Round 3 of our series of questions for Georgia football in 2025 brings a question near and dear to many of our hearts – the hogs on the offensive line, who have undergone a significant makeover since we last saw them in action.
QUESTION 3: CAN THE NEW OL GEL IN TIME FOR EARLY SEASON TESTS?
Let’s run through the painful humbling of last year, shall we? It started with a repeat of questions from the media asking if the players were butt-hurt about missing out on the Joe Moore Award in 2023, and several of them said yes (just like they did the prior preseason). It ended with less than a handful of games played healthy by the starting five, position changes, poor performances in key spots by all 5 starters, and then (naturally) all 4 starters that entered the draft ended up on NFL rosters.
This year starts with 4 of the 5 positions all but set: Monroe Freeling at LT, Micah Morris at LG, Drew Bobo at C, and Earnest Greene at RT. All 4 of these guys have a ton of game reps to lean on and tape to learn from. RG has the only competition and it’s between 3 freshmen, including redshirt freshmen Daniel Calhoun (from my alma mater) and Michael Uini, and the mammoth-sized true freshman, Juan Gaston (who may be the real beast). Calhoun had the inside track and then got hurt. Gaston has made his move. Think Georgia will be fine with any of these guys, as there isn’t a whole lot to separate them, skill-wise. But as I’ve said before, I still don’t think there’s an elite OT on this roster, which could be a problem down the road.
Most importantly, if you followed my posts last year, Kirby listened to me and fired Stacy Searels hired a new assistant OL coach from the NFL named Phil Rauscher, who is highly respected at the next level. He’s already getting rave reviews. Gawd knows the coaching staff has a lot of work to do to correct, teach and build cohesion on this unit, as a raucous Kneeland stadium awaits in week 3 and the Bama defensive line comes to Sanford in Week 5. Kentucky’s and Texas’ DLs are less potent than they were last year, but they’ll still be challenges as well. I suspect by those games the OL will have more continuity. In the earlier games, can the new front communicate with each other, will we get the road grading running game that was missing last year? Can we get some elite tackle play (please)? I just want to see some mean MFs pounding opposing DLs into submission in the 4th quarter of big games. Is this the year the OL rebounds, or do we get more regression?
Whaddya got, Refugees?
I agree that this is the big question. When you can’t get a push to get a first down on 3rd and 2 against your cupcakes, that is a problem. If we can’t do that in our first two games, uh-oh for the rest of the schedule.
We have more running backs than last year. That’s a help.
Agreed, and they’re a year older and hopefully stronger and better.
Now, if the early cupcakes has sprinkles or edible glitter, this could be a distasteful problem, when attempting to consume them, UGA football “D” should let the Big Dawg Eat, early and often, marshall has a new staff plus key position replacements, they could be a muffin top in disguise, not gonna’ take ANY team lightly, this could wind up being a big scoreboard “W”, while writing a “thank you for coming check”…knowing UGA football will be very vanilla early on, even attempting to get a lead large enough to get some 2nd teamers on the field…Sanford Stadium might be full early, empty in the 4th quarter…GO DAWGS!!
I agree Game 1 could be closer than the Vegas line because Kirby ain’t showing Tennessee shit.
Center is a concern. We need a Sedrick Van Pran Grainger type of player, and I am not convinced Drew Bobo can be that good. Time will tell I guess.
Dammit, Bobo!
He’s the best passing center in UGA history.🤣
Bobo isn’t getting drafted when he goes but I actually think he has a lot of similar qualities to Ben Jones or David Andrews than SVP or Wilson. While he doesn’t have the size that Pittboss liked, I think he has the talent and skill to lead the OL.
The Univ of Georgia was ranked 101st in running the football last year.
Kirby’s best coaching year by a mile.
UGA doesn’t do 101st
I don’t understand the keeping it vanilla so they have no tape idea. Tennessee knows what we do offensively. They have hours and hours of tape. We aren’t suddenly going to come out in a totally different offense. Now we might not do all that many different things against Marshall simply because we don’t have to but I don’t know that I buy the not gonna out anything on tape stuff. I will say this is probably a make or break year for Bobo. The screaming about him got loud last year.
Fair point, I think to an extent Bobo needs to see what these new offensive pieces can do in games. I just think Kirby feels he knows better by watching them practice against his defense.
We can witness a replay of last year and I’d be surprised if Bobo didn’t return.
This is another one I don’t understand. “Kirby will never fire Bobo cause they’re friends.” If we were talking about Mark Richt I might agree. Anybody that thinks Kirby cares about anybody enough to lose because of his relationship with them doesn’t seem to watch the same Kirby I watch.
The receivers coach who headed a unit which lead the nation in drops is back.
But he recruited the best WR freshman and transfer class we’ve ever had.
I think this is the least talented OL Kirby has had, and on top of that it’s a rebuilding year. I hope Rauscher is the real deal, because if we’re depending on Searels for an improved OL we’re f*#ked.
Having said that, I still think we have a good team and will challenge for the secc and playoff.
Agree this maybe the least talented O line per individual but I get the feeling they will play better as a unit. Take it for what is worth, but Searls has had the good fortune or developed a lot of 3-4 star talent onto the next level. One of the best images is seeing Broderick Jone blocking way down field in the 4Th quarter of the NC games vs Bama. That was a thing of beauty.
Jones was a 5-star recruit by Pittman and finished off by Luke. He’s the type of tackle we haven’t seen in years.
The last 2-3 seasons have produced a lot of NFL drafted Oline Dawgs. Other than Mims, I don’t believe there was another 5 star. Just indicating moving a 3-4 star to the NFL does take some development.
Ratledge was as well
*hired a new assistant OL coach from the NFL named Phil Rauscher, who is highly respected at the next level.* I think this is actually an excellent point that doesn’t get enough attention — so I will reserve my full OL coaching assessment until game 3. (although if he was highly respected at the next level, I am not sure what he is doing at the NCAA level or why he wasn’t picked up by another NFL team — but maybe like Monken he needed a break).
I also don’t think the question is can the O-Line gel but rather can CPR help in getting timing down for the O-Line and can he help get them all on the same page on which blocking technique to use on what play. Last year we would sometimes have some of the OL block inline while at the same time the other side of the line was blocking zone scheme. When the OL said last year it was their fault — they knew the plays but didn’t execute I said ok, there is probably some truth to that. Except we have seen the same movie in Athens before… and having read the Miami blogs during CMR’s tenure there, the Miami fans saw the same movie.
Yeah, gelling is to me broad enough to encompass understanding scheme and executing it consistently. Fingers crossed.