ESPN analyzes Georgia offseason questions, expectations for 2025

ATHENS, Ga. — A Georgia win over Notre Dame last Thursday would’ve meant the Bulldogs were in the Orange Bowl tonight taking on Penn State for a spot in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. Instead, UGA fell 23-10 to the Fighting Irish, and the offseason immediately began.

ESPN writer David Hale shared his thoughts on what the biggest offseason questions and priorities are for the Bulldogs, plus an early outlook for next season. To no surprise, a program like Georgia that’s recruited as well as Kirby Smart has during his time in Athens is expected to be just fine.

The biggest question for Georgia going into the offseason is the future of its offense. That likely doesn’t come as much of a surprise to anybody that watched the Bulldogs this season and understands how the unit underachieved. Add onto that the fact that UGA will be replacing its starting quarterback with Carson Beck off to the NFL after two seasons at the helm and five years in Athens, and the uncertainty grows even larger.

“Georgia’s offense was a mixed bag in 2024. At times, it was brilliant, but just as often, the Dawgs struggled to move the ball,” Hale wrote. “Whether it was Carson Beck’s interceptions or a stalled ground game or a bevy of drops by the receivers, there was ample fodder for complaints from fans. For 2025, the job of revamping the offense is a big one, but no position looms larger over the discussion than quarterback.”

Georgia got a taste of what the future might be like in the SEC Championship Game and Sugar Bowl as Gunner Stockton started in place of Beck, who had his season come to an early end in the conference title game due to injury. Stockton performed well in both spots, helping lead a second-half comeback effort against Texas before throwing for 234 yards and a touchdown on 20-of-32 passing in the loss to Notre Dame. There’s no guarantee that the job is Stockton’s next season with Ryan Puglisi hot on his heels, but history would say that Kirby Smart will likely give him the first crack at it given his experience in the system and what he showed in the postseason.

“Georgia’s offense struggled to run the ball as Notre Dame dared Stockton to beat the Irish downfield, but he routinely proved he was capable of doing just that, including on a 67-yard completion to receiver Arian Smith, a 21-yard toss to tight end Oscar Delp and a bullet of a throw to running back Cash Jones for the Dawgs’ first touchdown in the third quarter,” Hale added. “… Stockton has waited his turn, and his performance against Notre Dame should at least make him the leader in the clubhouse as Georgia looks to start 2025 with a new injection of energy on offense.”

Hale also has the program’s approach in the transfer portal as an under-the-radar offseason storyline. Georgia has taken transfers before, but the Bulldogs have been picky, and the results have been mixed.

“While Clemson’s Dabo Swinney wears the badge of being the most portal-averse coach at a major program, Kirby Smart isn’t far behind,” Hale wrote. “Georgia has certainly added some talent via the portal, but Smart prefers to build his team through high school talent, and that has largely worked well. But with success often comes attrition, and that puts lots of pressure on those high school recruits to develop — and develop quickly.”

“At some of the offensive skill positions — particularly wide receiver — that hasn’t always happened. Georgia loses two of its most established playmakers in receivers (Arian) Smith and Dominic Lovett, and so questions remain about who’ll be able to fill the void,” he continued. “Will Smart go hard in the portal to add some playmakers on the outside for his new starting QB?”

We may already have an answer to that question Hale asks as Georgia has since added USC’s Zachariah Branch, a former five-star receiver and the No. 3 available player in the portal this offseason, and Texas A&M’s leading pass catcher in 2024, Noah Thomas, by way of the portal. Micah Bell, brother of UGA returnee Dillon Bell, is also incoming on offense from Vanderbilt while the defensive side is taking on several new faces in the secondary – Zion Branch (USC), Jaden Harris (Miami) and Adrain Maddox (UAB) – with potentially more portal pickups still to come.

What does all this mean for Georgia in 2025? According to Hale, the answer is another season of high expectations.

“Smart said the biggest challenge for Georgia in 2024 was the schedule — and with good reason. The Bulldogs faced five top-15 teams in the regular season. Things don’t get markedly easier in 2025 — such is life in the SEC — but the Bulldogs do get Alabama and Texas at home, and a road trip to Tennessee looms as their biggest obstacle away from Sanford Stadium,” he wrote. “But no matter the schedule toughness, the expectations at Georgia don’t change. Anything less than a playoff berth is a disappointment, and even with the setbacks of 2024 fresh in mind, don’t expect Dawgs fans to think another 11-win season and an early exit from the postseason will be quite good enough.”