There’s an air of confidence in the Georgia football community entering the 2023 football season after seeing the program win back-to-back titles, understandably enough.
Coach Kirby Smart and his players preach the company line that the past has no bearing on the future, but most following the program are prone to give their Bulldogs the benefit of the doubt.
There are 13 of 22 position starters back, including the incomparable Brock Bowers, and that is plenty for Georgia to be ranked No. 1 when the preseason polls start coming out.
But there are still some big questions and shoes to fill:
Unsettled at quarterback? No problem, UGA has gotten MVP performances in two championships with a former walk-on that no other Power 5 team felt worthy of a scholarship offer.
Lack of proven depth at offensive tackle and the defensive line, according to the head coach? Tray Scott and Stacy Searels will develop it quickly, the Bulldogs seemingly entitled to dominance at the line of scrimmage.
Yes, a steady and reliable kicker has moved on with Jack Podlesny on to the NFL. But hasn’t Georgia always had a reliable kicker under Smart? So why would that change?
You get the drift, and it’s not surprising when one recognizes how hard Smart has worked — and how well the Bulldogs have recruited — to build up confidence that questions will be answered sufficiently
As much as it’s about Smart’s ability to develop players, it’s also about the convenience of finally getting a scheduling break.
Outside of the program’s insistence of giving away a designated home game every other year — Georgia will be the designated “home” team in Jacksonville against Florida — the 2023 slate is manageable.
The Jamboree-like September schedule should give Smart and his staff just enough time to develop depth and settle on a quarterback
Jimbo Fisher hiring Petrino to help run the offense has boom-or-bust written all over it, but the feeling here is the Aggies will have one of the most improved offenses in the SEC.
