Georgia Football: Biggest Storylines so Far This Offseason

Spring practice is in full swing for the Georgia Bulldogs, and they are hard at work to get ready for G-Day, as well as the 2015 regular season. The spring season is to not only get the players ready for the upcoming regular season, but it also helps fans figure out whether the team is ready to be a contender in the College Football Playoff.

That’s a storyline for the Bulldogs this upcoming season, but there are some bigger storylines this offseason that will determine if the Bulldogs have a chance to win the SEC, let alone get a berth in the College Football Playoff.

Here’s a look at the biggest storylines so far this offseason.

The Battle at Quarterback

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For anyone who has followed the Bulldogs this offseason, it’s no doubt the biggest storyline would have to be the battle going on at quarterback.

Brice Ramsey, Faton Bauta and Jacob Park are all fighting for the position, and Jake Rowe of 247 Sports reported that all three did some good things during the first spring practice on Tuesday.

Rowe also mentioned that this is going to be a marathon. Head coach Mark Richt will make his decision at who will start when preseason camp winds down because all three players are unproven, and the coaching staff will need to see all three players get as many snaps as possible.

Can Brian Schottenheimer Keep the Offense Going?

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Speaking of the coaching staff, offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer will be under some pressure this upcoming season.

Mike Bobo, the previous offensive coordinator who is now the head coach at Colorado State, had the Bulldogs scoring 40 points per game, and they were one of only two teams in the SEC to score 500 points last season.

Schottenheimer has spent the majority of his career in the NFL, but the Bulldogs do run a pro-style offense. Plus, he is inheriting four returning starters on the offensive line, and Nick Chubb, who emerged as one of the best running backs in the country, will also be back along with Sony Michel.

The only thing Schottenheimer needs to focus on is working with the quarterbacks. He is also the quarterbacks coach, and he will need to make sure he evaluates all three players to the best of their abilities.

Welcome Back Keith Marshall

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Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall looked likely to be the next great SEC running back duo after the 2012 season. But due to injuries for both parties, Gurshall never took off.

Now that Gurley has moved on to the NFL, Marshall looks to finish his career at UGA strong. And he’s off to a great start as he’s doing everything that is asked of him in spring practice. Marshall is a few pounds lighter, and he’s quicker on his feet. Even Nick Chubb told Rowe that he expects a big year from Marshall.

Let’s hope Marshall can stay healthy all throughout the 2015 season because if he can, that will make the running back group even more dangerous than last year.

Jake Ganus Making Noise on Defense

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Georgia always welcomes transfers to the team, and the best example of that is Jarvis Jones, who signed with USC but ended up as one of the best linebackers in UGA history.

UAB transfer Jake Ganus is not the same type of linebacker as Jones, but he’s getting a lot of attention in spring practice.

Ganus led UAB in tackles the last two seasons. But he had to find a new team to play for after the school shut down football back in December. Georgia was one of the 40 schools that pursued Ganus, and with him being from the Atlanta area, Ganus decided to come home.

With Amarlo Herrera and Ramik Wilson gone, Ganus has a great shot of winning one of the inside linebacker spots. He can run and hit, and he is very vocal. While Ganus would love to still be playing for the Blazers, he could have even more success while playing in Athens.