Best Under Kirby Smart: Receiving
Georgia has been one of the most successful college football teams throughout history and when most people think of reasons why, they think because of the strong running game. That is a very strong reason, but in the last 30 seasons the Bulldog receiving game has been pretty good as well. From players like Brice Hunter, Hines Ward, A.J. Green, Tavarres King and Malcolm Mitchell, UGA receivers have done quite well. But who has dominated statistically in the six seasons under Kirby Smart? Some of the leaders may surprise you.
Remember these are just stats under the current head coach. It does not count stats under Mark Richt or Bryan McClendon (when he was the interim head coach).
| Game | Season | Career |
|---|---|---|
|
George Pickens - 12 (2020 Sugar Bowl vs. Baylor) |
Brock Bowers - 56 (2021) |
Terry Godwin - 98 (2016-18) |
|
Isaiah McKenzie - 10 (2016 vs. Missouri) |
George Pickens - 49 (2019) |
George Pickens - 90 (2019-21) |
|
Brock Bowers - 10 (2021 SEC Championship vs. Alabama) |
Javon Wims - 45 (2017) |
D'Andre Swift - 73 (2017-19) |
|
Kearis Jackson - 9 (2020 vs. Auburn) |
Isaiah McKenzie - 44 (2016) |
Riley Ridley - 70 (2016-18) |
|
George Pickens - 8 (2020 vs. Mississippi State) |
Riley Ridley - 44 (2018) |
Isaac Nauta - 68 (2016-18) |
|
Jermaine Burton - 8 (2020 vs. Mississippi State) |
Terry Godwin - 38 (2016) |
James Cook - 67 (2018-2021) |
|
Terry Godwin - 38 (2017) |
Javon Wims - 62 (2016-17) |
|
|
Mecole Hardman - 59 (2016-18) |
The career reception list above was a bit surprising. Brock Bowers is already tenth on that list and he duplicates a season like he did in 2021, he will be on top of that list.
| Game | Season | Career |
|---|---|---|
|
Jermaine Burton - 197 (2020 vs. Mississippi State) |
Brock Bowers - 882 (2021) |
Terry Godwin - 1,409 (2016-18) |
|
George Pickens - 175 (2020 Sugar Bowl vs. Baylor) |
George Pickens - 727 (2019) |
George Pickens - 1,347 (2019-21) |
|
Kearis Jackson - 147 (2020 vs. Auburn) |
Javon Wims - 720 (2017) |
Riley Ridley - 1,026 (2016-18) |
|
Brock Bowers - 139 (2021 SEC Championship vs. Alabama) |
Terry Godwin - 639 (2017) |
Mecole Hardman - 950 (2016-18) |
|
George Pickens - 135 (2021 Sugar Bowl vs. Cincinnati) |
Isaiah McKenzie - 633 (2016) |
Javon Wims - 910 (2016-17) |
|
Ladd McConkey - 135 (2021 vs. Auburn) |
Riley Ridley - 570 (2018) |
Isaac Nauta - 905 (2016-18) |
|
Lawrence Cager - 132 (2019 vs. Florida) |
Mecole Hardman - 532 (2018) |
Jermaine Burton - 901 (2020-21) |
|
Kearis Jackson - 514 (2020) |
Brock Bowers - 882 (2021-present) |
|
|
George Pickens - 513 (2020) |
Kearis Jackson - 787 (2018-present) |
The 882 yards receiving by Bowers were the seventh best all-time in any season by a Bulldog. As for the career list, both he and Kearis Jackson should move up after this upcoming season.
| Game | Season | Career |
|---|---|---|
|
Brock Bowers - 2 (5 games) |
Brock Bowers - 13 (2021) |
George Pickens - 14 (2019-21) |
|
George Pickens - 2 (2 games) |
Riley Ridley - 9 (2018) |
Riley Ridley - 13 (2016-18) |
|
Isaiah McKenzie - 2 (2016 vs. Missouri) |
George Pickens - 8 (2019) |
Brock Bowers - 13 (2021-present) |
|
Terry Godwin - 2 (2017 vs. Samford) |
Isaiah McKenzie - 7 (2016) |
Mecole Hardman - 11 (2016-18) |
|
J.J. Holloman - 2 (2018 vs. Florida) |
Javon Wims - 7 (2017) |
Terry Godwin - 9 (2016-18) |
|
Riley Ridley - 2 (2018 vs. Georgia Tech) |
Mecole Hardman - 7 (2018) |
Javon Wims - 8 (2016-17) |
|
Jermaine Burton - 2 (2020 vs. Mississippi State) |
Terry Godwin - 6 (2017) |
Isaac Nauta - 8 (2016-18) |
|
George Pickens - 6 (2020) |
Jermaine Burton - 8 (2020-21) |
The 13 touchdown receptions by Bowers broke Terrence Edwards' mark of 11 set in 2002. The 13 was the most by a tight end in the nation last season, but where does he 13 in his career rank among tight ends under Smart? Who has the most by a Bulldog running back in that same time?
