Georgia Football: Ranking the 10 Best Bulldogs from 2014 Regular Season
The 9-3 record is not the record the Georgia Bulldogs envisioned when the 2014 season began. But that is where they are and they will look to go 10-3 when they play Louisville in the Belk Bowl.
A lot of players that have made the Bulldogs a contender in the conference this season. Some are seniors who have come on strong in their final year and some are true freshmen who will only get better as they progress in the system.
Here are the top 10 Bulldogs from the 2014 regular season.
No. 10: OLB Leonard Floyd
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Leonard Floyd emerged onto the scene his freshman year, leading the Bulldogs with 6.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. It was the same story this season, as he led with six sacks and three forced fumbles.
Floyd has been the team’s best pass-rusher the last two seasons and will be a leader for the Bulldogs going into the 2015 season.
No. 9: S Quincy Mauger
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The secondary made great strides in 2014, ranking first in the SEC in pass defense. One of the reasons for the success defending the pass was Quincy Mauger, who led the Bulldogs with four interceptions.
Mauger was thrown into the fire last season and had his share of struggles. But once he figured things out under Jeremy Pruitt’s scheme, he thrived and made some big plays for the Bulldogs this season.
No. 8: WR Isaiah McKenzie
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One of the most exciting players to watch this year (other than Todd Gurley and Nick Chubb) was Isaiah McKenzie. The freshman specialist returned two punts for touchdowns and also had a kick return for a touchdown.
McKenzie gave the Bulldogs the spark on special teams they have missed the last few years, and he could very well be the best return man the Bulldogs have had since Brandon Boykin.
No. 7: WR Chris Conley
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The receivers for Georgia did not make much of an impact this season, but Chris Conley was the best of the bunch.
Conley notched 32 receptions, 577 yards and seven touchdowns this year. He was a reliable target for Hutson Mason and will leave UGA as one of the more respected players on the roster. He will also likely leave Athens as one of the most diverse individuals because he made a Star Wars film.
No. 6: ILB Ramik Wilson
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Ramik Wilson led the SEC in tackles last season and was named to the All-SEC team. This year, he did not lead the conference in tackles, but he did tally 102, which was good enough for the No. 6 spot.
Wilson is a linebacker who can play from sideline to sideline and is always around the football. He will be missed next season because he's been a leader for the defense the last two seasons.
No. 5: CB Damian Swann
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The player on this list who could be the most improved is Damian Swann. The senior cornerback recorded 62 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, three interceptions and four forced fumbles.
Swann is the one player who really thrived under Pruitt’s scheme. Not only was he making plays in the passing game, he was able to help in the run and was a key player in the Bulldogs ranking fifth in the conference in total defense.
No. 4: QB Hutson Mason
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One of the unfortunate things about this season is many fans will look at Hutson Mason and think of the interception he threw in the Georgia Tech game in overtime that led to a Yellow Jackets win. But Mason was able to keep the Bulldogs in the hunt for the SEC East title because of his steady hand at quarterback.
Mason did not throw for a lot of yards, but he did throw for 20 touchdowns and completed 67 percent of his passes, which led the conference.
The running game was a big reason why the Bulldogs were able to score a lot of points this season. But they probably would not have won nine games had Mason not been consistent.
No. 3: ILB Amarlo Herrera
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Swann, Mauger and Wilson were good players on defense this year, but Amarlo Herrera was simply the best. The senior linebacker was third in the conference with 112 tackles and also posted 10 tackles for loss, three sacks and one interception.
Herrera has been the leader for the defense the last two seasons and will be remembered as one of the most consistent linebackers the school has ever seen.
No. 2: RB Todd Gurley
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It has been an interesting career for Todd Gurley, who will go down as one of the best players in school history. Gurley only played in six games this season because he was suspended for four games, and when he came back from suspension he tore his ACL and missed the rest of the season.
However, Gurley still rushed for 911 yards, scored nine times and even threw a 50-yard pass, which is the longest pass play for the Bulldogs this season.
Had Gurley not gotten suspended and injured, he probably would have been the winner of the Heisman Trophy.
No 1: RB Nick Chubb
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But had Gurley not been suspended and injured, the Bulldogs would not have gotten the chance to see Nick Chubb run over SEC defenders.
When Gurley was taken out of action, Chubb stepped in and never looked back. He has rushed for 1,281 yards and 12 touchdowns, and he leads the SEC in yards per carry at 6.9. He became the first freshman in school history to rush for over 100 yards in seven consecutive games, and because of that he was named SEC Freshman of the Year.
Gurley will be missed, but Chubb showed that he can do what Gurley has done the last three years, and maybe he can do it a little better.
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