<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3Y8yWl_0vj6pZng00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3Y8yWl_0vj6pZng00" width="1210" height="806" ></figure>After sporting one of the best offenses around the last few years, UGA has struggled a little in 2024 without TE Brock Bowers and a few of the other playmakers from their previous squads. Still, OC Mike Bobo returns, as does QB Carson Beck, and those two have already had a lot of success and can have it again. Here’s what I said about them heading into the SEC Championship last December:<blockquote>Their offense is pro-style spread that’s focused mostly on inside zone runs, quick screens/swings, and short-to-mid seam throws across the middle- slants, crossers, posts. The slot receiver and TEs get a huge workload here, while the outside receivers have a diminished role outside the hashes unless they are part of a crossing concept.QB Carson Beck has been ruthlessly efficient in his first year as a starter. He’s completing 72% of his passes with an insanely quick decision-making and release. Most of his passes are 3-step drop timing routes that would look right at home in the 2011 NFL landscape. Beck’s got the zip and the accuracy to get the ball into tight windows - again, particularly on in-breaking seam routes. If a defender has even a shade of outside leverage, Beck will gun it to the inside and expect his receiver to cut in.What Beck hasn’t shown much of in his first year (through no fault of his own, really) is the ability to improvise. He’s often getting the throw out so fast that he passes up better opportunities or throws into coverage. And when he’s asked to recalibrate, dodge rushers, etc, things haven’t gone as well. It just hasn’t been very often.Beck gets first downs better than any QB in college football. But he’s only middle of the pack at getting explosive plays. It’s a very 2000s approach to the passing game, but that is the decade that brought us Brady, Manning, and Brees, so there’s something to it.</blockquote>Not a whole lot has changed since then. Beck’s numbers are down a little, from 72% to 68% completion rate, and from 9.5 to 8.3 yards per attempt. But he’s still scoring touchdowns at a high rate and has yet to throw a pick, all while only getting sacked twice. The offense still looks mostly the same as last year. It is mostly predicated on the quick passing game and chewing up first downs. Beck is a master at the slants and quick outs, and Bobo loves calling plays for running backs in the flats or on wheel routes. Add in a heavy dose of WR screens and reverses, and it feels like a neverending death by papercuts for opposing defenses. Dominic Lovett, Arian Smtih and Dillon Bell all return from being contributors from last year in the receiving game. For the most part, Beck doesn’t tend to rely on any specific receivers and spreads it around all game long, so guys like TE Oscar Delp and freshman WR London Humphries are just as likely to get the targets and a chance to make some plays with yards after the catch. In the rushing game, the Bulldogs are still mostly a zone rushing team. Freshman Nate Frazier had some good moments in the opener (I think this guy is going to be stud), but was relegated to second team after Florida transfer Trevor Etienne came back from suspension in game 2. Etienne then averaged 6.5 yards per carry in the next game and a half before leaving the game against Kentucky with a shoulder injury. Etienne did have a great game in his debut against Tennessee Tech, but was held under 5 yards per carry on 19 carries against Kentucky, so the jury is still out there. Along the OL, the Dogs lost OT Amarius Mims to the first round of the NFL Draft as well as center Sedrick Van Prann to the 5th round. Still, Mims missed a decent amount of time in 2023 so left tackle Earnest Greene was named a freshman All-American while right tackle Senior Xavier Truss has gotten plenty of starting experience over the years.Along the interior, Tate Ratledge was a 2nd team All-American last year, while Dylan Fairchild started 10 games. The most likely weak link is going to be center Jared Wilson, who’s getting his first shot as a starter this season. All in all.... It’s most likely the best offensive line in the country, particularly in pass blocking, and Alabama is going to have their work cut out for them. Alabama’s defense has generally feasted on shorter routes and limiting YAC even without getting a tremendous amount of pressure on the QB, which makes this some thing of an interesting matchup where both team’s strengths are going against each other. I imagine there will be some give and take there, as Alabama’s safety trio should be more than adept at sniffing out a bunch of UGA’s shorter routes, but the inexperience at corner could lead to some big plays on the outside if Beck is willing to look for them. I think UGA moves the ball well on Alabama, but settle for more field goals than their fans are going to be happy with. Let’s go with 3 TDs and 3 FGs for 30 total points. </div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

Alabama Football 2024 Preview: What you need to know about the Georgia Bulldogs’ offense

After sporting one of the best offenses around the last few years, UGA has struggled a little in 2024 without TE Brock Bowers and a few of the other playmakers from their previous squads. Still, OC Mike Bobo returns, as does QB Carson Beck, and those two have already had a lot of success and can have it again.