The defending Southeastern Conference champion Georgia Bulldogs made the Top 10 in numerous preseason polls despite being hit hard by graduation, suspensions and injuries during the off-season.
The Bulldogs lost all of their starting offensive line and linebackers along with the SEC’s leading receiver, Terrence Edwards, and No. 2 rusher Musa Smith. The NFL picked up seven members of Georgia’s championship team in last year’s draft.
Georgia will have to find a way to cope with both the loss of several NFL-caliber players and off-season scandals that caused the suspension of nine players for one to-three games each. The scandals varied from the selling of SEC championship rings to players being caught with marijuana.
Junior starting defensive end Will Thompson became the third starter to fall victim to injury in preseason practice as he dislocated his left ankle attempting to cut back on a running play. His injury required surgery and will put him out for the entire season.
“Anytime you lose a guy like Will, you lose depth and a tremendous amount of experience and production,” Georgia coach Mark Richt told ESPN.
Safety Kentrell Curry is expected to miss at least three games with a stress fracture in his right leg, and tackle Ken Veal will be out for some time with an injured ankle. Redshirt freshman receiver Cedric Haywood also is expected to miss the season due to a torn ACL. Haywood was vying for a spot as kick returner and receiver.
Only 10 starters are returning and the Georgia team is composed of only 11 seniors compared to 21 last year. The inexperience of many of the players is a big concern for Richt.
“There are too many young guys up on our depth chart,” he said. “They’re sticking out like sore thumbs.”
Georgia will benefit from the return of SEC player of the year defensive end David Pollack, who tallied 14 sacks last season and is credited with winning the South Carolina game by causing two turnovers and scoring the game-winning touchdown. Questions remain concerning whether he will be as effective without defensive end Jonathan Sullivan who regularly occupied two blockers.
The secondary will be one of Georgia’s stronger attributes this season as it returns many who helped hold the Bulldogs’ last eight opponents to an average of 4.8 points and 116 yards.
SEC offensive player of the year quarterback David Greene holds an impressive 21-5 record as a starter, including 8-0 on the road. Richt is expected to experiment and play D.J. Shockley at quarterback also. Both quarterbacks will have plenty of receiving options as standout receivers Fred Gibson, Damien Gary and Michael Johnson return along with tight-end Ben Watson.
Sophomore halfback Tony Milton will attempt to improve his 3.7 yard-per-touch average and fill in the gap left by the departure of Musa Smith who gained 1,324 yards on the ground last season. If Milton fails to produce, redshirt freshman Michael Cooper may compete for the starting job.
Georgia will need returning starters to lead the way and newcomers to step up if it hopes to repeat as SEC Champions.