Welcome to Tuesday, Bulldog fans! Your ‘Dawgs have been game planning for Saturday’s season opener against Clemson, and I hope you have too. Whether that be finishing up any household projects, thinking up the reasons you postponed them until this point, or penning snarky fall wedding RSVPs, time has run out and we have meaningful Georgia football on our doorsteps.
Football coaches are constantly challenged in these heavy media times of keeping players focused on the next opponent, instead of looking down the road. We fans have the luxury of freaking out about whoever and whatever, and whenever. In that vein, should we be concerned about Georgia Tech? Fresh off a manhandling of Orange Bowl runner-up FSU, the Tradesmen of North Avenue have a lot of momentum on their side. And next year is looking better as well, at the expense of Georgia.
Then there was the disappointing news out of Ohio. Ryan Montgomery, the 2025 QB commit, suffered a torn ACL injury in a early-season clash against powerhouse Toledo Central Catholic. The 4 star was admirably upbeat after finding out his season was over and required surgery, but we wish the young man well and look forward to a healthy Montgomery in Athens next fall.
And we’re already down a man as well. Roderick Robinson’s troublesome toe was such that it required him to undergo surgery and Robinson will miss Saturday’s noon tilt. The sophomore had been nursing a turf toe for some time, and this is a big loss to the Georgia running back room. We don’t know the availability of Trevor Etienne, Branson Robinson is returning from missing all of 2023, and Clemson presents one of the best defensive fronts in the country.
There were a few other injury updates, but none as drastic or surprising. Coach Kirby Smart held his first gameweek presser of his 9th season at the helm, and he slipped a few typically vague nuggets here and there. Our friends at Bulldawg Illustrated as usual captured the session and posted it timely. What I liked to hear was that center Jared Wilson was working back into the rotation. Which means Tate Rutledge can thrive at right guard and continue to grade the road, no matter who is running the ball behind him.
It may have just been fluff, or coach speak, or possibly even misdirection, but Coach Smart did lay the groundwork for a more vanilla offensive scheme Saturday. He had high praise for signal caller Carson Beck, but was quick to warn that Beck is limited by the players around him, and that early in the season he did not want to overload the players with technical schemes. That could be a direct result of recently losing the top returning back (Roderick Robinson), having to replace a couple of offensive linemen, your top wideout, and one of the best offensive players ever to play football in Athens. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this in the comments.
That should get your day started. Let us know if you hear any more news, but let’s all hope it isn’t of the injury sort or from an ACCPD blotter. Enjoy your Tuesday, and as always…
GO ‘DAWGS!!!