What to Expect From Georgia's Offense Against South Carolina
Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo hasn't needed to open up the playbook much through the first two weeks. Against G5 and FCS opponents, he's been able to hide some aspects of the offense from the game film.
That luxury goes out the window this Saturday as SEC rival South Carolina comes to town. It brings the deepest and most talented defense Georgia will have faced all season up to this point.
That means it's time to swing open the playbook and start intruding concepts into games that Georgia has been perfecting on the practice field. Here are just a few things to expect from Georgia's offense this Saturday.
A running game with identity
The first two games were a slog, Kendall Milton and Roderick Robinson are yet to reach 100 yards for this season, and the Bulldogs needed wide receiver Dillon Bell to deliver a spark in the running game against Ball State.
You can't blame Milton or Robinson, they've played well. Georgia's offensive line hasn't overpowered its opponents. Running lanes aren't opening and the backs are suffering.
However, that should change with an SEC opponent in town. Bobo is going to open up the playbook, and that's where we'll start to see what he and offensive line coach Stacey Searels have been working on. The playbook has been so vanilla that we likely don't know how Georgia wants to attack teams in the running game this year.
Look for Bobo to start introducing new wrinkles into the running game early and often this Saturday, especially with Daijun Edwards set to make his 2023 debut. He's the change-of-pace back, the guy who can squeeze through the smallest of gaps and add an extra dimension to the offense.
Take the top off the passing game
Not counting quick passes with a ton of YAC, quarterback Carson Beck has yet to hit a pass deeper than 37 yards. That changes this week. Bobo is going to send his speedsters on deep routes and Beck is going to throw it to them.
Arian Smith in particular. He's battled injuries his whole career at Georgia, but he's been a big play machine when he has played. Bobo is going to take full advantage of Smith's health this week at the expense of South Carolina.
More Rara Thomas
Georgia pulled two of the SEC's best wide receivers from the transfer portal this offseason. One of those transfers, Dominic Lovett, is Georgia's leader in receptions with seven. The other transfer, Rara Thomas, has just three grabs. Though one of those catches was a 50-plus yarder, Georgia's largest completion on a deep pass this season.
If there's any part of Georgia's passing game Bobo has kept hidden, it's Thomas. He did it all for Mississippi State last year. He was a YAC monster on screen passes, a mid-range possession receiver, a go-getter on fades, and occasionally a deep threat. Thomas really shined on back-shoulder throws, something Bobo was known for utilizing heavily during his first stint as Georgia's offensive coordinator.
