Georgia Football 2011 Season Preview: Player-by-Player Analysis (Offense)

September 3rd is just around the corner, meaning most college football teams have concluded fall camps and are preparing for their respective season openers with a good idea of who's playing where, who's improving and who's going to have to be an impact player.

Georgia's 2011 team will look a little bit different. Under their second year in defensive coordinator Todd Grantham's 3-4 scheme, the Dawgs made multiple position changes to enhance the output of the defense.

The offense returns starting quarterback Aaron Murray, who broke into the Georgia record books as a freshman last fall. 

However, the loss of multiple offensive lineman, for various reasons, and the departure of both Caleb King and Washaun Ealey put Georgia's offense in question for the time being.

So, is Georgia in trouble? You might think so if you don't have the staff all figured out, but that's why I'm here to give you a player by player evaluation.

Here's a look at your 2011 Georgia Bulldogs, from head to toe.

Quarterback: No. 11, Aaron Murray (Sophomore)

The Dawgs have talent and smarts at quarterback. Aaron Murray erased doubters last season with his arms and his legs, dominating defenses at points in the season.

Many have assumed his arm strength is not stellar, which correlates with shorter quarterbacks, but Murray had no problem slinging the ball downfield last year.

His decision making was also polished from the start of last season, but he did show youth at times. Murray has an uncanny ability to extend plays with his feet as well.

He's already patented a certain spin move to evade rushing defensive ends, and he's got a long touchdown run of 35 yards on his resume. 

The media gives him credit. Murray has been named a preseason SEC All-Conference pick by nearly all of the summer-preview publications.

He won't have A.J. Green to throw to next season, but Georgia fans saw Murray get his feet wet without Green in the first four games of the year. Despite a 1-3 start last year, Murray was a lone bright spot.

He's won over the respect of his teammates and coaches, and he's won over the hearts of the Bulldog fans. The only area of concern for Murray is his sometimes reckless running, but some might interpret that as toughness.

An injury-free Aaron Murray will be a very good one in 2011. 

Quarterback: No. 14, Hutson Mason (Sophomore)

Georgia's apparent lack of depth was a frightening prospect in 2010, but fans are cautiously becoming content with the product behind center.

True sophomore Hutson Mason was lightly recruited out of high school, and that might be an understatement. It appeared his college options were Western Michigan or UAB at the halfway point of his senior season, in which he shattered a number of passing records.

But, Mason was able to stay in state when the Dawgs offered him a scholarship late in the recruiting process.

Now the program is starting to see why Mason was so successful in high school. He's not the slight frame he was coming in as a freshman, and he's been a solid No. 2 option at quarterback during the offseason practices.

The fact that Mason has taken that position over top-flight recruit Christian LeMay is settling, and leads fans to believe he's picked up the pace of the college game.

Georgia would lose a lot if Mason had to suit up in the event of a Murray injury. Many think Mason has been issued the No. 2 job, but if Murray were to go down it's assumed that a quarterback race would ensue between Mason and the highly touted LeMay.

But, as long as Murray stays on the field, LeMay will likely be a redshirt, which is what fans would like to see. In other words, you are probably never going to see Hutson Mason as Georgia's starting quarterback. 

Quarterback: No. 16, Christian LeMay (Freshman)

True freshman quarterback Christian LeMay is an unsung member of Georgia's 2011 "Dream Team," and is undoubtedly the future of Georgia's offense.

This is why the Dawgs would much prefer to redshirt the talented freshman from Matthews, N.C.

LeMay was a year early with his commitment to Georgia, which might explain why his name somehow got lost in the shuffle with the likes of Ray Drew, Jay Rome and Isaiah Crowell.

But, he's got everything you want in a starting quarterback. He's a high I.Q. player with a very accurate arm and developed footwork. LeMay should have two solid years to learn the playbook before taking the field as Georgia's man, which will be after Murray leaves town.

He gets mention in this lineup, however, because he would very likely get his redshirt lifted if Murray got hurt for an extended period of time.

Tailback: No. 1, Isaiah Crowell (Freshman)

The word has been good on Isaiah Crowell, who was the icing on the cake of Georgia's recruiting class. But, the top tailback recruit in the country apparently needed a good talking to when he first got to Athens.

You can speculate, but according to teammates he just needed to be prepared for the monumental task at hand, which is starting as a freshman tailback in the SEC.

Once Crowell got to fall camp the negativity dissolved. Coaches and players have raved about his work ethic, and how quickly he's picked things up. There's immense pressure on Crowell to be ready to start on September 3rd when Georgia plays Boise State in Atlanta, but the Dawgs still have depth despite losing their starters from a year ago.

