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Fall Camp Opens Soon: Has Georgia Fixed What Ended Last Season?
By: Greg Poole
Georgia heads into fall camp with a clear sense of who they are. Under Kirby Smart, the Bulldogs have become one of college football’s top programs. They just signed another strong recruiting class and bring back enough proven players to expect another push for the SEC Championship and College Football Playoff.
Still, none of that erases how last season finished.
For a team that judges itself by national championships, another early playoff exit felt like unfinished business. Winning the SEC was a big achievement, but winning just one playoff game, or none at all, isn’t the goal in Athens. As preseason camp begins, every drill, position battle, and coaching choice comes down to one question: has Georgia fixed the issues that kept them from a deeper playoff run?
The first issue is obvious.
Georgia’s offense lacked enough big plays. Too often, the Bulldogs relied on long, careful drives that left minimal room for mistakes. Top defenses eventually made Georgia string together ten or twelve perfect plays, which is tough to do against playoff teams.
The hope going into camp is that another offseason with Gunner Stockton as the clear starter will make a difference. Stockton isn’t just getting ready to be the quarterback—he is the quarterback now. With a full offseason working with Mike Bobo, the offense should be able to grow instead of just focusing on basics. Georgia also expects more from a deeper group of receivers who can stretch defenses downfield, keeping safeties from crowding the line.
The running game is also a top priority.
For years, Georgia controlled games with a strong running attack. Last season, that strength only showed up at times. Too many early runs led to second-and-long situations, putting extra pressure on Stockton and the passing game.
Fall camp is a chance to get that balance back. With an experienced offensive line led by center Drew Bobo, the group should work together even better. Competition at running back should also boost production. Georgia doesn’t need the top rusher in the country. What they need is a tough, efficient running game that makes play-action and big passes more effective, just like in past years.
Stockton showed a lot of toughness last season, but he took more hits than Georgia would like for its starting quarterback. Improving pass protection isn’t just about giving up fewer sacks. It’s about letting the offense attack downfield without constant pressure and keeping the quarterback healthy all the way through December and beyond.
Georgia’s defense was strong, but by their own championship standards, it wasn’t always dominant. The Bulldogs gave up too many big plays at key times and didn’t make enough game-changing stops against top teams.
This fall, the focus is likely to go back to what made Georgia’s championship defenses great: constant pressure, disciplined run defense, tighter coverage, and forcing teams into clear passing situations. With experienced linebackers, more depth on the defensive line, and another strong recruiting class pushing the veterans, the defense has a real chance to become the group that takes over games, not just manages them.
Maybe the biggest lesson from last season isn’t about the numbers.
Playoff football frequently comes down to just a few key plays.
Third downs, red-zone chances, two-minute drills, and sudden-change defense—championship teams handle these instances better than anyone. Georgia has won a lot of games by excelling in these areas, but last season saw enough mistakes to make them a big focus in camp.
That focus also includes special teams.
Smart has always seen special teams as a way to win, far from just an afterthought. Things like hidden yardage, steady kicking, disciplined coverage, and field position don’t make headlines in August, but they often decide who is still playing in January.
There’s always optimism when fall camp starts. Every team thinks it got better over the offseason. But Georgia’s expectations are on another level compared to most teams.
The Bulldogs don’t have to prove they belong with college football’s best—they’ve already done that many times.
What remains to be proven is whether the lessons of last season have produced a more explosive offense, a more consistent running game, a more disruptive defense, and a team prepared to play its best football when the stakes are highest.
Everything that starts on day one of fall camp is aimed at that goal. Georgia isn’t just trying to make the playoffs again. They’re getting ready to make sure their next playoff run goes much further than the last one.
SOC: “Soccer in Sanford” Tickets Now Available
By: Georgia Sports Communications
Tickets for the University of Georgia’s “Soccer in Sanford” match against James Madison on Thursday, Aug. 20 are now live for all spectators to claim.
Spectators interested in attending the match can claim their free tickets at https://georgiadogs.evenue.net/events/SS.
The north side of Sanford Stadium will be open for general admission at the match. ADA seating will be available in section 114. Gates will open for spectators at 6 p.m. EDT with kickoff set for 7 p.m. EDT. A fireworks show will follow the conclusion of the match. The first 3,000 students will receive a free T-shirt and Chick-fil-A, while the first 4,000 fans will receive a free poster.
