Georgia Football Week 2 Spring Practice Report
Kirby Smart's second week as the head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs is in the books, and the identity of the 2016 team is beginning to take shape.
Quarterback Jacob Eason has been indoctrinated into the system, the defense is adjusting to new coordinator Mel Tucker and offensive coordinator Jim Chaney is beginning to put his stamp on the offense.
What have we learned about the Bulldogs so far?
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Another Glimpse At The Comeback
How much hope can a 32-second video give a fanbase?
Enough hope to fill the offseason.
DawgNation.com's Seth Emerson recorded 32 seconds of running back Nick Chubb rehabbing and going through some light agility work on Friday night at Sanford Stadium, and the rising junior looks good considering how severe the knee injury that ended his season in early October was.
He wasn't at 100 percent. He wasn't even close.
But the mere sight of Chubb doing some light cutting, stopping, starting and moving around like a running back has to give Georgia fans a grin from ear to ear.
Sony Michel and Tae Crowder are the only two healthy, scholarship running backs working out in camp this spring in Athens, and freshman Elijah Holyfield will join the program later this summer. With Chubb on the sideline, Michel is getting full-time first team work for the first time in his career in a camp setting, which has helped the rising junior become a more complete player.
"It's tough, but on the positive side it actually helps me out getting conditioned, getting my weight down and getting in shape the right way," Michel said, according to Georgia's post-practice release on Thursday. "It's making me a better football player overall."
If Michel can stay healthy and Chubb can come back to near 100 percent, Georgia's running game will be just fine.
Been There, Done That
Who better to speak to the challenges of true freshman, former blue-chip quarterback Jacob Eason than another true freshman, former blue-chip quarterback who has found success at the NFL level?
That's exactly what former Bulldog and current Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford did on Friday.
Stafford, who was in town for Georgia's annual spring coaches clinic, did not start immediately as a true freshman, but eased into the role midseason and eventual became a star between the hedges. A Texas native, Stafford threw 51 touchdowns in three seasons as a Bulldog, for 7,731 yards and 7.8 yards per attempt, according to Sports-Reference.com.
He offered some advice to Eason, who hails from Lake Stevens, Washington, in a brief session with the media, according to GeorgiaDogs.com:
"He looks like he has a lot of talent—that's what everybody says. Obviously he was a highly recruited kid. It's a lot of fun coming from a long way away and immersing myself in Georgia and culture. It wasn't always easy. I had my ups and downs, especially my freshman year (seven touchdowns, 13 interceptions). But it was worth it. For me, I wanted to play early. I didn't want to sit out. I came in early, and it was difficult. At times, you know, leaving all of your buddies in high school and being far away from home. It was worth it for me, and I'm sure it will be worth it for him.
"
For Eason, having a guy like Stafford to rely on is huge.
Things have changed in college football since 2006—Stafford's first season in the game—but he learned how to handle the massive speed bumps that pop up in front of freshmen quarterbacks, and learned from them. Those lessons benefited Stafford during his final two seasons, and helped vault Georgia into a national title contender during that time.
Extra Special Hire
For years under former head coach Mark Richt, Georgia's special teams were undercoached.
Instead of having one coach whose actual title was "special teams coordinator," Richt would have other position coaches and coordinators absorb specific aspects of special teams in an effort to be a little more efficient with his nine on-field coaching positions.
Smart has different ideas.
He lured former Virginia Tech assistant Shane Beamer to Athens after the Hokies cleaned house, with the son of former Hokie head coach Frank Beamer taking over as the new special teams coordinator and tight ends coach in Athens.
The younger Beamer learned the tricks of the trade from his dad, who made "Beamer Ball" a widely known moniker for top-tier special teams play.
"He probably knows more than I do right now," Frank said of his son, according to Jason Butt of the Macon Telegraph. "He was always around it and studied it—really detailed. I think he knows everything I know and more. He’ll do a good job."
Georgia's return game is in good hands with the Human Joystick Isaiah McKenzie back to return punts after scoring twice on returns last year, as well as Reggie Davis back as the primary kick returner. But field goals are a mystery after Marshall Morgan's graduation, punting could be in the hands of former 4-star quarterback Brice Ramsey and it never helps to get a block or two in key spots.
Beamer can help make that happen in 2016.
In The Trenches
Georgia's defensive line is a question this spring, and the decision of one rising sophomore made it a bit more difficult to answer.
Jonathan Ledbetter was arrested earlier this month for underage possession of alcohol and possession of false identification. Per university policy, the incident triggers a mandatory suspension for 10 percent of the season (one game).
"Jonathan made a huge mistake," Smart said after practice on Tuesday. "He embarrassed himself. He embarrassed our team, his family and our family. I’m really disappointed in Jonathan, and he knows we can’t have that behavior. You’re held to a higher standard at the University of Georgia, and he should know that. He made a critical mistake."
That opens the door for some younger players to impress the staff, which knows they need to find somebody who can handle what North Carolina will throw at Georgia in Week 1.
Trent Thompson has worked primarily with the first team at tackle and nose, with Ledbetter, true freshman Julian Rochester, junior John Atkins, redshirt freshman Justin Young and sophomore DaQuan Hawkins rotating at the two spots alongside him during the second week of practice, according to Cody Pace of the Macon Telegraph.
Thompson and Rochester both have the size to play in the middle and the speed to be ends in Smart and Tucker's 3-4 scheme. Their versatility will allow the staff to mix and match players in different spots throughout the spring to find the right mix.
The line is still a work in progress, and will likely remain that way through spring practice and well into fall camp.
Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Statistics are courtesy of CFBStats.com unless otherwise noted, and recruiting information is courtesy of 247Sports.
Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and national college football video analyst for Bleacher Report as well as a host on Bleacher Report Radio on SiriusXM 83. Follow Barrett on Twitter @BarrettSallee.
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