repair a minor fracture in his foot, making his availability for Charlotte unlikely. Which begs the question of how Georgia makes up for the loss of Washington?
Rely on Young But Deep Receiver Room
Injuries aside, Georgia is still bolstering a deep receiver room full of talent. Young players like Adonai Mitchell and Justin Robinson were mentioned throughout the offseason as potential breakout contributors this season.
Georgia also returns two of its top three leading receivers in Kearis Jackson and Jermaine Burton. Burton was more of a favorable target for Daniels a season ago, but Jackson brings the experience and skillset to produce out of the slot.
Add in names like Dominick Blaylock and Marcus Rosemy Jacksaint, both returning from injuries; Georgia still has some depth. Blaylock and Jacksaint flashed as freshmen before suffering injuries. Blaylock’s injury came in the first half of the 2019 SEC Championship game versus LSU, while Rosemy’s was also in the first half of the 2020 Florida game.
Since tearing his ACL against LSU, Blaylock reinjured the knee again last fall and is coming off his second knee surgery in the last two years. However, as a true freshman in 2019, Blaylock showed flashes of a contributor out of the slot, the position where Kearis Jackson now resides.
Georgia still has the options to rely on its passing game led by quarterback JT Daniels; the real question marks lay on the depth chart. First, Georgia needs to find a consistent playmaker at the X-receiver position, something they had with Pickens and hoped to have with Gilbert.
Utilize Deep Backfield
2021 will see a Georgia backfield filled with talent; in fact, the Dawgs will have three former five-star running backs, Zamir White, James Cook, and Kendall Milton. Cook and White return for senior seasons after 2020, being their first taste as the premier tandem out of the backfield.
While White and Cook bring their own valuable skill sets, the younger backs behind them are exciting the fanbase. Sophomore Kendall Milton showed flashes of being the bell cow back of the future.
Junior Kenny McIntosh looks to be the stablemate of Milton’s when White and Cook depart Athens for the NFL. McIntosh’s speed and receiving skills make him a viable change-up option to Milton's brute power and strength.
A banged-up receiving core could force Georgia to rely more on the running game than first anticipated. The only problem with that game plan will be executing it upfront on the offensive line. Clemson’s front seven is one of the only ones that can match Georgia's talent this season.
The Tigers have a defensive line filled with former elite talent coming out of high school, led by a potential first-round talent in Xavier Thomas. Finding other ways to get these backs the ball will help take pressure off the receivers and Daniels.
It is unlikely that Georgia will rely heavily on one way or another; at the end of the day, they’ve always preached themselves about being balanced offensively. So if the passing game is successful, you can expect them to stick with it and vice versa. Of course, injuries to key players are always a concern heading into a marquee top-five game like the one on September 4th at 7:30 PM will be, but a win could serve as a statement early on for the Dawgs as to whether or not they can live up to the high expectations.
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