Kirby Smart: Georgia wide receiver room starting to take shape

While Georgia’s defense gets a majority of the attention just because of how dominant it has been throughout the 2021 season, the Bulldogs’ offense has also been successful this year. Looking specifically at the wide receiver room, Georgia has a handful of guys who have been playing at a high level.

In last Saturday’s 43-6 win over Missouri, a victory that moved No. 1 ranked Georgia to 9-0 on the season and 7-0 in SEC play, the Bulldogs’ offense put up 337 yards through the air while many different wideouts caught passes.

While Jermaine Burton led the way with three receptions for 76 yards and a touchdown, six other wide receivers finished with at least 30 yards receiving while two – Ladd McConkey and Arian Smith – also caught touchdown passes.

“I thought this game was the closest,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said of his receivers being rounded into form at this point of the season. “Arian had a full week. We met on Monday, said ‘You’re getting your full quota, you got to go and get your reps to be able to play.’ ‘Jermaine, hey, you’re getting your full reps.'”

Speaking of Burton and Smith, Smart said the duo was available to play the previous week against Florida but didn’t practice much throughout the week, so that’s why neither of them tallied any receptions in the Bulldogs’ 34-7 win over the Gators.

“Coming off Florida … I felt like they were both healthy [for] Florida, but they weren’t healthy the week of practice,” Smart said. “I felt like they were both healthy this week of practice, which helped us from a depth standpoint to be able to rep.”

Burton has played in eight games for the Bulldogs in 2021, making 16 receptions for 300 yards and three touchdowns. Smith has been able to play in just four games, but has produced with 102 yards and a pair of scores on only three catches.

Alongside Burton, Smith and McConkey, Georgia also has players such as Brock Bowers, Adonai Mitchell, Kearis Jackson, Kenny McIntosh and Darnell Washington producing for the wide receiver room. But in addition to that squad, the Bulldogs have George Pickens and Dominick Blaylock sidelined with injuries.

“When we are fully healthy at receiver, excluding George and Dom, we have a good unit,” Smart said. “With George and Dom – and that’s what we thought [we were going to have] going into the season – it would be special. We’re working to try and get those guys back.”

The top-ranked Bulldogs will look to remain undefeated Saturday as they travel to Knoxville for an SEC matchup with Tennessee.