Georgia managed to set several school records for offense last season despite enduring a perfect storm of injuries among its skill players. Most of the hobbled play-makers are fully recovered if not completely so as the Bulldogs get set to open camp Friday, and that has offensive coordinator excited about the prospects this season.
“All the guys look good,” Bobo said Wednesday. “They’ve got a great mindset, they feel good and they’re all anxious to to get out there and go again, which is good.”
The Bulldogs lost flanker Malcolm Mitchell, their most explosive play-maker at wide receiver, to a season-ending knee injury on the first offensive series of the season last year. A few weeks later, knee injuries ended the seasons of split end Justin Scott-Wesley, tailback Keith Marshall and tight end Jay Rome.
All four have recovered to the point that they will be able to practice at least in a limited capacity when preseason practices begin on Friday. Rome (foot) and Scott-Wesley (knee) are slightly further behind but should be available to play early in the season. Scott-Wesley is suspended for the first game due to a team rules violation.
“They haven’t played in a long time and they’re anxious to show what they can do again,” Bobo said. “We’ve just got to be careful with all of them and have that in mind while we’re out there practicing.”
That’s just part of Bobo’s offensive dilemma this fall. Another aspect is deciding how to attack opposing defenses. He has a lot of options with Todd Gurley & Co. at tailback and 15 players to choose from at wide receiver.
“We’re going to have to see how we unfold as a team offensively and what our best personnel groups are and what our identity becomes for us to move the ball,” Bobo said. “That changes year to year. Everybody sees Georgia as a two-back team, which we do. But last year we were a one-back team 74 percent of the time with three receivers and one tight end and one back. so really it depends on who we feel like is our best personnel and who gives us the best chance to move the ball.
“We’re still going to have that element of two-back runs and two-back power game to establish some physicality when we go in the stadium and to help with our play-action passes.”
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