| By Wide Receiver | By Tight End | By Running Back |
|---|---|---|
|
George Pickens - 14 (2019-21) |
Brock Bowers - 13 (2021-present) |
James Cook - 6 (2018-21) |
|
Riley Ridley - 13 (2016-18) |
Isaac Nauta - 8 (2016-18) |
D'Andre Swift - 5 (2017-19) |
|
Mecole Hardman - 11 (2016-18) |
Charlie Woerner - 1 (2016-19) |
Sony Michel - 2 (2016-17) |
|
Terry Godwin - 9 (2016-18) |
Eli Wolf - 1 (2019) |
Brian Herrien - 2 (2016-19) |
|
Javon Wims - 8 (2016-17) |
John FitzPatrick - 1 (2019-21) |
Kenny McIntosh - 2 (2019-present) |
|
Jermaine Burton - 8 (2020-21) |
Tre' McKitty - 1 (2020) |
Nick Chubb - 1 (2016-17) |
|
Brett Seither - 1 (2020-present) |
||
|
Darnell Washington - 1 (2020-present) |
Who were the most reliable guys? Who had at least one catch in the most games? This may surprise you as well.
| Season | Career |
|---|---|
|
Ladd McConkey - 15 (2022) |
Terry Goodwin - 36 (2016-18) |
|
Javon Wims - 14 (2017) |
Isaac Nauta - 33 (2016-18) |
|
Isaac Nauta - 14 (2018) |
D'Andre Swift - 30 (2017-19) |
|
Riley Ridley - 14 (2018) |
James Cook - 30 (2018-21) |
|
Brock Bowers - 14 (2021) |
Riley Ridley - 26 (2016-18) |
|
Mecole Hardman - 13 (2018) |
Mecole Hardman - 25 (2016-18) |
What about touchdown receptions?
| Season | Career |
|---|---|
|
Riley Ridley - 8 (2018) |
Riley Ridley - 12 (2016-18) |
|
Brock Bowers - 8 (2021) |
George Pickens - 12 (2019-21) |
|
Javon Wims - 7 (2017) |
Mecole Hardman - 11 (2016-18) |
|
Mecole Hardman - 7 (2018) |
Javon Wims - 8 (2016-17) |
|
George Pickens - 7 (2019) |
Terry Godwin - 8 (2016-18) |
|
Isaiah McKenzie - 6 (2016) |
Isaac Nauta - 8 (2016-18) |
|
Brock Bowers - 8 (2021-present) |
You may have got Bowers at the top spot on the season list for 100-yard games, but did you get who was second?
| Season | Career |
|---|---|
|
Brock Bowers - 4 (2021) |
Brock Bowers - 4 (2021-present) |
|
Isaiah McKenzie - 3 (2016) |
Isaiah McKenzie - 3 (2016) |
|
George Pickens - 2 (2020) |
George Pickens - 3 (2019-21) |
|
9 players tied with 1 |
James Cook - 2 (2018-21) |
|
6 tied with 1 |
Isaiah McKenzie had three 100-yard receiving games in 2016 after having zero entering that season.
| Career 20+ Yard Receiving Plays | Career 40+ Yard Receiving Plays |
|---|---|
|
Terry Godwin - 27 (2016-18) |
Mecole Hardman - 7 (2016-18) |
|
George Pickens - 21 (2019-21) |
Jermaine Burton - 7 (2020-21) |
|
Javon Wims - 18 (2016-17) |
George Pickens - 6 (2019-21) |
|
Brock Bowers - 15 (2021-present) |
Terry Godwin - 4 (2016-18) |
|
Riley Ridley - 14 (2016-18) |
Isaac Nauta - 4 (2016-18) |
|
Isaac Nauta - 13 (2016-18) |
Isaiah McKenzie - 3 (2016) |
|
Mecole Hardman - 13 (2016-18) |
Riley Ridley - 3 (2016-18) |
|
Kearis Jackson - 13 (2018-present) |
James Cook - 3 (2018-21) |
|
Kearis Jackson - 3 (2018-present) |
Best Under Kirby Smart archives:
Part One: Rushing