Beginning with a scant 121-yard rushing effort at Arkansas, Georgia’s ground game seems to have been substandard thus far this season, averaging only 165.3 rushing yards per game and less than four yards per rush (3.96)—both ranking eighth in the SEC. Still, there’s the notion that, even as the Bulldogs have struggled to run the ball in 2020 under first-year offensive coordinator Todd Monken, it’s only a matter of time before Georgia returns to its rushing-prowess ways of old.

“I feel like we’ve got the ability to run the ball well,” said head coach Kirby Smart during Monday’s afternoon presser. “We probably had our poorest performance we had, in terms of rushing the ball, [in] the Arkansas game. We’ve come a long way since then.”

Yet, a look at the numbers, and, whether Georgia has “come a long way” with its running game since the season-opener, suggests the Bulldogs still have a long way to go.

This season, the Bulldogs have yet to average at least five yards per carry in a game—after hitting that mark in the first five games of 2019. Georgia's rushing marks for this season pale in comparison to Smart’s last few Bulldog teams (2017-2019), which averaged 228.1 rushing yards per game and 5.57 yards per attempt. Even considering the fact that Georgia has faced only SEC opposition/defenses this season, the Bulldogs from 2017 through 2019 averaged 243.3 rushing yards per game and 5.56 yards per carry against the first four Power Five foes they opposed each season.

Still, according to sophomore tight end John FitzPatrick, one has to look past the mere numbers to see that the Georgia ground game has actually been somewhat sufficient.

“You could look at it to where [the rushing game is] not averaging the same clip as we usually do,” said FitzPatrick, who added that there was more focus on the tight ends in the run game during the open week. “But there’s also these explosive plays that we've done well with. So, there's negatives, but there’s also positives.”

An explosive running play, which Georgia has nine of this season, is a rushing attempt covering 12 yards or more. Entering this Saturday, sophomore Zamir White, who also leads the team in rushing (266 rushing yards, 4.16 yards-per-rush average), has a team-high four explosive runs. Sophomore Kenny McIntosh (92, 4.84) has two explosive runs, followed by freshman Kendall Milton (134, 6.38) and junior James Cook (83, 4.88), and freshman receiver Jermaine Burton, who each have one.

"I feel the run game is there,” said White, defending Georgia’s ground attack. “I mean, there’s some stuff we need to pick up, but we’re going to be all right. The offense just needs to come together more—and lock in. That’s it."

The only question is, when will the Georgia offense “lock in”—and its running game finally flourish? To do so against Kentucky in Lexington might be a tall task.

The Wildcat defense, which features “one of the bigger defensive lines we'll ever play, in terms of moving them and being able to create run-game,” according to Smart, has allowed only 3.49 yards per rush this season—fourth-best in the SEC. None of Kentucky’s five opponents averaged at least 4.3 yards per carry.

Apparently, none of the 'Cats foes were able to “create run-game.” This Saturday, can Georgia be the first in 2020 to do so?

“We feel like Coach Monken is doing a great job here,” White said. “We feel good about the running game—and the outbreak game is coming soon. We’re going to get it.”