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Running backs in pass protection - how will they do?

The cupboard is nowhere near bare. Despite losing a record number of players to the NFL Draft, the Bulldogs return one of the most talented rosters in college football. Next week, Dayne Young and I are starting our annual series looking at the Bulldogs' highest-graded returning players according to PFF. There are 23 returning players who had a PFF grade of at least 70.0 in their last season on the field.

Still, there are a few specific areas of questions from a personnel or skill standpoint heading into this season. One revolves around the running back room. While we know the trio of Kenny McIntosh, Kendall Milton, and Daijun Edwards is talented, there is one area where all three are very inexperienced: pass protection (below tweet).

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James Cook with one of the biggest blitz pickups in Georgia history.
James Cook with one of the biggest blitz pickups in Georgia history.

Why examine something that is an extremely small percentage of plays, especially for Georgia? Because one of the biggest plays in school history (above) doesn’t happen without James Cook’s pass protection. Cook picked up Bama's Christian Harris and allowed Stetson Bennett the extra second or two to hit the free play shot/go-ahead touchdown to Adonai Mitchell.

The above play was actually something Bulldog backs were rarely asked to do. In total, the running backs only had 67 total pass blocking reps last season, good for the fourth-fewest in the Power 5 despite the additional games. Only Florida left their backs in to pass protect fewer times in the SEC.

It’s not something the Bulldogs did particularly well either. The team’s running back pass block grade was 36.6, seventh-best in the SEC and just 41st in the Power 5.


Kenny McIntosh has struggled in pass protection.
Kenny McIntosh has struggled in pass protection.

Since Kenny McIntosh will most often be the running back in the game in defined passing situations, let’s examine him first. He struggled in his limited pass block reps in 2020, allowing two pressures in just 10 snaps and a measly 2.5 pass block grade (the small sample size led to a much lower grade than you would normally see).

However, even in limited reps, he did improve in 2021. McIntosh led the Bulldog backs with a 72.2 pass block grade and did not allow a pressure, albeit in just 11 reps.

Kenny McIntosh picks up the unblocked blitzer on 3rd down.
Kenny McIntosh picks up the unblocked blitzer on 3rd down.
McIntosh helps give Stetson Bennett time on 3rd down.
McIntosh helps give Stetson Bennett time on 3rd down.

One of his best reps came against Tennessee, as McIntosh held off the blitzing linebacker (No. 38) and gave Bennett time to find Mitchell for a third down completion. This was the drive before the end of the half that ended in a Cook touchdown reception.

Milton in pass protection after a play-fake.
Milton in pass protection after a play-fake.
Milton realizes the linebacker is on a delayed blitz a little late.
Milton realizes the linebacker is on a delayed blitz a little late.

Milton is the only other back with legitimate reps in pass protection, as Edwards has just three career reps (all in garbage time). Milton has also struggled in his limited career reps (18). His current career pass blocking grade is 23.5, allowing two quarterback pressures in those 18 reps.

Like McIntosh, though, Milton was also better in 2021. He did not allow a pressure in 10 reps, but finished with a 33.4 grade given he was beaten by the defender on a couple of occasions (including the above clip).


In the end, could the inexperience in this specific area be detrimental? Yes, of course. But given Georgia’s offensive scheme/structure, not as much as it might effect a team such as Tennessee (third-most RB pass blocking reps). Also, another year of experience for the three primary running backs and working on this skill set will hopefully bring more consistent and positive results.

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