Georgia Football: 5 Things That Must Change for the Bulldogs to Improve in 2015

The Georgia Bulldogs finished the 2014 season strong with a win over Louisville in the Belk Bowl. They ended the year with a 10-3 record and a Top 10 finish in both polls.

That looks good on paper, but the Bulldogs know they could have accomplished more if they did not come out flat against the South Carolina Gamecocks and Florida Gators. However, the Bulldogs will have a strong nucleus coming back in 2015, and they should be a favorite to win the SEC East and possibly the entire conference.

But in order for that to happen, there are a few areas the Bulldogs need to improve in to be a better team this upcoming season. Here are five things that need to change in order for the Bulldogs to improve in 2015.

Passing Offense

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The Bulldogs were great on offense, as they scored over 500 points, which averaged 41 points per game.

However, they were able to score a ton of points without a potent passing game. In fact, the Bulldogs ranked ninth in the SEC in passing offense, averaging 200 yards per game, and the longest passing play was against Vanderbilt, where Todd Gurley threw a 50-yard pass to Jeb Blazevich.

Hutson Mason was accurate (completion percentage of 67) with the football, but he let guys like Gurley and Nick Chubb get their rushing yards, which led to big plays. The passing game should be different in 2015 because there will be a new quarterback under center, and new offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer will make sure the Bulldogs are more dangerous in the air.

Schottenheimer will have a tough choice to start at quarterback because Brice Ramsey and Jacob Park have great arms and can deliver the football where it needs to be.

Run Defense

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The biggest weakness for the defense last season was the run game. The Bulldogs averaged 166 rushing yards allowed per game, which ranked eighth in the conference.

The Bulldogs had great team speed, but the lack of size was an issue, especially on the defensive line.

The linebackers for the Bulldogs will need to do a better job recognizing the offensive fronts and getting off their blocks quicker. That will be a difficult task because inside linebackers Ramik Wilson and Amarlo Herrera will not return in 2015. Guys like Tim Kimbrough and Reggie Carter will have to be leaders for the group and make sure they are able to stuff the run on a consistent basis.

Quarterback Pressure

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Outside linebackers Jordan Jenkins and Leonard Floyd have the ability to get after the quarterback. However, the Bulldogs could've done a better job rushing the passer in 2014.

UGA finished with 28 sacks, which ranks seventh in the conference, but that’s a drop-off from 33 sacks in 2013, which was the second-best total in the SEC.

With the emergence of Lorenzo Carter, the Bulldogs should be more effective rushing the passer. Also, 2014 was the first season the defense was playing under defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt, so there is no reason Jenkins, Floyd and Carter can’t have a productive 2015 season when it comes to sacks.

Third-Down Defense

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The defense was solid in 2014, but it could have been better at getting off the field on third downs.

Opponents were able to convert 39 percent of their third downs, which placed Georgia ninth in the conference. The only way a defense can get better on third downs is to be more aggressive but play smart at the same time.

Again, this goes back to the group playing under Pruitt’s system for the first time. With the talent coming back in 2015 and having another offseason to learn the scheme, there is no reason the Bulldogs can’t improve on third-down defense.

Red-Zone Offense

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There was no team in the SEC that visited the red zone more than the Georgia Bulldogs. That’s a good thing, but they weren’t as efficient as they would have liked to be.

The Bulldogs made 67 trips to the red zone and scored 57 times, giving them a percentage rating of 85, which placed them ninth in the conference.

The Bulldogs had no issues moving the ball between the 20s, and they shouldn’t have a problem doing so again this season. Red-zone offense will likely be an area Schottenheimer will work on during spring practice and fall camp. With his background as an offensive coordinator in the NFL, he knows how important red-zone opportunities are. He will make sure the unit knows how to be more efficient when the field gets smaller.