Explosive Plays In 2020
Georgia returns eight starters on offense for a team that averaged 32.3 points/game.
The 2020 season was the first under offensive coordinator Todd Monken, who placed a premium on explosive plays, which are recognized as plays that are at least a 12-yard rush or a 16-yard completion.
The Bulldogs return their top five running backs, headlined by Zamir White who went for 779 yards and 11 touchdowns. Georgia’s top three receivers are also back in Kearis Jackson, George Pickens (currently injured) and Jermaine Burton. Jackson and Pickens had 36 catches to lead the corps. Pickens and Burton were the latest Bulldogs to go down with knee injuries. Burton’s occurred during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl while Pickens’ injury happened in the spring.
The offense will return Dominick Blaylock and Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint from 2020 injuries.
Explosive Play Summary In 2020 |
Game |
Georgia |
Opponent |
Final Score |
@ Arkansas |
8 (2R, 6P) |
5 (1R, 4P) |
Georgia 37-10 |
#7 Auburn |
10 (2R, 8P) |
4 (4P) |
Georgia 27-6 |
#14 Tennessee |
9 (3R, 6P) |
4 (4P) |
Georgia 44-21 |
@ #2 Alabama |
8 (2R, 6P) |
8 (1R, 7P) |
Alabama 41-24 |
@ Kentucky |
4 (2R, 2P) |
1 (R) |
Georgia 14-3 |
vs. #8 Florida |
8 (5R, 3P) |
10 (10P) |
Florida 44-28 |
Mississippi State |
8 (8P) |
4 (4P) |
Georgia 31-24 |
@ South Carolina |
12 (8R, 4P) |
5 (2R, 3P) |
Georgia 45-16 |
@ #25 Missouri |
17 (8R, 9P) |
3 (3P) |
Georgia 49-14 |
vs. #8 Cincinnati |
12 (2R, 10P) |
3 (R, 2P) |
Georgia 24-21 |
Longest Rush by Georgia: 75-yard TD by Zamir White vs. #8 UF |
Longest Rush by Opp.: 79-yard TD by UC’s Jerome Ford |
Longest Completion by Georgia: 82-yard TD @ #2 UA (Stetson Bennett to James Cook) |
Longest Completion by Opp.: 90-yard TD by #2 UA (Mac Jones to Jaylen Waddle) |
2020 Bulldog QB Summary
Wake Forest transfer Jamie Newman opted out in the 2020 preseason. D’Wan Mathis (now at Temple) started last season’s opener against Arkansas and Stetson Bennett took over as the starter for the next five games before JT Daniels closed out the year.
The 2020 season marked the first time since 2006 that Georgia started three different QBs in the same season (Joe Tereshinski, Matthew Stafford, Joe Cox).
Daniels, an Irvine, Calif., native who was recovering from a torn ACL at Southern Cal in 2019, replaced Bennett in game seven and led the Bulldogs to a 4-0 finish and final record of 8-2. Daniels threw for 1,231 yards and 10 TDs in that span, capped by a 24-21 comeback over undefeated No. 8 Cincinnati in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. Daniels made 12 starts at USC (2018-19).
Thus far with the Bulldogs, Daniels is 19-for-27 for 279 yards and six touchdowns on third down.
A former walk-on who returned to Georgia on scholarship as a junior college transfer in 2019, Bennett threw for 1,179 yards last year as a junior with eight TDs and six INTs in eight games including five starts.
Carson Beck is a redshirt freshman from Jacksonville, Fla., who saw his first action late against Missouri last year. Brock Vandagriff, who was rated a five-star recruit, is more of a dual-threat QB.
Bennett went 3-2 as a starter, including two wins versus Top-15 teams and came off the bench to lead a comeback at Arkansas.
