To be successful, you need to have knowledge. That’s certainly true as it pertains to Georgia’s running back room.

Yes, it helps to have talent. The Bulldogs have always had plenty of that.

However, it’s the pride, the need to live up to the standards of the players that came before them that enables Georgia’s running backs to flourish year in and year out.

Just ask position coach Dell McGee.

“I think our guys have learned from the older guys, not only the football part of it, but also how to take care of their bodies, what to do, how much sleep you get, diet, nutrition, and weight,” McGee said. “They’re a by-product of just learning from older guys, and the older guys have passed this knowledge on to them, and I think that cycle has just created itself.”

Kenny McIntosh and Daijun Edwards have been classic examples of that.

Both players waited for their turns while working behind the likes of D’Andre Swift and Zamir White, their predecessors.

McIntosh exploded in his senior year, accumulating 1,346 total yards (842 yards rushing, 504 receiving, and 12 touchdowns).

Edwards did not do badly himself.

His 140 carries were just 10 shy of the 150 rushes by McIntosh, while rushing for 769 yards and seven touchdowns.

“Daijun has been a constant, consistent workhorse, very dependable, who plays on special teams as well as carrying the ball, pass protection, and doing everything that’s required in the offense to be successful. I’m enormously proud of him,” McGee said. “He doesn’t complain about anything, whether it’s carries, whether it’s playing on special teams, having to go back in, and that’s what is very unique about Daijun. He’s got a great feel for running the football, whether inside or outside the tackles.”

Sharing touches is obviously nothing new for Bulldog running backs.

Nick Chubb and Sony Michel did it, and so did D’Andre Swift and Elijah Holyfield, with Zamir White and James Cook in 2021, for example.

“I think it does help preserve their career, once they do make it to the NFL. Their bodies aren’t as beat up, because they can share the load with one another, so I think you can maximize your carries when you do get opportunities, because you’re fresher,” McGee said. “A lot of our running backs are required to play on special teams, and that’s an all-out effort type play. At times, you have to go with a fresher back, because you just had a back to cover a kick, or run down on punt or kickoff, or return, so he may not be as fresh.”

Assuming Kendall Milton can stay healthy, look for the California native to split time with Edwards in 2023.

Milton finished the season strong, ultimately rushing 85 times for 592 yards and eight touchdowns.

“He got hurt his freshman year, his sophomore year, was hurt leading into camp this summer,” McGee said. “I would say he probably wasn’t 100 percent for the Oregon game, and re-injured himself in the Auburn game, so he’s had to deal with those adversities, but he did a great job of doing everything he could to get back on the field.”

There’s plenty of young talent behind them.

Andrew Paul told UGASports he’s starting to run as part of his recovery from the ACL he tore during Georgia’s second scrimmage last August, and expects he will be ready to take part in spring practice.

Others include rising sophomore Branson Robinson, who rushed for 330 yards and three touchdowns—two coming in the national championship—along with incoming freshman Roderick Robinson II.

“Branson is definitely learning the game of football; it’s a big transition from high school to football,” McGee said. “He wasn’t a mid-year; he came in the summer, which puts you a little bit behind. But at the running back position, that’s the one position in which you can come in late and add value to the team.”

McGee said Roderick Robinson II has a chance to make a similar impact.

“He’s impressive. His size, his agility, his ability to catch the ball—he’s got really, really good hands; He’s a great kid with a great family,” McGee said. “He’s actually a Southern kid; his dad’s from Alabama, his mom’s from South Carolina, so he actually played football in the South and he wanted to be in an environment that was going to push him, and that’s what led him to Georgia.”

The desire to compete is a component McGee said all of Georgia’s running backs share. They are also unselfish, which fits right in with Kirby Smart’s overall philosophy and requirements with all the players on his team.

“We’re very honest with our guys. They understand the competition component, everything has to be very transparent, the game plan on who is getting reps for certain types of plays, so forth and so on,” McGee said. “But it’s a very unselfish group. I think our skill guys on our offense as a whole are unselfish. There’s only one ball; we’ve got good tight ends, receivers, and running backs. Everyone wants the ball, but just buying into the team concept of we’re all successful as a team, we all will reap the fruits of our labor in the long run.”