It’s common knowledge that you can’t read too much into the results of a spring football game. I myself have subscribed to this position for many years, saying on this site and wherever else I comment on college football that if G-Day really counted for much then Torin Kirtsey would have a mantle full of Heisman trophies.
That being said, I’ve also come to realize that you do occasionally get a tantalizing glimpse into the potential of a player or two on this day. Witness, for example, Brock Bowers’ performance in 2021. That same spring day freshman Javon Bullard led both squads in tackles, foreshadowing his next three seasons in a Bulldog uniform. Carson Beck obviously made us all feel a good bit better about his potential on G-Day last year.Now he’s a Heisman Trophy frontrunner.
Who will step into the limelight this year? There are a ton of candidates, but I’m really curious about these three:
Ellis Robinson, IV. The freshman cornerback turned heads before he even arrived in Athens and he hasn’t stopped since. This will be the first chance for most of us to see him matched up against elite college receivers, as Robinson battles with Julian Humphrey and Daniel Harris for the corner spot opposite Daylen Everette.
Lawson Luckie. Oscar Delp is now the clear #1 tight end with the departure of Brock Bowers, and he’s going to be under a good bit of pressure to produce in 2024. Stanford transfer Ben Yurosek will give the ‘Dawgs another experienced, physically mature tight end once he arrives in Athens (he’s not been practicing with the team this spring). But Luckie has an opportunity this year to not only earn significant snaps in 2024 but also to establish himself as the favorite for the top spot in 2025. Saturday could be his first step in that direction.
Andrew Paul. A lot of the focus on the UGA running back room has focused on Florida transfer Trevor Etienne and the talented freshmen from the 2024 class. New position coach Josh Crawford has the unenviable task of replacing both Daijun Edwards and Kendall Milton. If he’s healthy, Paul could be a huge part of doing that. The 5’11, 218 pound redshirt sophomore picked up significant carries down the stretch last season, and Saturday has the chance to show if he has the explosion back that carried him to over 2600 rushing yards as a high school senior.
We’ll be back with some additional thoughts and your G-Day Open Thread in the morning. Until then…
Go ‘Dawgs!!!