There is Clearly a Theme for Georgia's 2022 Season

Prior to the 2021 college football season, players that elected to return to Georgia for another year of football set a clear theme for the upcoming season. Returning players began using the hashtag "unfinished business" at the end of all of their announcements letting everyone they were coming back to bring a title back to Athens, which they ended up doing.

Much like last year, another theme is starting to emerge for the 2022 season. This time it isn't about defending a national title, it's about seeking another. At least that's what returning senior Nolan Smith had to say about the upcoming season on Tuesday when he met with the media. “We’re not defending a title. We’re trying to go win another.” Head coach Kirby Smart repeated a similar sentiment when he addressed the media at Georgia's NFL Pro Day.

Smith was one of the players who made the decision this year to not enter his name into the NFL draft but instead return to Athens and captivate a four-year career in the red and black. It was the returning seniors last year who set the tone for the upcoming season and this year it appears to be the same song just a different verse.

Going from not winning a national title in 41 years to winning two in back-to-back seasons would be quite an accomplishment, but history says it's not very likely. Only eight teams have repeated as champions since the AP poll was created back in 1936 with the most recent being Alabama when they won the championship in both 2011 and 2012.

Having key contributors return for another season has proven to be a major factor in what helps teams make a run for a national championship. Despite the mass exodus they had on defense, Georgia still was able to gain back Nolan Smith, Christopher Smith, and Tykee Smith as well as starting quarterback Stetson Bennett and right tackle Warren McClendon. Capturing another championship would still require a lot of new faces to really step up and fill the void, but having three seasoned veterans return certainly helps soften the blow.

Last year's theme set clear expectations as to what Georgia was hoping to achieve and what they felt their team was capable of, and for 2022 it doesn't appear that much has changed. The theme has been set and the expectations are clear. It's not about defending their glory, it's about bringing home a second trophy to the state of Georgia.

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