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How the Georgia running back room changes plans for the 2026 offense
System
Posts: 13,527 admin
How the Georgia running back room changes plans for the 2026 offense
The biggest news came in the form of Nate Frazier, who announced that he would be remaining at Georgia for his junior season. Despite being linked to Ohio State via the transfer portal, Georgiaâs leading rusher will be back in the fold for the 2026 season.
Comments
Our RB room is great news, indeed. But they will not shine if we don't bolster the OL. Please go get Josiah Thompson, Tegra Tshabola, and/or Jordan Seaton out of the portal. Go Dawgs!
Will the new RB have speed to get around end or this a 3rd or 4th and 1 runner like McCray Either way we have to have some new OL guys step up and shine in order to have a productive ground game.
I’m hoping another year of collegiate S&C can build up Dwight “Peanut” Phillips. Throw the ball to him in the backfield at times. Or direct snap to him other times. Or a toss sweep. He has the speed just his body needed to be built up some to take the hits. And without going back and looking at the article this guy we just got not Dowdy, but the other guy. But he might be a recruit for 2026 . Blast my memory !! Anyway Phillips might be the speed guy we need. Or Bo Walker might fit that role. I don’t think he’s as fast as Phillips but he seems to be stronger built. They’ll figure it out. Go Dawgs !!
This is all well and good but the following MUST happen for our offense to meaningfully improve and make a Natty run in 2026:
As Herschel Walker once said: "the ball ain't heavy, all I did was run with it; my offensive line did the blocking…" Without an elite offensive line, Herschel himself, could not do much. Our offensive line IS NOT elite and never will be with Searels running the show. Pittman and Luke shot for the moon and went after high 4 and 5 star offensive linemen. Sometimes they won the commitment, sometimes they didn't, but they at least went for broke on the best talent. Searels counts it a victory when a 3 star signs, why? Freeling is headed to the NFL, and I'm not confident we have anyone that can take his place. Juan Gaston is too slow. We're getting all this defensive help in the portal, why not grab a couple of seasoned offensive linemen to come in and compete? Searels is a liability; time for him to take the train…
Bo needs more touches next year
As Munson used to say (I think), "Linemen". We need linemen, especially O line, at this time. What happened to the great O line prospects Kirby used to bring in like: Amarius Mims, Jamaree Salyer, Broderick Thomas, Sedrick Van-Pran, etc.
Seems that with our fondness for running right up the middle, we'd load up on these types.
I agree with the things you said here. And I mean NO sarcasm. I Agree that Gunner needs to be able to throw deeper vertical passes for more than just the yardage that the pass it’s self accomplishes. Because success at that keeps rivals from crowding the LOS thus opening up the running game.
Now this is a statement combined with a question. I posted this on another thread. Over 15 games Beck has 29 TDs passing and 4 TDs rushing it’s important to note the 15 game span he has 11 INTs. So his total TDs are 33. Over 14 games Gunner has 24 TDs passing and 10 TDS rushing with 5 INTs. It’s important to note the 14 game span. His total is 34 TDS.
Beck over 15 games has 3585 yds. passing. Gunner over 14 games had 2896 yds. passing.
So Gunner has one game played Less than Beck yet one TD more than Beck. What is your take on that ? Also please keep in mind this was Gunner’s first year as starter.
For me I’m not quite sure What to make of it. I assuredly agree with you that the ability to throw the ball deep vertically is vitally important. Yet here we see Beck stacked up Significantly more yardage than Gunner yet had one less TD though he’s played thus far one More game than Gunner. Also his INTs of 11 are more than double Gunner’s INTs of 5.
Anyone here is free to respond to this. I find it a bit of an enigma. The fact that Gunner ran for 10 TDs vs Beck’s 4 might explain it Some. But not enough to solve the question. Usually more yards equate to more TDs. And Beck did have 5 more passing than Gunner.
At any rate I DO agree Gunner needs to be able to stretch the field more vertically. Of course as you noted and I fully agree he’s gonna Have to have an O Line that protects him long enough to do that, AND WRs & TEs able to shake defenders and get adequate separation. As a side note I think IN is gonna devastate Miami. Not knocking Beck but Mendoza and IN I believe are vastly superior.
"Max"—I agree with you totally. We don't seem to be getting the "elite' OL like we have in the past. We seem to have lost our focus on offensive recruiting and output. I like Gunner's grit and drive, but realistically does he have the tools to win a Natty—I don't think so. Same goes for our RBs—Are they elite like Chubb and Gurley, or are they just a little above average?
