With the start of fall camp set to begin Friday, per usual, there’s no shortage of storylines that UGASports will be following.
Although there will be no quarterback “battle” to keep constant tabs on, there are still plenty of questionsfor the Bulldogs to answer before taking the field in Nashville on August 31.
Among the items I’ll be following:
Offense
● Who will win the starting job at right guard? Ben Cleveland, Cade Mays, and Jamaree Salyer will each get looks, but only one will earn the starting role.
Salyer is of particular interest. The sophomore could start for most teams in the SEC right now, which just speaks to the talent that Sam Pittman has accrued at the position. Salyer is also expected to get reps at left guard and right tackle.
● Who steps up at wide receiver? I’ve been predicting that Demetris Robertson will live up to his early hype , and the Bulldogs certainly need him to do just that. I've been hearing a lot of encouraging words about freshmen George Pickens and Dominick Blaylock, both of whom have the opportunity to make immediate impacts. Georgia also needs grad transfer Lawrence Cager to step up in a huge way.
● What will Zamir White bring to the table? White looks great, maybe even better than great as the redshirt freshman has worked his rear end off to put himself in the position to make an impact this fall. Personally, however, I’ll temper my expectations just a wee bit, although nothing White ultimately is able to do will shock me.
● Charlie Woerner is a sold tight end, but he’s going to need some help. John FitzPatrick is coming off a great spring. What about graduate transfer Eli Wolf? Teammates spoke highly of him during SEC Media Days, and hopefully, his prior experience will enable him to step in and take advantage of the opportunities he’s about to receive.
Defense
● For someone who was leery of Jordan Davis this time a season ago, this year I couldn’t be more bullish on the sophomore and his potential. Back issues slowed the big man down late last season, but we’re told he’s healthy and ready to go. Davis has the potential to be one of the better nose guards in the SEC.
● What defensive linemen will create the havoc Kirby Smart talked about all spring? My best guesses are David Marshall and Malik Herring. Keep an eye on Brenton Cox, who could also see some reps at defensive end.
● Will Tyler Clark re-establish himself after a so-so junior campaign?
● Does Nakobe Dean continue his push for playing time? The freshman certainly looked the part during the spring.
● Ditto for Nolan Smith and Jermaine Johnson on the outside. When Andrew Thomas tells you the two newcomers were two of the toughest he went against during the spring, you need to pay attention.
● Can Quay Walker show a little more maturity and be the inside force coaches feel he can be?
● The Bulldogs are counting on sophomore Adam Anderson to boost the outside pass rush, but redshirt freshman Azeez Ojulari also one to watch. Ojulari doesn’t get a lot of press, but he soon could.
● Will Richard LeCounte or Otis Reese win the other starting safety job opposite J.R. Reed? What about freshman Lewis Cine, who enjoyed an impressive spring?
● Will Divaad Wilson or Mark Webb emerge as the primary Star?
● The Bulldogs must replace cornerback Deandre Baker, but from an athletic standpoint, this year’s group of cornerbacks Eric Stokes, Tyson Campbell, D.J. Daniel and Tyrique Stevenson, could be one of the best we’ve seen in Athens in recent years.