ATHENS — Kirby Smart made it very clear in the moments after Georgia’s loss to Auburn.
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Clearly they need help. You've got the players, play them! Bo Walker is leading example of what could have turned Auburn game the other way. Could Zayden Walker have made a tackle that others couldn't on Brown? Saw him bring it last year. Etc.
A team's injuries list is becoming one of the top factors in whether or not you have a real shot at making a run in the playoffs. We saw how our injuries affected the Dawg's late last season. We may certainly see that continue to take a toll on us by the playoffs, maybe even with a longer injury list. Unfortunately, that is a factor that no one can control or even manage very well. Talent and experience can drop off considerably from your #1 to #2/#3 players at a position now, so it's a real issue if a team is forced to reach deeper into their backups than anticipated. Can newer players step up? Are they ready to become a starter? Maybe, sometimes, but honestly it's a big ask for certain key position groups.
So going forward no matter how stellar and talented your team looks on paper, if you can't keep those guys off the injury list, your season's outlook may be seriously curtailed. Lady luck will be the one ultimately in control.
What about the running back Jae Lamar? He appeared in a few games. Wonder why he didn't make this list.
The defense needs Bolden back for the Gators and beyond. Kirby says he's hopeful. Nate will need to return to the form that he had early on, if not play Walker more. I understand why Kirby wants more healthy depth for the stretch and playoffs in the trenches.
I never want to see White-Helton fielding punts again. He just has no concentration and I'm worried with every punt and sadly, that worry often proves to be warranted.
We like to say the line "Tyler Simmons was onside" but we forget that Tyler Simmons was our punt returned until he muffed a punt, and then he wasn't. I'm not quite sure why Sacovie gets so many chances but I am tired of those chances.
This is a nice "what if" sort of article, but in reality, if guys haven't been regular and frequent contributors by now, it's unlikely they're going to just flip a switch during the bye week and be in a position to be super counted on. Bo Walker and Tyrik Green, yes, because they were ALREADY doing it on the field. The other names, not so much, which makes me see some transfers in that group. We keep repeatedly hearing Kirby talk about how well a lot of these guys do in practice and how UGA practices are harder than the games. So many fans and media buy into that. Yet, when the actual games roll around, these "practice warriors," often don't see the field, even when there's a need at their positions. For example, hard to believe Bo Walker would have done worse than Nate Frazier last week, at least for a couple of carries. So, in the words of the immortal Aretha Franklin, "Who's Zoomin' Who?"
Looks like he has been passed by Chris Peal on the depth chart. Peal, a very late addition to last year's incoming freshmen, has more snaps than Lamar.
4 out of the 6 players CR thinks UGA needs to count on down the stretch are true freshmen. That is a recipe for disaster. Hitting on a few freshmen is a bonus. Hitting on 8 freshmen significant contributors seems like wishful thinking.