JT Daniels Passing (USC/UGA Career) |
2018 (@ USC) |
Att |
Cmp |
TD |
Int |
Yds |
Sk |
Eff. |
UNLV (W) |
35 |
21 |
1 |
0 |
282 |
2 |
137.1 |
@ #10 STAN (L) |
34 |
16 |
0 |
2 |
215 |
4 |
88.4 |
@ TEXAS (L) |
48 |
30 |
0 |
1 |
322 |
3 |
114.7 |
WSU (W) |
26 |
17 |
3 |
0 |
241 |
2 |
181.3 |
@ ARIZ (W) |
24 |
16 |
0 |
0 |
197 |
2 |
135.6 |
#19 CU (W) |
35 |
18 |
3 |
2 |
283 |
1 |
136.2 |
@ UTAH (L) |
16 |
6 |
1 |
2 |
89 |
2 |
79.9 |
@ ORE ST (W) |
26 |
14 |
1 |
0 |
177 |
2 |
123.7 |
CAL (L) |
34 |
21 |
2 |
1 |
180 |
4 |
119.8 |
@ UCLA (L) |
34 |
20 |
2 |
2 |
337 |
1 |
149.7 |
#3 ND (L) |
51 |
37 |
1 |
0 |
349 |
2 |
136.5 |
2018 TOTAL |
363 |
216 |
14 |
10 |
2,672 |
25 |
128.6 |
2019 (@ USC) |
Att |
Cmp |
TD |
Int |
Yds |
Sk |
Eff. |
^FRESNO ST (W) |
34 |
25 |
1 |
1 |
215 |
1 |
130.5 |
^knee injury, missed remainder of season |
2020 (@ UGA) |
Att |
Cmp |
TD |
Int |
Yds |
Sk |
Eff. |
MSU (W) |
38 |
28 |
4 |
0 |
401 |
3 |
197.1 |
SC (W) |
16 |
10 |
2 |
1 |
139 |
2 |
164.2 |
MU (W) |
27 |
16 |
3 |
0 |
299 |
2 |
152.3 |
2020 TOTAL |
81 |
54 |
9 |
1 |
839 |
7 |
187.9 |
CAREER TOTAL |
478 |
295 |
24 |
12 |
3,726 |
33 |
138.7 |
vs. #8 UC (W) |
38 |
26 |
1 |
1 |
392 |
3 |
158.5 |
2020 TOTAL |
119 |
80 |
10 |
2 |
1,231 |
10 |
178.5 |
CAREER TOTAL |
516 |
321 |
25 |
13 |
4,118 |
36 |
140.2 |
Running Game Part Of Balanced Attack
Zamir White leads a loaded backfield for the Bulldogs. Senior James Cook, sophomore Kendall Milton, junior Kenny McIntosh and sophomore Daijun Edwards make up the rest of the top-five rushers from 2020 and all return this season.
White highlighted the running game with 144 carries for 779 yards (both team highs) and 11 TDs. Also, he is a key member of the special teams unit, including collecting his first career blocked punt at Arkansas last year.
Georgia tallied a season-high 332 rushing yards and four rushing TDs in the win at South Carolina. It was the most yards on the ground since piling up 426 against UMass in 2018. Cook led the attack at USC with a career-high 102 yards and two TDs.
A Look At The Offensive Line
There will be plenty of competition for playing time on the offensive line for second-year Offensive Line coach Matt Luke.
Georgia had to debut a new front in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl game after a couple longtime starters in C Trey Hill and OG Ben Cleveland made the decision to prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft. Cleveland was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the third round while Hill went to the Cincinnati Bengals in the sixth round.
Senior Jamaree Salyer continues to show his versatility by lining up at both tackle and guard along with junior Warren Ericson, who started games at both C and OG in 2020. Salyer (LG), along with fifth-year senior Justin Shaffer (RG), started the bowl game with first-time starter Xavier Truss (LT) and redshirt sophomore Warren McClendon (RT).
McClendon was a 2020 Freshman All-American after starting the last nine games in 2021. Salyer and Shaffer have each started 12 career games while Ericson has started three games.
Sophomore Sedrick Van Pran emerged as an option at C after Ericson sustained an injury during preseason camp. Redshirt freshman Tate Ratledge has also battled into a position to earn playing time at one of the guard spots.
Tight End Battle
At times during fall camp, junior starter John FitzPatrick and sophomore Darnell Washington were sidelined with injuries that provided more reps for sophomores Ryland Goede and Brett Seither along with versatile freshman early enrollee Brock Bowers.
Evolving Receivers Corps
The Bulldogs have a variety of weapons at receiver with new targets emerging and existing receivers returning from injuries.
Dominick Blaylock, George Pickens (currently injured), Jermaine Burton and Kearis Jackson are all expected to be returning to the lineup after sustaining injuries either during the 2020 season or leading up to his year’s campaign.
Sophomore Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint and redshirt freshmen Arian Smith and Justin Robinson will be in the mix at receiver while freshmen Adonai Mitchell, Jackson Meeks and Ladd McConkey are also battling for snaps following a productive preseason.
Jackson (36 rec., 514 yds., 3 TDs) and Pickens (36-513-6) were Georgia’s co-leaders from the corps last year.