Five questions the Georgia offense needs to answer during spring practice

A week from Tuesday, the Georgia Bulldogs will hold their first of 15 spring practices.

The team has already begun putting in work for next season, waking in the early morning hours for team runs in Sanford Stadium. Taking this work to the practice field will only further help a Georgia team that should be one of the best in the country next season.

Georgia returns a lot of key pieces on the offensive side of the ball, but not all of them. Even those who return, like quarterback Gunner Stockton and offensive tackle Earnest Greene, face real questions going into next season.

How does Stockton handle the upgraded expectations?

This time a year ago, we wondered if Kirby Smart would name Stockton the starter or if a real quarterback competition would be held.

Neither was the case, as Stockton was never publicly declared the starting quarterback. He never needed to be, and he mostly aced his first season as a starter.

Stockton does still have areas he can improve on. It’s worth noting the last time the Bulldogs returned their starting quarterback, he didn’t end up improving. Stockton will have to fight through complacency and outside distractions to have an even better second season.

Who emerges as a pass catcher in the running back room?

The Bulldogs return their top running backs from last season in terms of rushing yards in Nate Frazier and Chauncey Bowens. Retaining Frazier was one of the bigger wins this offseason for Smart and the Bulldogs.

Georgia likely won’t want to put too much wear and tear on their top running backs this spring. But it does have to replace Cash Jones, the team’s third-down running back from last season.

Jones excelled as both a pass catcher and a blocker for the Bulldogs. It’s why he was on the field on every key third down.

Frazier and Bowens will look to earn those reps, showing they can be valuable running backs who never have to leave the field.

Which pass catchers emerge?

Georgia has stability at quarterback and running back. But at the top of the wide receiver depth chart, the Bulldogs have questions as to who will catch Stockton’s passes.

The Bulldogs have to replace six of their top seven pass catchers from last season. Georgia Tech transfer Isiah Canion was the big addition via the transfer portal, but he was the only addition at wide receiver.

Georgia is placing a big bet on its second-year pass catchers to take a larger role in the offense. The tight end position should be a strength for Georgia, with Lawson Luckie returning

No player had a bigger role on Georgia’s offense than Zachariah Branch last season. When Stockton needed to make a play, the USC transfer was Georgia’s go-to option. We’ll have to wait until the season begins to see who becomes that option, but we could get some answers starting this spring.

How does Phil Rauscher affect the offensive line?

Phil Rauscher first began working with Georgia’s offensive line last spring as an analyst. Now he has the big job, with Georgia promoting him to offensive line coach in January.

Rauscher helped improve Georgia’s offensive line last season, even as the group battled injuries.

He will have to replace the left side of the line, with Monroe Freeling and Micah Morris off to the NFL. Rauscher has options to play with, including incoming freshman Ekene Ogboko.

Georgia’s best teams have always had strong offensive lines. It will take time for Rauscher’s unit to come together, but he’ll get the chance to further reshape his offensive line this spring.

The offensive line played well for Georgia last season, thanks to Rauscher. If the Bulldogs are to go on a longer College Football Playoff run, it will have to have an even better year in 2026.

What does the injury situation look like for the Bulldogs?

Georgia never has all hands on deck in the spring. Injuries linger from last season, and the Bulldogs often use the time to get them cleaned up.

Frazier left the Ole Miss game with an ankle injury that very likely would have kept him out of Georgia’s game against Miami.