Georgia’s latest warning sign for the rest of the SEC isn’t a flaw. It’s the possibility that a young roster is about to hit its stride.
That’s the read from ESPN analyst Booger McFarland, who thinks the Bulldogs’ defense is on the verge of looking like Georgia again. After a 12-2 season that still ended with a Sugar Bowl loss to Ole Miss, McFarland pointed to the simplest explanation for why the Bulldogs could be even better this fall: they were young, and now they’re not quite as green.
“Everybody kept asking, 'What's wrong with Georgia? What's wrong with Georgia?'
They were just a young football team. I think that youth now is going to grow up,” McFarland said.
The personnel backing up that confidence is hard to miss. Georgia brings back eight defensive starters, and the core of the unit is built around second-year and third-year players who are being asked to do much more.
McFarland also liked what he sees at quarterback. Senior Gunner Stockton is back for his second full season as the starter, giving Georgia the veteran presence McFarland says matters at that position.
“They got a veteran quarterback. You need a veteran at that spot,” the Winnsboro, Louisiana native said.
The biggest reason McFarland is so bullish is the defense. Georgia already ranked fourth nationally against the run and tied for 10th in scoring defense, but the pass rush never fully came along. The Bulldogs finished with just 20 sacks, the fewest in the SEC, and one of the key transfer additions, Auburn’s Amaris Williams, suffered a torn knee ligament in the spring.
That matters because Ole Miss exposed the unit late in the season, with quarterback Trinidad Chambliss helping the Rebels pull out a 39-34 win on a field goal with six seconds left.
Still, McFarland’s point is that this isn’t a rebuild. It’s a group growing into bigger jobs.
Sophomore defensive tackle Elijah Griffin is a major part of that picture. The former five-star from Pooler played in all 14 games as a true freshman, finished with 22 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and one sack, and earned Freshman All-SEC honors. Kirby Smart said at SEC Media Days that Griffin’s testing numbers stack up with some of Georgia’s best interior linemen.
“His weight room numbers and his combine numbers, whether it's twitch, movement, acceleration, all these things we measure, he's comparable to some of the best defensive linemen we've had,” Smart said.
The confidence around Griffin isn’t limited to the coaching staff. Senior linebacker Raylen Wilson was just as direct.
“Elijah, man, he could be as good as he wants to be,” Wilson told DawgNation. “He's athletically gifted, strong, big, where he can take on two blockers.”
Georgia’s younger wave extends beyond the defensive front. Second-year outside linebackers Chase Linton and Isaiah Gibson are expected to take on larger roles, while Ellis Robinson IV and KJ Bolden are holding down the secondary.
The same kind of buzz is showing up on offense, too. True freshman Zykie Helton enrolled in January and impressed veterans quickly after arriving. The Carrollton product was a four-year starter in high school and played on both sides of the ball there.
“We've only been in pads for one day, and someone who sticks out is Zykie (Helton)," junior outside linebacker Quintavius Johnson told reporters. "He's a freshman, plays center guard, things like that. He's just being real physical."
Georgia opens the season Saturday, Sept. 5 against Tennessee State at Sanford Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET on SEC Network+.
In Other News...
Georgia Tech Offense Is Giving Fans A Reason To Believe Early
The first week of Georgia Tech fall camp has done more than get the Yellow Jackets back on the field. It has started to offer a clearer picture of an offense that needed signs of stability, with head coach Brent Key pointing to noticeable progress up front and at quarterback. The offensive line has produced seven players who have stood out, while Alberto Mendoza has settled into the role of starting quarterback as the staff begins to sort out what this unit can be.
There is also reason to like what has shown up in the backfield, where Justice Haynes and Malachi Hosley have helped give the running back group a deeper look and a strong work ethic through camp. For a team trying to build confidence early, that combination matters because it suggests the offense is not leaning on one area alone. The next questions are more about how quickly those pieces turn into something dependable once the pads stay on and the schedule pressure starts to rise. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Tech Camp Is Already Spotlighting One Big Team Strength
Georgia Tech has made it through the first week of fall camp with a noticeably fresh look on both sides of the ball, thanks to new coordinators George Godsey on offense and Jason Semore on defense. Brent Key and several players have already highlighted the way the staff is teaching and the way the team is responding, and theres a steady tone to camp that suggests the Jackets are trying to build on more than just scheme this August.
One group in particular is standing out early: the running backs. Its a deep, talented room, and the competition inside it is already pushing everyone involved to raise their level. For a Tech team looking to establish depth and keep the offense moving under a new coordinator, having multiple backs fighting for carries could become one of the more useful strengths of camp. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Tech's Backfield Battle Is Bringing Out Something Chad Alexander Loves
Georgia Techs running back room has turned fall camp into a true proving ground, and Chad Alexander sounds like a player who is enjoying every bit of it. After practice, the Yellow Jackets back described a group that is deep, competitive and pushing each other every day, the kind of environment that can sharpen everybody involved if the room stays locked in. He also said he is open to doing whatever the staff asks of him, a useful trait for a backfield where versatility can quickly become a separator.
Alexanders perspective also reflects how much trust the Jackets are putting in the process after his recovery from injury. He spoke highly of running backs coach Jimmy Smith, pointing to the way Smith coaches and supports his players on and off the field, and said the teams focus remains on getting a little better each day while preparing for whoever is next on the schedule. For a position group that is still sorting out roles, that kind of attitude can matter just as much as the reps themselves. [Read more 🡒]