Georgia is the clear favorite to win the national championship in 2024, but before the season, Kirby Smart openly questioned his team’s lineup. Even though the Bulldogs have a strong roster, if these three players don’t perform well this year, there may be some weaknesses that can be exploited.
To achieve its potential, Georgia must, of course, have Carson Beck play well, but after almost throwing for 4,000 yards the previous season, that seems inevitable. Although Beck is a strong contender for the Heisman Trophy going into the season, he still has faith in the other players to take home the championship.
Georgia’s three-man struggle to start the year as CB2 in the fall camp raises serious concerns about the secondary behind Daylen Everette. Though Ellis Robinson IV will be starting for the greatest team in the nation, Julian Humphrey and Daniel Harris have no FBS experience. Robinson IV will be playing his first collegiate snaps in a critical role.
Thus, in his junior season, Everette must play at a high level for Glenn Schumann’s defense since there is uncertainty all over the field. As a sophomore last season, Everette lined up as Kamari Lassiter’s opposite at CB2 and finished with four pass breakups and an interception. However, he also allowed a reception on 53.7% of targets that came his way and gave up three touchdowns.
For the Georgia defense, Everette does not have to be a ball-hawk; instead, he must keep his side of the field limited with little safety support so that Malaki Starks and other players can assist Humphrey, Harris, or Robinson.
For a long time, Georgia was known as Running Back U. However, due to a lack of a strong back in 2017, the Bulldogs had to use the transfer portal this offseason in order to replace Kendall Milton and Daijun Edwards. Getting Trevor Etienne out of Gainesville was a wise business decision, but Roderick Robinson’s injury during fall camp adds additional more pressure to the Florida transfer, and Georgia still lacks depth in the backfield.
Etienne played in tandem with Montrell Johnson Jr. for the Gators in the previous season, when he finished with 753 yards and eight touchdowns on 131 attempts. He’ll be Georgia’s featured back in Athens going forward, and he might be required to carry the ball 200 times in a lengthy drive to win the national title.
For Georgia’s offense to be exceptional, Etienne will need to continue being effective at a higher volume and be healthy. Last season, Beck and Bobo relied a lot on play-action, and for it to work, Etienne and the run game need to pose a serious danger
.Though not the most prominent player or finest player on the Georgia defense, Nazir Stackhouse has become the most vital member due to injuries, particularly at the beginning of the 2024 season. Jordan Hall had a stress fracture in his tibia that required surgery and will keep him out for the first part of the season, Warren Brinson arrived at camp nursing an Achilles ailment, and Xzavier McLeod is currently suffering with an abdominal strain.
Georgia’s front line is significantly thinner than it has been in a long time, but Brinson should play against Clemson and McLeod could be able to play despite not being expected to. After logging 409 defensive line snaps in the previous campaign, Stackhouse was included to the Outland Trophy preseason watch list.
Stackhouse, at six feet three inches and 320 pounds, will cover ground in the middle and create opportunities for Georgia’s inexperienced linebackers. However, if Clemson’s offensive line pushes him around in the first week of the season, Georgia’s run defense will be severely hindered.
