Georgia Football: Top Takeaways from 2015 Fall Camp

Fall camp has come to an end for the Georgia Bulldogs, and now it’s game week as they get ready for the season opener against Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday.

The Bulldogs did a ton of work during the month of August, and now it’s time for the players to stop hitting each other and gear up for what’s going to be a wild 2015 season.

But before we get into the 2015 season, we need to look back at fall camp. What were the things that we learned about the Bulldogs this month, who will be the new faces that make an impact? And can the Bulldogs really make a run at the SEC title and College Football Playoff?

The Quarterback Race Is Not Over

This is really not a surprise, but the quarterback competition is still going strong, and it probably will not end until after the first week of the season.

However, the three-man race is now down to two. Seth Emerson of DawgNation.com and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported last week that Faton Bauta has been relegated to the third team.

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Brice Ramsey and Greyson Lambert flip-flopped; Ramsey with 1s today, Lambert with 2s. Faton Bauta was with the 3s, as he was yesterday.

— Seth Emerson (@SethEmersonAJC) August 25, 2015"

This means the competition is down to Brice Ramsey and Greyson Lambert, and both are getting the same amount of reps with the first-team offense. Emerson noted that both looked good throwing the football, and head coach Mark Richt was watching both of them very closely.

With the first game being against Louisiana-Monroe, this gives both Ramsey and Lambert an opportunity to show what they can do. And no matter who wins the spot, he will have a very experienced cast surrounding him.

Trent Thompson Can Be a Superstar

Trent Thompson has been going through the grind of fall camp, and the 5-star recruit is learning how to become a defensive lineman in the SEC.

The media can only see a little of what Thompson can do, but defensive line coach Tracy Rocker sees Thompson all the time, and he told Jake Rowe of 247Sports that while Thompson has some work to do, he can be a great defensive lineman for the Bulldogs. Rocker said:

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Right now I don’t know because we’re out there going against each other and then all of a sudden you see greatness. Then all of a sudden you see high schooler. Then you see greatness. Then you see high schooler. I think the more and more he gets comfortable, the better he understands the speed of the game in the SEC, understands the techniques and the blocks that he’s getting, he’s going to be a decent player in this league.

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If You Don't Know, Now You Know #78 Trent Thompson Is The #RealDeal The #StrongWay | #AllDawgAllTheTime #GoDAWGS🔴⚫💯 pic.twitter.com/bb3Gf6nR8e

— HowBoutThemDawgs™ (@HBTD_DawgNation) August 20, 2015"

Thompson will likely be a part of the defensive line rotation that features veterans John Atkins, James DeLoach and Chris Mayes. With good coaching and senior leadership, Thompson will have a chance to do some big things this upcoming season.

The Receivers Are Talented but Need to Prove It

Malcolm Mitchell is looking to bounce back after having a 2014 season where he only averaged eight receiving yards per catch. In his defense, he was recovering from an ACL injury he suffered in 2013. Isaiah McKenzie is looking to be the No. 2 receiver, but he only had six catches last season.

John Bazemore/Associated Press

Both Mitchell and McKenzie have the speed and hands to be a great tandem. But Mitchell has not been able to be that deep threat since 2012, and McKenzie has only made plays on special teams.

There is also a group of inexperienced receivers that are part of the rotation, according to Emerson.

Shakenneth Williams, Michael Chigbu and Terry Godwin have been working with the first team, and receivers coach Bryan McClendon said those three are ready to play. All five are looking to do big things this season, but with a new quarterback at the helm, it might take some time to get the timing down, and that could mean a slow start for the unit.