Evaluating the offense
When Todd Monken was brought in as Georgia’s new offensive coordinator just about a year ago, one of the first charges given to him by head coach Kirby Smart was to help make the offense more explosive than it has been in previous seasons.
Statistically, the Bulldogs finished the regular season a respectable fourth in the SEC in scoring offense (33.2 points per game), although nowhere close to the 40-plus points averaged by Alabama, Florida, and Ole Miss.
During his first meeting with reporters since preseason, Monken was asked to address his first year with the Bulldogs, and whether or not the numbers posted (421 yards per game) were what he envisioned going into the year.
“It's hard to say what you envisioned. Obviously, it was tough without having spring, without really the preparation you would like. But at the end of the day, no one really gives a shit,” Monken said. “We're in a get-it-done business. There are a lot of other teams that lost players, that didn't have a spring, changed coaches, didn't have players as good as we have. Everybody has their own issues they have to deal with.”
The Bulldogs certainly had their share of issues.
At times, points on the scoreboard came at a premium for the Bulldogs. Against Alabama and Florida, Georgia simply didn't have the firepower to keep up.
“Yeah, there are certain things I wish I could have done better, that I would have coached better, I would have communicated better—I would have made better decisions on game day or during the week in terms of preparation,” Monken said. “That will never change. It hasn't as long as I've been coaching. Obviously, we certainly had our opportunities. At Alabama we certainly did. We also had our opportunities at Florida and didn't take advantage of them.”
But thanks in large part to quarterback JT Daniels, Georgia’s offensive hopes are improving.
Prior to Daniels taking over against Mississippi State, the Bulldogs averaged 29 points per game. In the three games that followed against Mississippi State, South Carolina, and Missouri, the Bulldogs averaged 41.6.
“We've been more efficient. We've been able to stay on the field, convert on third downs, make big plays when we needed,” wide receiver Kearis Jackson said of Daniels’ impact. “We just continue to stay on the field and move the ball. We've been more efficient just by the pass game and the run game being balanced. We’re carrying that over into the game this week.”
Cincinnati defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman said the Bulldogs' offense that has taken the field the past three games with Daniels at the control is obviously a different animal.
“JT brings a different dynamic to their offense. You can tell over the last three games: they're averaging over 40 points a game,” Freeman said. “He has a very strong arm, probably the strongest arm we've faced in my time being the defensive coordinator here. We know it will be a huge challenge.
“Being able to go back and not only watch him these past three games, but even watch some USC film, you just see it—he's a dynamic quarterback with an extremely strong arm, who understands defense. It's going to be a great challenge for us.”
Bulldog left tackle Jamaree Salyer certainly likes what he's seen, and says Monken’s attention to detail is why.
He can't wait to see what the future holds.
“I think he gives us a good chance to be explosive. He's very critical. He's very demanding. He likes what he likes. He likes things to look a certain way, if not, keep doing it over and over and over again. We take a rep on one play five or six times until we get it right. He's very particular. I give us a chance to be explosive,” Salyer said. “We still have the same physical run game we had. We had games when JT threw 300 yards, almost 400 yards. Yeah, we have a chance to be really truly balanced under Coach Monken. I'm glad he's here.”
Fellow offensive lineman Warren Ericson agreed.
“To bounce off that, he's very particular in what he wants. He's going to coach us as hard as he possibly can. He demands perfection. That's something as players we respect,” Ericson said. “We go out on Saturdays; we want to get it perfect. The practice aspect has been really good. Like Jamaree said, just being a balanced attack. We want to throw the ball really well, really hard. He came in, had that mindset. I think we kind of accepted his plan. We'll just keep rolling with it.”
Monken believes the future remains bright.
Although it certainly is possible that some of Georgia’s offensive underclassmen could elect to leave or turn pro, Monken believes the cupboards are anything but bare.
“When I first got here and I saw some of the young skill players, some of the freshmen wideouts, the backs we had—I think we have a chance to be really good on offense. I don't know when it all comes together as a staff, when do I do it better for our players, when do our guys mature,” Monken said. “George (Pickens) is still a young player as well. When those guys start to mature a little bit. I think you have a really good class of young guys who are not just talented, but are also guys who enjoy the game of football. They show up every day with a good attitude. They're here to learn and get better. It's something good to see, something I think you'll get to see as they grow. You'll see a lot of it next year.”
A return to normalcy free from at least some of the restrictions placed on teams due to Covid cannot hurt. Neither will having a full spring to prepare, something Monken hopes will certainly be the case.
“It was hard at the beginning, because we were building what we want to do offensively. Without a spring, it's hard to put together what we want to do, from different places I've been in the staff collectively. You're going through things, but there's no guarantee,” Monken said. “What we're doing today could have been completely different than what we were introducing in May. It just is. I think we're only going to get better and get on the same page more and more during the off-season and 2021.”