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Georgia’s Blowout Had a Bigger Purpose: Getting the Young Dawgs Ready

Georgia’s 63-3 win over Tennessee State was never going to answer the question of whether the Bulldogs are ready for the toughest teams on their schedule. The numbers—660 yards of offense for Georgia, 109 for Tennessee State, and a game that was out of reach before halftime—tell the story. What might matter more, though, is something that will not show up until later in the season. Georgia gave a long list of young players something they cannot get in practice: real snaps in Sanford Stadium, with a scoreboard that actually counted.

Kirby Smart mentioned before the season that freshmen do not all develop at the same pace. Some settle in after a handful of reps, while others need what feels like a season’s worth. The only way to sort out who is ready is to keep giving them chances until practice-field habits start to show up on Saturdays. Tennessee State provided a low-stress setting to start that process, instead of forcing young players to learn their lessons while Georgia is trying to hold off an SEC opponent.

Zykie Helton has already moved past the cameo stage. The true freshman started at right guard, making him just the 14th true freshman to start a season opener under Smart. That is not a small thing, especially since the offensive line is one spot where Georgia would rather not experiment once October rolls around. Helton’s first start came in a game Georgia had well in hand, but the assignments, communication, and physical work were all real. Those snaps should help make the next ones feel a little more familiar.

PJ Dean offered another example on defense. Smart pointed out during camp that Dean was still catching up after missing spring practice time. Against Tennessee State, Dean finished with 1.5 sacks in his college debut. That is a nice start, but it doesn’t mean Georgia has found its next star pass rusher yet. Tennessee State’s offensive line is not the same challenge he will see in SEC games. The important part is that Dean got to rush the quarterback, read plays, and make mistakes at full speed, instead of just watching from behind the defense in practice.

That same opportunity showed up all over the roster. Freshman tight end Kaiden Prothro caught his first touchdown pass, and freshman running back Jae Lamar found the end zone for his first college score. Craig Dandridge Jr. got involved in the passing game, while young quarterbacks Ryan Puglisi and Ryan Montgomery took over after Gunner Stockton’s day was done. Montgomery added his first career touchdown pass to the list. That is a lot of firsts to check off on a day when the outcome was never really in doubt.

Of course, none of this means those players will be available when Georgia needs them most. There is a world of difference between playing Tennessee State with a five-touchdown cushion and entering an SEC game while every snap matters.

Still, Georgia’s depth only counts if the players behind the starters are ready to use it. Saturday gave several young Dawgs their first real step in that direction.

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