Early season-assessment of young Georgia RB duo: Roderick Robinson, Andrew Paul

ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia went into Week One of its 2023 season with just two scholarship running backs not appearing on an injury report – true freshman Roderick Robinson and redshirt freshman Andrew Paul. Neither had taken a single snap at Georgia, but both were expected to be a big part of the Bulldogs’ rushing attack immediately.

That has sort of been the case. Robinson leads the team in rushing through two weeks with 88 yards and two touchdowns on 14 attempts. Paul on the other hand hasn’t been quite as involved with just 18 yards on four carries.

On Tuesday before Georgia’s SEC opener against South Carolina, head coach Kirby Smart took time to talk about each of the young running backs.

Roderick Robinson

Robinson has been the better of the two backs so far. His stats show it, and so too does the number of opportunities he’s gotten.

Being able to step right in and contribute immediately is something Smart credits to Robinson’s participation in spring practice. Come Georgia’s spring game, he was the only scholarship back completely healthy. Paul did not play as he continued to make his way back from an ACL injury suffered last fall. Kendall Milton and Branson Robinson had both suffered setbacks during the spring that kept them out, and Daijun Edwards was available but limited in the number of carries he got battling his own bumps and bruises – and because Georgia wanted to keep their leading returning rusher healthy with so many others unavailable.

“He got the spring ball to learn and figure some things out,” Smart said of Robinson. “He caught up to speed, and he’s gotten an opportunity. We’ve had some injured backs, he’s been healthy. I’ve seen him mature. He’s very bright. He has good vision. He continues to improve picking up pass pro. He should be a weapon doing that because he’s big and physical, so he should be able to do that. It’s something that all freshmen go through where they have to learn that, they have to get comfortable. Picking up blitzing backers at our level is not something they do at their level. He continues to improve, and I’m proud of the work he’s done.”

Andrew Paul

As for Paul, the aforementioned ACL injury has been part of the reason he’s not played nearly as much so far this season. While he has ditched the knee brace and was impressive in the team’s scrimmages during spring practice, Smart said that there’s still areas in which Paul needs to get completely comfortable again.

“Just that. He’s continuing to make his way back,” Smart said. “He’s feeling his way through it. He has not, probably, cut loose. I think he would tell you he’s feeling his way through contact, trying to feel his way through it. He hasn’t had a lot of opportunities. He’s had a few, but with Kendall coming back, he’s been a little more limited. I think he’s a young back that’s still getting his confidence back. He’s flashed, had some really good runs in camp, and I’m hoping we get to see more of him so we get to see that.”

Georgia’s much discussed running back room has had the help of Kendall Milton so far this season despite him not quite being 100 percent, continuing to battle a hurt hamstring. Daijun Edwards, who suffered a sprained MCL less than a week after the Bulldogs lost Branson Robinson for the season to a ruptured patella tendon, should be back before too long – potentially as soon as Saturday – and is expected to provide another boost for the running backs.

Still, the freshmen duo is absolutely in the picture for Georgia. Their continued development is important, not just for their futures, but possibly even this season knowing that with as fragile as things are in the running back room, they are always a snap or two away from a much bigger role once again.