Crowell is a full package, athletically. He's got great elusiveness and top end speed, but also has the bulk to take the ball between the tackles. According to sources, Crowell was nearly impossible to get a clean hit on during Georgia's fall camp scrimmage at Sanford Stadium.

He should be at least tailback A or B in a running back by committee system, but if he continues to improve he might turn into a feature tailback.

Tailback: No. 22, Richard Samuel (Junior)

He's back!

At tailback anyways.

Senior journeyman, if you will, Richard Samuel will rejoin the running back rotation in 2011. Samuel started at tailback on opening day for the Dawgs in 2009, but eventually lost the job. With the emergence of Washaun Ealey towards the end of the 2009 year, Samuel switched to linebacker.

That's where Samuel was on roster last season, and until recently. With Ealey and Caleb King gone, Samuel adds depth to the tailback position.

He's also a big body that might be problems for defenses. Fans are raving about Crowell, but the thought of a 272 lb. fullback and a 243 lb. tailback might be mightily effective, and dangerous.

That's what Georgia will have when Samuel and big blocking fullback Bruce Figgins hit the field together.

Samuel is simply a straight ahead runner, and a violent one. He's also fearless, and has become a  favorite of Bulldog fans because of his loyalty to the team during the past few years. Despite being considered a five-star recruit by some media outlets, Samuel has barely seen the field in the red and black.

This year will be his final opportunity to become a staple.

Tailback: No. 30, Carlton Thomas (Junior)

Little Carlton Thomas was all the talk of Georgia's backfield in the 2009 preseason, but he's surrendered his opportunities for carries with countless fumbles during live games.

It appeared with the departure of Ealey and King that Thomas would become the spell to Crowell in Georgia's backfield, but the return of Samuel and the emergence of "Boo" Malcome has put a dark cloud over Thomas' future in Georgia's plans.

He might not have much luck playing receiver either. Georgia's receiving depth is solid despite the loss of A.J. Green and Kris Durham, mainly due to the fact the freshman receivers have impressed so much in workouts and camp.

Thomas is a slasher and a elusive runner, at just 5'7", and reminds a lot of Bulldogs of former tailback/receiver Tyson Browning.

Browning, who was a tweener, never really found his way as an impact starter on offense, but he did make a splash on special teams.

Punt returns could be an area where Thomas gets playing time, but it appears Branden Smith and Brandon Boykin are the front runners for that spot right now.

Despite undoubted talent, Thomas might be one of those guys who could benefit from a transfer. But, he's a liked player and brings some electricity to the backfield.

Thomas will have to serve at least a one-game suspension for violating team rules this offseason.

Tailback: No. 24, Ken Malcome (Freshman)

Also known as "Boo," redshirt freshman tailback Ken Malcome has become a highly talked about dark horse in Georgia's backfield.

He's a big guy, at 6'0" and 226 lbs. He also was the most impressive tailback during Georgia's spring game, running with that extra energy that seemed to elude Georgia tailbacks for the past few seasons.

Malcome is another guy that was getting a lot of positive discussion before Samuel returned to the backfield. 

Samuel entered camp as Georgia's "No. 1" at tailback, but many think that was simply because he's a senior with the most in-game experience at the position.

Even if Boo doesn't hit the field much in 2011, which might be the case with older guys in front of him, he's still expected to help generate quite a running game in the next few seasons.

Fullback: No. 89, Bruce Figgins (Senior)

Simply known in Athens as "Big Bad Bruce," ( a nod to the late Uga XIII) converted tight end Bruce Figgins will enter a peculiar role in Georgia's offense this fall.

The 6'4", 272 lb. "fullback" will fill in for the Dawgs in the position left vacant by Shaun Chapas. Figgins has some big-time shoes to fill, with Georgia having a line of outstanding fullbacks since the turn of the century, but he's confident.

Figgins moved to fullback to enhance his playing time as a senior. The tight end position is currently overloaded with All-SEC tight end Orson Charles, underrated pass catcher Aron White and highly recruited youngsters Arthur Lynch and Jay Rome.

Figgins will add some serious intimidation to Georgia's backfield, but he's also going to add considerable versatility. Because he's familiar with tight end assignments, Mark Richt and Mike Bobo have both talked about how they will find ways to move Figgins around pre-snap to basically screw with defense's minds.

Once the ball is snapped, Big Bad Bruce will then screw with defenders' health. Well, so we like to think. Get ready to watch the largest fullback in college football. Should be fun.

Fullback: No. 46, Alexander Ogletree (Sophomore)

Brother of linebacker Alec Ogletree (pictured), "Zander" might have created a competition at fullback this fall.

And, honestly, it might be one of the most comedic yet justified position battles on the team. Taking on the role of fullback, alongside the largest fullback in college football, Ogletree stands at just 5'10" and weighs a slight 224 lbs.

