We continue our position-by-position preview of your 2024 Georgia Bulldogs with a look at a group of familiar names, but ones we haven’t seen much of on Dooley Field. A lot of new faces, some faces we haven’t seen in a while (due to injury), and some returning faces who haven’t had many reps with the 1st team.
Some quick stats of the rushing game from 2023. It attempted 501 rushes in 14 games for over 2,677 yards. That is misleading, because it includes the slippery Jackson Muschamp. The 191.2 yards was good for 20th in the nation, and 3rd in the SEC behind Tennessee (who couldn’t complete a forward pass) and LSU (whose QB couldn’t be tackled in the open field). The 40 touchdowns on the ground were tied for best in the nation with Michigan. And a healthy 5.34 yards per attempt was 11th best in the country.
Mike Bobo did not utilize the backs in the passing game that much, but who would when you have a Brock Bowers and a Ladd McConkey? It still contributed 328 receiving yards (more than half from Daijun Edwards) and 2 touchdowns out of the backfield. All in, those are solid results no matter the metric.
Did it help that Amarius Mims was up front, paving the way? I don’t know, you tell me if having a lineman that would later be selected 18th overall in the NFL draft is an advantage. And that your starting center was also drafted by a playoff team. A mystery that may never be solved. But we’re here to talk about the ones toting the rock, not grading the road.
There’s a few question marks as to who is actually RB1 and RB2 coming into fall camp. Going back a few years, the Gurley/Marshall tandem were highly touted and delivered just as highly from the outset. On the heels of that, a certain duo named Nick Chubb and Sony Michel came to the Classic City and made an immediate impact. Swift/Holyfied were ready to plug in when they left, just like White and Cook after that. Though Kenny MacIntosh was a close third, and took the baton without dropping a step. At least until Daijun Edwards and Kendall Milton were ready for the spotlight, and they delivered.
Last season, Edwards and Milton were very much known quantities, ready to do the heavy lifting.** And everyone was excited for newcomers like Branson Robinson, Roderick Robinson, and Andrew Paul. Plus everyone’s favorite 6th stringer Cash Jones. However, due to some nagging injuries during the season, and a fall camp season-ending injury, it became very clear that if you don’t have 8 scholarship running backs, you don’t have enough. A bright spot is we did determine that if you find yourself without enough healthy running backs, there is an option: get yourself a Dillon Bell.
But now with both Edwards and Milton departed for the NFL (Pittsburgh and Philadelphia respectively), who takes the mantle and lines up behind Carson Beck in the UGA backfield?
The most experienced rusher this fall will be a new face in Athens: Trevor Etienne, the Junior transfer from Gainesville. While not the clear #1 for Billy Napier’s Gators, Etienne had 6 ypc and 6 scores as a freshman, and 5.75 ypc with 8 TDs last season. And he’s got pretty good hands, catching on average about 2 passes a game for 8 yards a reception. That can move the chains and make 3rd downs more manageable. Since he wasn’t the primary back the last 2 years, there should be plenty of tread left on those tires, as long as he keeps himself out of trouble.
Roderick Robinson is a returning Bulldog. The 6’1” Sophomore displayed nice flashes in the 5 games he saw the field last season, getting almost 200 yards on 24 carries in primarily late-game duty. And he’s currently listed at 235 lbs – that is a big boy and he will be tough to arm tackle or to square up on if he hits the second level of the defense.
And someone we’re all glad to see is the return of Branson Robinson. After a successful 2022 freshman campaign behind MacIntosh, Edwards, and Milton, Robinson had an unfortunate patella tear last August and missed the 2023 season entirely. But he’s been medically cleared for fall camp, and word is he could be ready to go when the season starts. Many are projecting Etienne and B-Rob to be the duo getting most of the playing time.
Cash Jones was the only Bulldog running back to appear in all 14 games last season. But he only carried the ball in 10 of those contests. He did have 5 carries against FSU in the Orange Bowl, and that 57 yarder in Nashville was wildly celebrated by the Georgia sideline. He scored a rushing TD when the Gamecocks visited, and caught a TD against Ball State. The 5’10” Junior might have a hard time seeing the field with more gifted teammates, but at over 7 yards per carry, he’s making the most of it.
Missing is Andrew Paul, who in May announced his decision to transfer to Jacksonville State. In his freshman season, Paul tallied 129 yards on 29 carries and a score across 6 games.
Then we have offspring borne of the Kirby-copter: the freshmen class.
Nate Frazier was a 4 star out of Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA) and ranked the #2 RB in the 2024 class. At 5’10” 210 lbs, Frazier is likely to be the most Day 1 ready of the youngsters. He has a great frame, great burst, and pretty good hands for someone so young.
Chauncey Bowens is more of your “thunder”. He’s 5’11”, and a very solid 225 lbs out of Port St. Lucie, FL. A nice combination of size and speed, he comes through the line low and fast.
Then there’s Dwight Phillips Jr. I wouldn’t say Phillips has your typical every-down back size, unless you’re a Big 12 team. He tops out at 5’11” and 175 lbs. But he’s got that quickness and elusiveness and breakaway speed to make up for it . Even Kirby Smart has said “He’s got a very unique skillset, very elite skillset. How we use him will be very important. He’s not just a normal back. He can do a lot of things. He can create a lot of matchup nightmares. We don’t think he’s even seen his full potential.”
Also listed on the roster are:
Gannon Hears, 6’ 1’’ 200lbs. A redshirt sophomore from Johns Creek, Ga. / Greater Atlanta Christian School/Limestone University.
Wade Penn, 5’ 10’’ 188lbs. A freshman from Atlanta, Ga. / Westminster School
Brandon Mathis, 6’ 0’’ 212lbs. A redshirt sophomore from Fayetteville, Ga. / Starrs Mill/West Georgia.
By all accounts, there are 6 scholarship backs at Georgia for the 2024 season. Three of them have yet to play a real college football game, and one missed the entire season with injury. What, me worry? Oh, sorry about that… I got ahead of myself.
Suffice it to say that Kirby Smart developed some overlooked players into NFL players and restocked with athletes who fit the bill. I like what I’m hearing from early days of camp, and as long as we don’t get hit with injuries to this group like last year, it will be another great year for RBU.
As always,
Run The Damn Ball, Bobo!
and GO ‘DAWGS!!!
**Heavy lifting may be hyperbole, because I was told by a reliable source that in fact, the ball ain’t heavy.