For the fourth consecutive season, the Georgia Bulldogs are the favorite to win the SEC East title. That’s because there’s a considerable amount of hype surrounding a team that returns the nation’s No. 1 ranked scoring defense from a year ago, and an offense that has been completely remodeled in the offseason. Head coach Kirby Smart added two experienced Power Five quarterbacks and a new signal caller with a lot of experience in the passing game. Smart has also been recently named as the next coach to win a national title who hasn’t yet.
Several unidentified SEC coaches evaluated Georgia’s team and the likelihood that the Bulldogs could win a national champion on Lindy Sports’ annual SEC preseason summer preview.
“They have a new offensive coordinator [Todd Monken] and that’s always going to be interesting, no matter whether it’s coupled with a new quarterback [Jamie Newman] or coupled with missing spring practice,” one coach said. “There will be some growing pains, but they’ve got so many players on that roster. They’ve got good receivers — young and inexperienced, but they’re good receivers.
“Zamir White is a good player, fast and tough and can make hard yards in the SEC. They’re not close to what they were on the offensive line. They lost too many good players.”
On the offensive line, the Bulldogs replace four guys with starting experience, and also there’s a new position coach in Matt Luke after Sam Pittman departed for for the head coaching gig Arkansas.
Last week, SEC Network analyst Greg McElroy said he felt Newman was “way more talented” than Alabama starting quarterback Mac Jones, and that comment sparked a lot of backlash among fanbases. Newman transferred to Athens this past January from Wake Forest after spending four years with the Demon Deacons.
“I don’t get all the hype for Newman. He’s a good athlete and he’s got a good arm, but he got hurt a couple of times at Wake and he wasn’t facing the defenses he’ll face in the SEC,” the anonymous coach said. “I’m not sold on Newman. … the defense has a chance to be exceptional.”