“Soccer in Sanford” will simultaneously honor the rich history of soccer in Athens and throughout Georgia, while also looking to set new memories. This summer marks the 30th anniversary of the United States’ women’s national team’s 2-1 victory over China in the Summer Olympics gold medal match on Aug. 1, 1996, at Sanford. With 76,481 fans, the game set a new international attendance record for a women’s sporting event.
Since the 1996 victory, Georgia has become one of the nation’s top soccer hotbeds, producing the fourth-most NWSL players of any state and celebrating the opening of the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center near Atlanta. This summer, Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta hosted eight matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, culminating with Argentina’s semifinal victory over England.
With this match, the Bulldogs will set to break the NCAA soccer attendance records of 14,410 (women’s – set in 1999) and 22,512 (men’s – set in 1980). Georgia head coach Keidane McAlpine helped set the NCAA regular season women’s attendance record of 11,925 when his USC squad faced UCLA on Nov. 3, 2017, at the Bruins’ Drake Stadium. JMU head coach Joshua Walters, Sr. was also involved in the 2017 match as UCLA’s associate head coach.
Luke Bonfield Joins Georgia Baseball Staff
By: Georgia Sports Communications
University of Georgia’s Ike Cousins head baseball coach Wes Johnson announced Thursday the addition of Luke Bonfield to the Bulldogs’ coaching staff.
The 31-year-old Bonfield will assist with the offense, recruiting and work with the outfielders too. He comes to Georgia after spending the past year as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) baseball team.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Luke and his wife, Kathyrn and daughter Joelle, to the Georgia Bulldog baseball program,” said Johnson. “I’ve known him since his playing days at Arkansas and watched him develop into one of the best young hitting coaches in college baseball who has been a part of College World Series (CWS) teams as a player and coach. He is a tireless worker, a phenomenal recruiter, and we’re excited he’s joining our staff.”
Johnson was the pitching coach at Arkansas under Dave Van Horn during Bonfield’s junior and senior seasons (2017-18). Bonfield was a part of two CWS teams during his career with the Razorbacks, including the 2018 team that finished as the national runner-up. Bonfield returned to the CWS three times while serving on Tennessee’s staff, including being part of the 2024 national championship team.
At Pitt in 2026, Bonfield helped the Panthers go 33-24 overall and 14-19 in the ACC under head coach Mike Bell. It was the first 30+-win season for the program since 2013, and it rewrote the offensive record book. Pitt finished second nationally with 397 walks and ranked fifth nationally in on-base percentage (.435), ninth in slugging percentage (.539), 12th in scoring (8.6 runs per game) and 13th in home runs (109).
Prior to joining Pitt’s staff, Bonfield spent six years with the University of Tennessee’s baseball program under Tony Vitello. He joined the Volunteers’ staff as a student manager prior to the 2020 season after a productive collegiate career and two years of professional baseball in independent leagues. Bonfield was promoted to Director of Player Development in September of 2021 and moved into a new role as the Director of Recruiting Operations following the 2024 season.
During his time in Tennessee, he helped the Volunteers make five NCAA Tournament appearances, five Super Regionals and three trips to the CWS (2021, 2023 and 2024). The Volunteers would also combine for four SEC Titles in that timeframe while winning both the regular season and tournament crowns twice (2022 & 2024).
As an outfielder at Arkansas from 2015-18, Bonfield appeared in 205 games and posted a .287 career batting average. He tallied 199 hits, 120 runs scored, 26 home runs and 139 RBI during his four years in Fayetteville. The Skillman, New Jersey native helped lead the Razorbacks to the 2018 CWS. As a senior that year, Bonfield hit .296 with 10 doubles, nine homers and 44 RBI.
A top prospect coming out of high school, Bonfield played his prep baseball at IMG Academy in Florida and Immaculata High School in New Jersey. He was rated the 57th-best recruit in the nation by Perfect Game and was selected by the New York Mets in the 21st round of the 2014 MLB Draft.
Bonfield and his wife Kathryn have a five-month-old daughter Joelle.
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