Georgia football must answer questions in 2023, prove assumptions right

There are a lot of assumptions out there about Georgia football’s success in 2023 and the team has to prove them right, according to On3’s J.D. PicKell.

First up it’s the offense. Can the Bulldogs actually be dynamic once again? Let’s not forget, the Georgia offense scored over 40 points a game last season but the team has a new offensive coordinator in Mike Bobo.

“The Georgia Bulldogs man, are they going to win a third national title or they’re gonna win the SEC east for the second year in a row,” PicKell said on The Hard Count. “Well, here’s what that hangs on for me. Are our assumptions of Georgia as solid as we think they are? What I mean is I think we’re kind of assuming a lot of things about Georgia that we believe to be true but we actually don’t know without a shadow of a doubt are going to be true. Example, Mike Bobo, the new OC there, they’re giving him the keys to this offense. 

“They gave him the keys to this offense that a season ago was scoring over 40 points a game. We’re assuming the offense is going to be as dynamic as it was a season ago. Are we sure in that assumption? Are we correct in that assumption? It’s gonna be a big piece of what Georgia does.” 

If Georgia can do that again, perhaps the playoffs are a sure thing en route to a third national title.

“By nature of the teams that made the playoffs last year who all scored over 40 points a game, you got to score at an elite rate. Is Mike Bobo equipped them to continue to score how they scored and be dynamic, how they were dynamic, how they were balanced a season ago, under Todd Monken? The assumption is yes, but are we solid in that maze to be seen?

“Carson Beck, I’ve told you, man, I went so far to say I think he’s a sleeper Heisman guy. I really do. Think he’s going to put up stats. I assume he’s going to step in there and deal like we saw him doing the spring game, but are we sure? Are we correct?”

Stetson Bennett won two straight titles for a reason. Simply put, he was a gamer and now Carson Beck has to be that type of quarterback.

“And that assumption is Stetson Bennett, now he got a lot of flack for his time in Georgia, good news is he may come back to Georgia at some point in time and get that degree,” PicKell said. “He did a lot for this team. I mean, there were multiple times last year for Georgia where he was the differentiating factor for them offensively, get him in the right place and make big-time throws like Stetson Bennett was that dude.”

Not only that, but the defense for the Bulldogs has to be elite once again. Over the course of the last two years, the defense produced NFL players all over the place.

“We’re assuming the defense reaches the talent potential they have on that side of the ball,” PicKell said. “That’s been the calling card for them, but they still lose some pieces. How does that look? No more Kelee Ringo, no more Jalen Carter, what does that look like? I’m just curious. I don’t think it’s going to be a thing where they fall off the face of the earth. But this is an assumption that still has to happen.”

And if anything, Georgia’s schedule is no cakewalk.

“Last one, we’re assuming Tennessee is the only test on their schedule,” PicKell said. “That’s the assumption. There are other teams that I think could push them. Maybe there’s more than one test on there. I remember what Missouri did last year. Remember what Kentucky did last year, those were games that were maybe a little more entertainment value than a lot of people in Athens, Georgia would have liked. A lot of assumptions (to win that third national title).”