Georgia Football: Holiday Wish List for the Bulldogs

The Georgia Bulldogs continue to prepare for the Belk Bowl, which is not the bowl they dreamed about before the season began, but they still had a good season by most standards.

They finished the regular season with a 9-3 record that included a 6-2 record in the SEC. They were the No. 1 offense in the SEC, scoring 500 points this year. And the team had numerous freshmen step up and become key players for the team this season.

But in order for the Bulldogs to take the next step, they will need some positive things to happen as they get ready for the 2015 season. So here’s a holiday wish list for the Bulldogs.

An Offensive Coordinator

USA TODAY Sports

One of the things the Bulldogs need in order to be successful moving forward is to be able to score points, which they have done well the past few years. But with offensive coordinator Mike Bobo taking the head coaching job at Colorado State, per Terry Frei of the Denver Post, the Bulldogs will need someone who can get the most out of a talented roster.

It will be interesting to see what Mark Richt does when it comes to the coaching search. He could try to get an already established coordinator like Ohio State’s Tom Herman or he could hire a position coach at a big-name school and give him a chance.

When it comes down to it, losing Bobo hurts because he’s been with Richt and Georgia for so long. So whoever is the next offensive coordinator will have to be just as good, if not better than Bobo to make the fans happy.

A Healthy Keith Marshall

John Bazemore/Associated Press

Another thing that will help the Bulldogs next season is a healthy Keith Marshall.

Nick Chubb did have a great 2014 season, and Sony Michel was able to come in and do some good things as well. But having Marshall healthy will make the Bulldogs even more dangerous in the running game in 2015.

Back in 2012, Marshall was able rush for over 750 yards playing behind Todd Gurley. But he also showed that he is able to score from anywhere on the field and can break tackles as well.

With a new quarterback coming into play, the running game needs to be as strong as it was this year. Chubb and Michel proved they can carry the load, but a healthy Marshall can take the Bulldogs to the next level.

Roquan Smith

247Sports

Honestly, the Bulldogs already have a stacked recruiting class that includes Trent Thompson and Terry Godwin, who are both two of the top five players in Georgia, according to 247Sports. But if the Bulldogs were able to land linebacker Roquan Smith, that would be icing on the cake.

Smith is a needed player for the Bulldogs because they will lose linebackers Ramik Wilson and Amarlo Herrera next season. So Smith, who is the sixth-best outside linebacker in the country per 247Sports, will have a chance to make an impact right away.

Smith does have the Bulldogs on his short list and even made a visit to Athens earlier this month according to Dan Legge of the Dawg Post. So Georgia could get its wish of signing Smith in February.

A Bowl Win

Dave Tulis/Associated Press

This season could have been better for the Bulldogs, but they can still earn 10 wins if they defeat Louisville in the Belk Bowl.

This will be an interesting matchup because this is the first time Georgia and Louisville will face each other. This will also be the first time the Bulldogs will go up against former defensive coordinator Todd Grantham.

Not only will the Bulldogs have a chance to finish the season with a 10-3 mark, but with them being ranked No. 13 in the College Football Playoff Poll as well as AP Poll, there’s a chance the Bulldogs could finish in the Top 10, which would be an accomplishment considering they weren’t ranked at the end of last season.

Win the SEC in 2015

Dave Tulis/Associated Press

But the No. 1 thing the Bulldogs wish for is an SEC championship for 2015. They were one game away from reaching it this season, and with the talent they have coming back on both sides of the football, they will have a chance to get to the Georgia Dome next year.

The key for the Bulldogs to reach the title game is quarterback play, and with Hutson Mason gone, the position battle will be interesting, as Brice Ramsey, Faton Bauta and Jacob Park will fight for the spot.

The running game will be set, as well as the offensive line and receivers. As for the defense, they will miss Wilson, Herrera and Damian Swann, but defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt has made vast improvements with the defense this year, and they should only get better.