He's got a Patrick Pass/Verron Haynes type of presence, if you talk to Georgia know-it-alls, and has already been a feisty contributor on special teams.

It was apparent that the fullback position was Figgins' to lose, but Ogletree impressed coaches in the fall scrimmage and was considered the best fullback of that event.

Could he possibly overtake Figgins' role? He might be on the waiting list for a year, but Georgia has some serious versatility at their disposal with a scat-fullback and a wrecking ball in No. 89.

Receiver: No. 12, Tavarres King (Junior)

Georgia has a lot to replace in A.J. Green and Kris Durham, who were both outstanding last season in their final years between the hedges.

But, Tavarres King brings some above average talent of his own.

He's not going to jump up, catch a ball with one hand and do a backflip, but he's definitely a threat that puts pressure on defenses.

King was as thin as a twig coming out of high school, but since then he's bulked up nicely. In fact, King enters this fall at 192 lbs. He's become a physical receiver and could be a full package weapon this year.

Two things show up on tape with King: Serious speed, and serious agility. He's made a name for himself with a few video game esque jukes, and also has stretched the defense on numerous occasions during his playing time.

He's not an All-American, but King could be as good as a Mohamed Massaquoi or a Reggie Brown. That's all Georgia really needs.

Receiver: No. 15, Marlon Brown (Junior)

Even with significant playing time last fall, Marlon Brown didn't make the noise that most five-star recruits make when on the field.

But, the truth of Brown's non existent 2010 has a lot to do with the fact he just didn't see the ball go his way that often.

That's going to change drastically this year. Brown goes from a fourth/fifth string receiver to a starter, and has already gotten the attention of offensive coordinator Mike Bobo.

He's 6'5" 220 lbs., and would be classified as a "glider." Brown runs with ease, and with his length covers a lot of green grass.

He could very well be even more of an impact player than Tavarres King. 

Receiver: No. 17, Rantavious Wooten (Junior)

Slim, short and savvy, junior Rantavious Wooten has seen plenty of playing time at Georgia since his freshman year.

He's only 5'10", but his unmatched speed makes him an offensive weapon.

Georgia fans see Wooten taking on a role similar to Mikey Henderson's in 2007, but Wooten will likely play exclusively on offense.

He's been a feature player in gadget plays, and reverses, and has stretched the field for long touchdowns a couple of times, but he's not an established slot receiver.

He could be though. Wooten is very talented, but it will be interesting to see how he incorporates himself into the offense.

Receiver: No. 82, Michael Bennett (Freshman)

Redshirted freshman Michael Bennett hasn't seen the field between the hedges yet, but according to coaches this year will offer plenty of playing time.

Bennett has great size at 6'3" 208 lbs. He's just flat out described as a solid receiver, and unexpectedly adds a lot of depth to the receiver position.

In fact, a lot of fans think that Bennett is good enough to start for this team. That's either bad news in disguise, or a testament to the talent of some of these unsung receivers (which is essentially all of them).

Receiver: No. 28, Israel Troupe (Senior)

Israel Troupe has fallen into the dark and depressing corner that so many top recruits have been victim to, causing concern and criticism.

Previously one of the top prospects in the state of Georgia, and a big-time baseball prospect to boot, Israel Troupe hasn't been a contributor in Georgia's offense so far.

He had a long touchdown against Auburn in 2009, and an insanely athletic catch against Georgia Tech in that same year, but those are the only highlights that make up a rather disappointing career.

But, it's not over yet. Troupe could very well have a solid 2011, but despite his seniority he's still seemingly the fifth receiver on this team.

He hurt himself even more after word got out of his citation for publicly urinating. Troupe should contribute this year, but don't be surprised if he doesn't have more than 10 catches.

Receiver: No. 26, Malcolm Mitchell (Freshman)

True freshman Malcolm Mitchell is one of the many "Dream Team" players that have been outstanding in fall practice.

Writers who covered fall camp were very impressed with Mitchell, and Aaron Murray was equally impressed with Mitchell during workouts over the summer.

Apparently Mitchell has unheard of speed and separation ability. The top recruit came to Georgia as a defensive back/receiver, but his performance has rendered him a shoo in to get some playing time on offense this fall.

If there's a freshman that could take playing time from Troupe, Bennett or Wooten, it's this guy.

Other true freshman receivers Chris Conley and Justin Scott-Wesley deserve mention, but Mitchell is undoubtedly the most talented of the three.

Tight End: No. 7, Orson Charles (Junior)

Orson Charles, who came to Athens in the same class as former high school teammate Aaron Murray, enters the fall as the SEC's most heralded tight end. 

He follows in a long line of great UGA pass catches who played the position, but he's also a hybrid type of athlete who can overpower defensive backs and run past linebackers.

