Phase two underway

Although no decision has yet been made regarding the status of college football in the SEC, another milestone in the “new normal” of season preparations is underway for head coach Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs.

Coaches and players can now implement the actual use of a football in walkthroughs, per the NCAA-approved six-week schedule leading up to the start of fall camp Aug. 6.

So, what’s changed from the previous few weeks?

Plenty.

Over these next fourteen days, coaches can spend 20 hours working with their respective teams — although players won’t be able to don the pads until the five-day acclimation period is completed next month. There can't be any full-speed situations, as that will have to wait until the start of camp. The team can have mandatory workouts, walkthroughs and meetings. Regular football drills are not allowed, with the exception of simulated handoffs with the ball.

Nevertheless, the next two weeks will be vital. Bulldog coaches will begin the process of cramming in all the teaching that was missed due to the cancellation of spring drills during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

This is especially true for the offense and a quarterback room that now features five would-be contenders as the potential replacement for Jake Fromm.

Wake Forest grad transfer Jamie Newman, who has been with the program since January, still figures to be the favorite for the job. But with no spring practice, he'll be seeing his first actual coordinated drills with his new receiving targets, other than throwing the ball around during player-led sessions since the players began arriving back on campus last month.

Could that lack of reps open the door for Southern Cal transfer JT Daniels, who received his waiver to play from the NCAA? Such questions will be worked out on the practice field.

It’s also going to be an important time for fellow quarterback D’Wan Mathis, Carson Beck, and Stetson Bennett, who hope to have their say in the pecking order with a strong start to preseason drills.

Of course, the starter at quarterback isn’t the only question Georgia’s offensive coaches will attempt to answer.

George Pickens, Demetris Robertson, and Dominick Blaylock figure to be the prime wide receiver targets, but after that, the field of competitors for playing time appears wide open.

For returnees such as Kearis Jackson, Matt Landers, and Tommy Bush, it’s time to finally show their talents; otherwise, there’s a hungry young group of freshmen ready to make an impact.

Although Arian Smith continues his rehab from a recent procedure to repair a meniscus, word comes from our sources that fellow freshmen Marcus Rosemy and Jermaine Burton have already started to open some eyes.

There’s also the matter of replacing a trio of NFL draft picks on the offensive line, including a pair of first-rounders in Andrew Thomas and Isaiah Wilson.

We’re told that coaches, including new offensive line coach Matt Luke, are confident that junior Jamaree Salyer can do the job at left tackle, despite the fact it’s a position he’s playing for the first time.

Ben Cleveland (right guard), Trey Hill (center), and Justin Shaffer (left guard) offer experience at their respective positions, leaving who ultimately plays right tackle as perhaps the biggest question heading into the 2020 campaign.

Of course, the biggest reason the next two weeks are so vital is that new offensive coordinator Todd Monken will begin the task of tying it all together. He'll be hoping that whenever the Bulldogs do open the season, the offense will be able to execute as close to peak efficiency as possible, despite all the missed time from the spring.

Defensively, there’s no shortage of talent, but defensive coordinator Dan Lanning wants to use the time to start getting his troops in the right frame of mind.

The Bulldogs led the SEC in both total and scoring defense last fall. With only a handful of contributors, including safety J.R. Reed and defensive tackle Tyler Clark, having moved on, there’s every reason to expect Georgia to boast one of the better units in the league once again.

Making sure his defensive players don’t rest on their laurels will be one of Smart’s main concerns. Knowing Georgia’s fifth-year head coach, he’ll keep his players focused leading up to the first game—whenever that will be.