Hey Brother NO sarcasm just a question. IF and that’s IF Gunner had a truly Elite O Line could he Then in your opinion win a Natty ?? Beck and Mendoza Both have better O Lines than UGA. Which in turn Also makes their Running game better. Just curious . I know it’s Really lengthy and I apologize for that. But take a look at my comments and questions to MontanaDawg. You’ll see that through 14 games Gunner and UGA had more TDs Total ( Only One more) than Beck and Miami have through 15 games played !!
I SO Much Wish Gunner could have had the Consistent high level O Line play that both Miami and IN have enjoyed. I think the story would or rather outcome would have been decidedly different. But will never know for sure. UGA O Line did shine at times at other times though not so much. Consistently is the key word and Need here in my view.
I’ve commented before IMO that the offensive strategy and its lower emphasis vs defense is very intentional by Kirby. Many of us keep saying that Kirby and Bobo “must” open up the offense and the vertical passing game. Many are frustrated that this hasn’t happened and that we haven’t prioritized the O line or passing game developments. Nor enough portal transfers to strengthen these areas.
10 years into his tenure, there is no sign by Kirby of a move in that direction. The only conclusion is that Kirby is locked in for the duration on his offensive strategy (and his staff). He doesn’t want to do what it takes to become explosive. Monken was the best hope with his approach but that’s long gone. Bobo deserves his share of blame, but he is only running the style mandated by the HC.
The bottom line is that this is not accidental. We will have a ground-based offense, a few short backfield and screen passes, a rare downfield throw from now on. The HC believes that a stout defense, conservatism to avoid mistakes, physicality, resilience, etc, are all that is needed. Note that while our D remains pretty good overall, the secondary has regressed against good QB/receivers. Look at the ongoing portal losses on the D as well. The experience and depth for development and wearing down opponents is no longer. Absent a lock-down D, the slow, predictable O doesn’t have a chance to take us deep into the playoffs.
This strategy will still beat many regular season teams but not in the playoffs. Note the number of games we could/should have lost this year. That could easily have been an 8-4 season. Behind in many games. Must score points and be explosive. We have benefited (SEC standings or direct games) by teams like FL, LSU, TN, AU and even AL being down for a while. Anybody but me think this will soon change?
After 2 NC and several SEC titles Kirby is content right where things sit and feels no pressure nor obligation to change a thing.
Frazier is elite, full stop. #2 RB out of high school, and when given the opportunity (i.e., halfway decent blocking), has lived up to that. But those opportunities have been way too few and far between. Mix in a passing game that scares no one (so teams stack the box with ears pinned back), our RBs are on suicide missions half the time. Raise the bar on aforementioned blocking and passing game, and our RBs will replicate days of old. Go Dawgs!
I agree with much of what you said. Very reasonable. Same for @khummel. Except on one point each from both of you. In my view it’s not fair to say Coulda on games we lost without bringing in Equally Coulda Won. Only lost by 3 points to Bama as a Very green team which was as much on Kirby as the players.
On khummel’s comments. “ Passing game that scared nobody”. Yet nearly every game played the first thing out of the rival HCs mouth was gotta account for Stockton. I know they were primarily referring to his legs But he’s still a QB with 2894 passing yds. With the exception of the Desperation Safety OM only won by 3 points. So the Dawgs were not Crushed in either of their losses.
Lastly it seems so far No One wants to address why Gunner had a total of 34 TDs over 14 games vs Beck 33 TDs over 15 games. I think most would say Beck’s OLine is Better and More consistent.
Gentlemen I mean absolutely NO sarcasm in my comments !! And fully agree the buck stops at KS desk. I just Don’t agree that the Dawgs are as broken as some seem to think. If Kirby would make some changes they could go right back to being elite. If I misunderstood your comments I apologize !!
I don't think the Dawgs are horribly broken. To your point (and despite what I feel are clearly limiting elements), we only lost by a few points to very good teams. And that's what's so frustrating… as good as we are, imagine what we could be if we had a consistently dominant OL and passing game! But no team is perfect on the gridiron, including the almighty Ohio State who on paper should be undefeated every year. I'm also old enough to recall many-a-year where our beloved football team was truly mediocre and we were looking up in the standings year in and year out. So while frustrated, I'm grateful for our "abundance" in recent years, and happy to have our "problems". Go Dawgs!