One of the reasons he's expected to be great is because it was evident last season that Charles and Murray had a special chemistry that could not be taught.

Murray gets Charles. Charles gets Murray. In a play against Florida, Charles ran a five yard out and was completely covered up, but Murray slung the ball into open space behind the linebackers.

For a split second fans were thinking, "Where the heck is Murray throwing that ball?"

The next thing we knew Orson had peeled back up field and ran right under the ball for a first down reception, as if he read Murray's mind.

That's the type of chemistry we are talking about. Charles could be a very special and influential weapon in Georgia's offense.

Tight End: No. 81, Aron White (Senior)

If Orson Charles played in another city Aron White would be an All-SEC tight end for the Bulldogs.

He's the definition of underrated. The senior tight end has been an extremely valuable pass catcher for the past few seasons. He's a big body with good receiver skills and sticky hands.

He's also taken ownership of the tight end seam route, which has worked magically for the Dawgs offense on multiple occasions in the past few years.

Don't let his second-string status fool you. White is possibly one of the best tight ends in the conference, and gives Georgia some serious depth at the position.

Tackle: No. 71, Cordy Glenn (Senior)

Big Cordy Glenn is considered by the media as All-SEC material, but he's also entering a very interesting junior year.

Glenn made a name for himself at the guard position, but this season he's shifting over to offensive tackle to replace Trinton Sturdivant, who was lost to a season-ending knee injury for the third time.

Glenn is a physical specimen, but he's got to pick up his new position well if the Bulldogs are going to do anything on offense this year. 

It's tough when there are even question marks surrounding your best players, but that's honestly where Georgia is with Glenn right now. He should be great, but we will have to wait and see.

Tackle: No. 79, Justin Anderson (Senior)

Things are a bit questionable at the other tackle position as well. Justin Anderson, despite great size and experience, is returning to offense after playing nose tackle for the Dawgs last year.

He switched to defense last fall to add size to Todd Grantham's 3-4 interior, and had considerable success when on the field. 

Like Glenn, Anderson starts anew, in a way, but should be a solid starter for the Bulldogs.

You just wonder if the lack of repetition, for both players, doesn't catch up to them.

Guard: No. 72, Kenarious Gates (Sophomore)

Kenarious Gates was good enough last year, as a freshman, to steal significant playing time from other members of the team.

This season Gates enters as the starting guard for the Bulldogs. Gates is one of the two starting offensive lineman that will not be switching positions this year, though some thought he would make the move to tackle before Anderson took the spot.

Kenarious has a lot of talent to cancel out some of his youthfulness.

Guard: No. 68, Chris Burnette (Sophomore)

Chris Burnette will see his first dose of live action this fall, and is the biggest question mark of Georgia's starting offensive front.

Burnette has been impressive, and very solid, but is inexperienced. He also moves to guard after preparing at center to add depth behind Ben Jones.

With multiple injuries and player shifts, Burnette now is tabbed to be Georgia's starting guard opposite of Gates. He's not the mountain that Gates, Glenn and Anderson are, but he's still a 300 lb. body that will make life difficult for defensive lineman.

Center: No. 60, Ben Jones (Senior)

Ben Jones is the unquestioned leader of this Georgia team. Entering his senior year, Jones has become an influential figure in Georgia's locker room.

He's also highly regarded by the media, being picked as an All-SEC center and a representative of team members at SEC media days (along with Murray and senior defensive back Brandon Boykin).

Jones is infamous for mocking Georgia Tech in 2009 by putting a piece of yellow Tech turf in his mouth after the Dawgs' victory.

He's also switching to No. 60 this year, after wearing No. 61 in his first three, to honor his late father. 

Kicker: No. 57, Blair Walsh (Senior)

Georgia has had some great kickers in the past, including Kevin Butler, Billy Bennett and Brandon Coutu.

But, Walsh could very well go down as the most prolific kicker in Georgia lore.

It's rare that your kicker is considered the best player on the team, but Walsh has been selected as a preseason All-SEC kicker and is one of just two Georgia players tabbed by publications as an All-American for 2011.

Kick Returner: No. 2, Brandon Boykin (Senior)

Brandon "Bam Bam" Boykin is one of the most athletic players on Georgia's team, and is a solid cornerback and motivating team leader.

But, Boykin has iced himself a place in Georgia history by becoming Georgia's all-time leading kickoff returner in just two season's worth of action.

He has three 100-yard kickoff return touchdowns in his career, and also added an 80-yard touchdown return against future conference member (kidding) Texas A&M.

Boykin has a fluid and proactive running style that is rare, making him nearly impossible to tackle on the first try. 

He's definitely a fan favorite, and gets fans out of their seats every time he touches the rock.