While it may be hard for some to believe, 17 carries is the most Georgia’s D’Andre Swift has ever had as a college player. Considering Swift has averaged 6.8 yards every time the ball has ended up in his hands, it could be argued he hasn’t carried it enough.
Then again, coach Kirby Smart ascribes to the share the wealth/save the body philosophy. He was asked Tuesday if Swift’s somewhat limited output was a product of energy management and injury prevention or opportunity sharing.
“He's been in the backfield with some good players,” Smart said in a briefing after practice Tuesday. “With the guys we had in the backfield with him -- two, three guys -- there may not be an opportunity for a guy to get 25-30 carries. The game is not built like it used to be for guys to carry that. The people hitting these guys are bigger, faster, stronger. There's a lot more licks. Just may not happen that way.”
His first season, Swift played second fiddle to Nick Chubb and Sony Michel, and actually averaged 7.6 yards per carry as a third option. Last year, Swift got off to a slow start early in the season, presumably due to off-season, double-groin surgery.
But Swift seems healthy this time around. He appeared in a non-contact jersey one day last week, but otherwise has been full-go in all the Bulldogs’ practices throughout preseason camp.
Once again, though, he has plenty of capable backs with which to share the load. Senior Brian Herrien has had “a really good camp and has run the ball tough,” according to Smart, and has proven he deserves more opportunities. Meanwhile, everybody wants to get a look at a now-healthy Zamir White, not to mention James Cook and Kenny McIntosh.
In a perfect world, they’ll all get plenty of chances. And it hasn’t been Smart’s style to feed one back over another in the quest for postseason award.
Swift is getting a lot of mentions as a Heisman Trophy candidate and even has odds posted for winning it at some Las Vegas books.
“It shouldn’t be that way, that he has to carry the ball 25 times a game (for Georgia to win),” Smart said. “I have no doubt that D'Andre Swift can do that. But it all goes back to, is that necessary? You do what you have to do to win.
“Sometimes other guys have good skill sets. Sometimes other guys are fresher. Sometimes it's a rotation pattern. Some of our games haven't dictated where a guy can get that many carries because some of our games have been lopsided and you don't get a chance to get guys that many carries."
Odds are, the Bulldogs will spread the love again.
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