Georgia Football: Breaking Down 5 Most Important Positions for Bulldogs in 2012

The Georgia Bulldogs know what they have to do in order to win the SEC. They have to be consistent on offense, aggressive on defense and play mistake-free football all year long.

With 15 starters from last year returning to Athens, there is no reason they can't do that. When the Bulldogs take the field for the first time against Buffalo on September 1, every player will have to do their job in order to win.

But when it comes to the season, there are a few guys that have to elevate their game to a whole new level in order for the Bulldogs to reach new heights.

Here's a breakdown of the five most important positions for the Bulldogs this season.

Center

Ben Jones was as good of a center as you will find in college football, so his presence will be missed.

David Andrews is penciled in as Jones' replacement, which is good because Andrews played in 10 games for the Bulldogs last season.

The center is the leader of the offensive line, has to make all the calls on the line and make sure the rest of the linemen know their assignments.

Andrews looks like he has the ability to handle it. He may not be better than Jones, but he has the tools to be a very solid SEC center.

Running Back

The reasons for running back being an important position for the Bulldogs is obvious. The running game was inconsistent last year and in order for Aaron Murray to have a better season, running backs like Keith Marshall, Isaiah Crowell and Ken Malcome have to bring it all season long.

Crowell is listed as the starter, but expect Malcome and Marshall to see a lot of action, especially early in the season when the Bulldogs face Buffalo and Florida Atlantic.

Also, don't count out Todd Gurley, who is a new recruit that could see action on Day 1. The talent is there at running back, it's just a matter of bringing that talent to the field on Saturdays.

Quarterback

One of the reasons the Bulldogs won 10 games was the play of Aaron Murray. But one of the reasons the Bulldogs lost four games was the play of Murray.

Murray threw for over 3,000 yards and 35 touchdowns. But he has to get better at limiting the mistakes in big-time games.

If the offensive line and the running game are able to get going, then Murray will have an easier time making plays and protecting the football. If that happens, he could be a finalist for the Heisman.

Nose Tackle

The defense was successful last year because the nose tackles for the Bulldogs played at a high level. Kwame Geathers and John Jenkins are two 350-plus-pound athletes that shed blocks and get after running backs.

Both players had a very good spring season, which is not good news for opposing SEC offensive linemen. If both players get going early, all the other defenders for the Bulldogs will fall in place.

Outside Linebacker

As vital as the the nose tackle is for the defense, the outside linebackers for the Bulldogs have to be on top of their game just like last season.

Jarvis Jones emerged as the best linebacker in the county due to his ability to get after the quarterback and make plays in the backfield.

Chase Vasser is not a playmaker like Jones, but he can hold his own on the other side and doesn't make mistakes.

Those two should work well together, which will get the inside linebackers going. It will make life easier on the secondary as well, which is needed due to the early suspensions of Branden Smith, Sanders Commings and Baccari Rambo.