Why Certain Georgia Football Players are Losing Playing Time
Georgia Football prides itself on depth. Since Kirby Smart became head coach, building a deep roster capable of constantly rotating players has been a priority.
Because of that philosophy, some ultra-talented players have to spend time on the sideline while their unit is on the field. Four such players come to mind immediately. Here are those players and why they might miss out on some playing time.
Jordan Davis: Conditioning
Size and conditioning have been an ongoing journey for nose guard Jordan Davis. In fact, it's a big reason why Davis decided to stay for his senior year.
In most situations, Davis is a dominator. But he wasn't satisfied with being a stud in "most" situations. Davis wants to be an every-down player. He wants to play a role on obvious passing downs and be a factor when opponents try to pick apart Georgia's defense with quick passes.
To Davis's credit, he's come a long way in this department since 2018. Smart has also acknowledged the conditioning work Davis has put in.
Jordan’s biggest issue is conditioning and weight control,” Smart said. "He knows that and has worked really hard on that. We have to get him to cut some more to be really elite.
"The game of football is played so differently now and there are certain games that he is a much larger factor in, and some teams can make him a no factor if they are spraying the ball out or throwing the ball a lot. With those plays it is harder for him to be a contributor when the ball game speed is up. So, it is critical that he gets in the best shape of his life. Part of the reason he decided to come back was to be in great shape so he could create some more value and that is one of the things that he is working on.”
Zamir White and Kendall Milton: Each other
At almost any other program, running backs Zamir White and Kendall Milton would carry the ball 20-plus times per game. Georgia's isn't any other program. The Bulldogs have one of the deepest running back stables in the nation and White and Milton are the headliners.
White doesn't have elite vision; that's his most constant criticism. If he found running room better, White might be alone at the top of the stable. To his credit, he makes up for vision issues with his powerful running style. White typically picks up an extra yard or two while being tackled.
Milton is more of a total package, but he's mostly unproven. Milton had an impressive freshman season, but because of an injury, he ended the year with only 36 touches. That's way too small a sample size to christen him as the next legendary Georgia running back.
Jalen Carter: Veterans above him
If anyone on Georgia's defense is a "victim" of the team's depth, it's defensive tackle Jalen Carter. Carter impressed as a freshman when we watched him live and he continues to impress on film.
Yet, Dawgs Daily doesn't project him to start on the defensive line. That's because of Devonte Wyatt who returns for a second senior season. Wyatt started all 10 games last year and had appeared in 25 games prior to 2020. He's a leader and a very underrated player. Carter is clearly the future of Georgia's defense, but Wyatt is still the present.
