Georgia Playmakers Need the Ball More Consistently
The second half of Saturday's game aside, Georgia football has looked much better on offense in 2020. The group has adopted coordinator Todd Monken's offense at a surprising pace.
At its best, Georgia has moved the ball at will. But at its worse, the offense has shown some growing pains. Those pains are nothing the Bulldogs can't overcome, especially with the timely off-week. One of Georgia's tasks during the break needs to be finding ways to get these three players more involved.
James Cook, Running Back
Cook is having a career year. However, he should be utilized more. Through two-and-a-half games, Cook has 23 offensive touches for 194 yards. That is not enough.
Head coach Kirby Smart has said numerous times over the years that he loves to watch Cook play. The misuse of Cook last season is part of why Smart hired Monken to coordinate the offense. Cook is one of the most versatile players on Georgia's team. He's an agile yet deceptively tough running back capable of scrapping for every yard available. He's also a solid receiver who can get open on various routes from a variety of positions.
Tre' McKitty, Tight End
Georgia has a solid stable of tight ends, and while Darnell Washington is the future superstar, McKitty is currently the star. The Florida State graduate transfer missed Georgia's first two games with an injury. He looked good in his first game, catching two passes for 47 yards against Tennessee, but McKitty caught just one pass for 10 yards against Alabama.
At 6-foot-5, 245 pounds and with soft hands and athleticism, McKitty provides a mismatch against many defenses. Coupled with quarterback Stetson Bennett's prowess on rollouts, the plays featuring McKitty practically draw themselves.
George Pickens, Wide Receiver
Pickens isn't having a terrible season, even though his numbers might paint that picture. Pickens has just 13 catches for 140 yards through four games. In his and the team's defense, Pickens has been a constant target of double teams, which has led to other receivers having good days.
But it's well past time to get Pickens more involved in the passing attack. Georgia found new ways to get him open during the Alabama game, such as moving him to the slot. The result was a solid five-catch, 53-yard performance. Not bad, but not ideal either for the Biletnikoff Award candidate.
Georgia's offense has gone through some stagnation in each of its games this year. It cost the team a halftime lead against Tennessee and ultimately cost the team the game at Alabama. A devotion to feeding the best receiver more often will go a long way in preventing future lulls on offense.
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