Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart, quarterback Carson Beck, safety Malaki Starks, and defensive lineman Mykel Williams will be in Dallas to represent the Bulldogs at SEC Media Days this week.
After back-to-back National Championships in 2021 and 2022, the Bulldogs landed just outside the College Football Playoff last season, settling for a bowl game record-breaking 60-point victory in the Orange Bowl over Florida State.
Aiming to get back to National Championship glory and armed with a potential Heisman Trophy candidate in Beck, what are the biggest questions awaiting Smart at SEC Media Days?
Three Most Significant Questions for Kirby Smart at SEC Media Days
1) How Much Extra Motivation Did CFP Snub Add?
The ramifications of losing to Alabama in the SEC Championship game rippled further than just losing a conference championship. The Bulldogs finished the regular season ranked sixth, putting them outside the top four and out of the College Football Playoff.
Georgia made the world take notice of their worthiness by asserting their dominance over an undefeated FSU team in the Orange Bowl, but that didn’t fully take the sting away from losing out on a three-peat.
2) Is the Heisman Hype Around Carson Beck Justified or Too Much Pressure?
Beck bided his time and beat out a crowded QB room to be the successor to two-time National Champion Stetson Bennett IV behind center for the Bulldogs. After tossing for 3,941 yards, 26 TDs to six picks his first season as the full-time starter, he has been hailed as the top NFL QB prospect for the next draft and a frontrunner to take home the prestigious Heisman Trophy.
Experiencing an amount of hype that even Bennett didn’t feel, how Beck handles the pressure will be a major factor for the Bulldogs. The 6’4″, 220-pound junior from Jacksonville, Florida, didn’t seem to feel the effects of added attention last year, but that was before falling short of the CFP.
3) How Reliant Will the Offense Be on Trevor Etienne?
The crown jewel of Smart’s offseason was arguably the addition Florida running back Trevor Etienne. In two seasons with the Gators, Etienne gained 1,472 yards rushing with 14 TDs, averaging 5.9 yards per carry on 249 attempts.
Georgia’s offense will obviously go through Beck, but having a player like Etienne to rely on will go a long way for the Bulldogs.
SEC Media Days Schedule: Kirby Smart, Georgia Head Coach
- Date: Tuesday, July 16
- Time: 10:00 a.m. CT
- How to watch: SEC Network+
The Georgia Bulldogs’ only goal this upcoming season is to end it as National Champions.
With extra motivation and a roster overflowing with some of the nation’s most electrifying athletes (not to mention Nick Saban’s retirement) this year feels like it belongs to the Bulldogs.
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