Georgia's Needs on The Defensive Side of the Ball
It is no surprise that Georgia has a lot of work to do before heading to Mercedes-Benz Stadium on the first weekend of September to take on Oregon in the season-opening contest.
The Bulldogs concluded their spring with the annual G-Day game on Saturday. The black team (first-team offense and second defense) defeated the Red team (second-team offense and first-team defense) 26-23 after an impressive game-winning drive from Stetson Bennett and the Black offense, which set up the 27-yard game-winning field goal by Jared Zirkel.
Injuries and attrition were the themes for much of the spring, as Georgia lacked depth at several positions, causing the staff to get creative with how they practice. But, as attention turns to "recruiting season," as former Florida head coach Dan Mullen would say, attention turns to "recruiting season," Georgia needs help, whether it comes from the 2022 recruiting class or diving back into the transfer portal.
Pass Rusher
In the middle of the national broadcast of the G-Day game, head coach Kirby Smart took to the microphone to potentially publicly express a need for help at edge rusher. A staple of the 2021 Georgia defense was the ability to neutralize the opponent's run game and get after the quarterback.
After losing the likes of Travon Walker, Jordan Davis, Travon Walker, and Adam Anderson from that front seven that wreaked havoc throughout the season, Georgia has a huge task at hand when it comes to replacing those guys. However, Georgia does bring back junior defensive tackle Jalen Carter, a star in the making through his first two seasons, even as he waited in the wings behind Davis and Wyatt in the middle. A question about Carter prompted Smart to go public about Georgia's need.
"Pass rush. He can get after the passer with is our biggest need, we need a pass rush."
- Kirby Smart
Georgia brought in highly-touted prospects like Mykel Williams and Marvin Jones Jr. as part of their 2022 recruiting class, but that does not rule out the potential of going to the transfer portal for another veteran edge rusher to go alongside outside linebackers Nolan Smith and Robert Beal.
Secondary
For the second year in a row, there are questions about the backend of Georgia's defense. However, the Bulldogs will bring back more experience than they did a year ago, with safety Christopher Smith, cornerback William Poole, and Kelee Ringo all starters returning this season.
Georgia lost starting cornerback Derion Kendrick and safety Lewis Cine. Cine's departure from the secondary left the position slim for depth this spring, with former West Virginia transfer Tykee Smith recovering from his ACL injury last season. At the same time, Dan Jackson played in the G-Day game with a white "non-contact" jersey.
Kendrick played at an All-SEC level last season after transferring from Clemson. With Ringo set to lock down one side of the field, Georgia will be looking for his new partner. After being a late scratch from the spring game, sophomore Kamari Lassiter looks to be the favorite to take over the position.
Linebacker Experience
They've got plenty of talent at the linebacker position, that's evident. With Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Trezman Marshall, Xavian Sorey, Smael Mondon, and Jalon Walker there are plenty of four and five stars available at the linebacker position. That's not even to count CJ Washington and Rian Davis. Talent is not the question, the question is experience. There's not a singular start on the roster at inside linebacker.
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