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How roster turnover could help Dillon Bell make an impact at running back and wide receiver
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How roster turnover could help Dillon Bell make an impact at running back and wide receiver
ATHENS — Dillon Bell was clearly frustrated.
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Don't feed me straight lines …
Rumors and reports: Changes coming to UGA coaching staff next week. Buck Belue said on 680 The Fan that he's heard insider knowledge that Mike Bobo will be stepping down from the job due to “health concerns”.
Contrary to the rumor, Bobo has no plans to retire and was "on the road and recruiting" Texas commit Dia Bell on Thursday night.
Bell is the WR who had the least issues with dropping passes. His issue was getting separation/getting open. It is really tough having to make a play in a tight window on a contested ball nearly every single time.
Arian Smith gets criticized a lot, including by me, but honestly vertical WRs like him often have issues with drops, which is why Smith is a Senior Bowl and soon to be combine invitee who will likely get drafted. Kirby regularly recruits good deep threats and slot WRs in recruiting but never split ends. UGA hasn't had an effective split end since Javon Wims in 2017. Earlier in Smart's tenure it didn't matter much because UGA was a running team anyway until the Monken hire. 2021-2023 had Brock Bowers in the split end role. Oscar Delp is not another Bowers and would be the first to tell you so himself. So this year UGA had neither a split end or a running game and you saw the results.
I won't go into what a split end does for an offense - that is what the sportswriters would ideally do in an article or column - but I will say that if you have one, Smith dropping a deep ball on first down doesn't matter much because you can run the ball on second down and then hit the split end on third down to move the sticks. You throw it again to Smith and he catches it this time. And Smith is less likely to drop passes because knowing that he will have a split end to bail him and the offense out gives him more confidence. While deep threats like Smith get all the highlight reel plays, the split end is actually the guy that defenses do the most to stop with double teams and scheming. This creates space for the other guys, especially the slot and TE, to get open and for the running game also.
The best scenario would see Talyn Taylor and Noah Thomas win the split end and flanker jobs. That way, Bell would have more space to use his size and strength to work in the slot and demonstrate that he is actually quite good at catching the ball when he can get open to do so. That he is a good downfield blocker on both running and passing plays is another bonus.
All of the receivers seemed to take a step back this year. The drops were nowhere near as bad last year. It seems like the problem could have been with coaching. In James Coley's first time at UGA there were problems with drops. The drops did not happen on the same level with Bryan McClendon. And, if there is any truth to the rumors about Bobo, does anyone else remember the one year that Coley was OC? My opinion and mine only, any changes to the staff should be Coley and Searles.