Georgia Football: Holiday Wish List for the Bulldogs

Christmas is right around the corner, and it’s always an exciting time because most people don’t have to worry about work, school is not in session and there will be plenty of presents to go around.

For the Georgia Bulldogs, they don’t have school, but they are still working as they continue to prepare for their bowl game against Penn State on Jan. 2.

It has been a wild month for the Bulldogs, as they hired Kirby Smart to replace Mark Richt as head coach. Wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon is the current interim head coach.

So based on the way things have gone, Christmas may have come early for the Bulldogs because Smart will give the program a fresh start, which is something most fans have been seeking for a while. But what other things do the Bulldogs want as they end the 2015 season and head into 2016?

Here’s a look at the Bulldogs’ holiday wishlist.

Win the TaxSlayer Bowl

The first thing the Bulldogs want is to beat Penn State on Jan. 2. It’s not a major bowl game, but the Bulldogs want to finish the 2015 season with a 10-3 record as well as get McClendon his first win as interim head coach.

David Goldman/Associated Press

The Bulldogs will enter the game as heavy 6.5-point favorites, according to Odds Shark, and have won four consecutive games. Meanwhile, the Nittany Lions have lost their last three games.

The Bulldogs will be without two key players, though. Kipp Adams of 247Sports reported that running back Brendan Douglas (injured wrist) and linebacker Tim Kimbrough will not play (serving a suspension).

Balanced Passing Attack

In a way, Christmas came early for the Bulldogs as Jacob Eason recently announced that his commitment to UGA is still strong. And that’s critical for the Bulldogs because if Eason decommitted, that would have left the Bulldogs with two quarterbacks on the roster with any type of experience.

That’s not a really good thing either because the Bulldogs' air attack was not very strong, averaging 187.1 passing yards per game and only tallying 12 touchdown passes.

Eason will have a chance to compete for the starting job right away because there will be a new coaching staff in place and he might be the most talented quarterback on the roster despite not having any experience.

"

QB Jacob Eason | #TheOpening alum POW candidate 16-26 | 252 Yards | 4 TD @skinnyqb10 #GoDawgs 🐶 pic.twitter.com/FmRNegdypQ

— The Opening (@TheOpening) November 25, 2015"

Continuity on Defense

The Bulldogs defense was a big strength this season. It allowed only 16.9 points per game (fourth in the SEC) and 298 yards per game (third in the SEC).

Former defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt did a good job of getting his players in positions to make plays, which is why Dominick Sanders finished with five interceptions. The defense really imposed its will in the final four games of the season, allowing 10 points per game.

But with Pruitt gone, there is a little concern about the defense taking a step back. The good news is Smart runs a similar type of defense to Pruitt's, and as defensive coordinator for Alabama this season, Smart led a group that was No. 1 in the SEC in total defense and No. 1 in the SEC in scoring defense.

As long as Smart gets the recruits, the Bulldogs defense will be just fine.

The SEC Championship           

Every team wants to win or least have a chance to play for the national championship. The Bulldogs came close to that a few times under Richt, and they are hoping Smart can get them over the hump.

Daniel Shirey/Getty Images

But in order for that to happen, the Bulldogs have to win the SEC, which is something they have not done in 10 years. The Bulldogs may have a new coaching staff, and the quarterback situation might be a question mark, but the talent is there to compete for the conference title.

The Bulldogs will get Nick Chubb back and a strong recruiting class will come in and expect to contribute right away.

Because of those two things along with a talented defense, there is no reason for the Bulldogs to take two steps back next season.