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In Mike Bobo’s final season as Georgia’s offensive coordinator and Will Friend’s final season as offensive line coach, the Bulldogs’ attack put up huge numbers with the 2014 offense in fact establishing several new school records.

 

Georgia tallied 537 points and averaged 41.3 points per game (8th nationally), both program records. And run the football well, the Bulldogs did that with both Todd Gurley and then sensational freshman Nick Chubb enabling Georgia to rush for 257.8 yards a game. That mark led the SEC and ranked the Bulldogs 11th nationally in the rushing department and was the highest average since the 1987 team romped for 274.5 yards per game on the ground. Also, the Bulldogs set a school record pace by averaging 6.04 yards per rush.

 

Now, the big question on the Bulldawg Nation’s mind is, this: With four of five starters returning from that 2014 O-line that made all these offensive fireworks possible, can Georgia’s “Big Uglies” repeat their brilliant perfor- mance of last season while under the guidance of new offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer and new offensive line coach Rob Sale?

 

Indeed, can those four returning stalwarts … senior tackles John Theus and Kolton Houston and junior guards Greg Pyke and Brandon Kublanow … pave the way for tailbacks Chubb (1,547 yards rushing, 16 total touchdowns), Sony Michel (6.4 yards per carry), Keith Marshall, Brendan Douglas and A.J. Turman to inflict punishment on SEC defenses once again and, at the same time, provide ample pass protection for whoever becomes the Bulldogs’ new starting quarterback?

 

Of course, if you know all about the four regulars up front returning for the Bulldogs, you also know all about the one name missing from last year’s offensive line. And that’s a big one, graduating senior center David Andrews, who was the bell cow of this Georgia line as a three-year starter, simply a tremendous leader who got the Bulldog offense into the right sets with recognition of opposing defensive alignments.

 

So even with the four experienced starters back, that still brings up the question of whether the Bulldogs can find an adequate replacement for the steady Andrews from the likes of three guys who have tossed their hats into the ring for the starting job … sophomore Isaiah Wynn, senior Hunter Long and the aforementioned Kublanow, who was given a number of reps at center in the final days of spring drills.

 

According to both Georgia offensive and defensive players, the 2015 Bulldogs’ O-line won’t miss a beat this coming football season. They also say new O-line coach Sale brings the same intensity and sound coaching technique that Will Friend demonstrated with the Georgia linemen the past four seasons.

 

“I think all the guys are doing well,” said 6-6, 313-pound left tackle Theus, a solid All-SEC candidate this season. “The thing about our offensive line, we’ve got a lot of fighters on it so everybody makes adjustments at their position and gives it all they have, and that’s what makes us good.

 

“Coach Sale is tough on the field,” said Theus. “He’s not afraid to yell at you but that’s what we need and I think that’s what every good offensive line needs, hard coaching. But he definitely loves us off the field. He told us he would do that and he’s been good about that as well. He’s a good teacher and a good coach and I think he gets the best out of us. There’s not too much difference between Coach Friend and Coach Sale. They’re both hard on the field and love you off the field. They might coach some different techniques and stuff like that but they both do a good job and they’re both good coaches.”

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Theus said with An- drews no longer on the field, he knows it’s impera- tive for himself and fellow senior Houston to step up in the leadership role.

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“We knew coming in we were returning four starters but me and Kolton are kind of the older guys and have the most experience,” Theus said. “And we knew we were going to have to come in and fill the gap that Boss (Andrews) left. So we knew we had that responsibility coming in and we’ve taken that role.”

 

“Our O-line is coming along very well,” offered senior center Long, who backed Andrews last season. “All we’ve known is Coach Friend for four years, at least me, and Coach Sale came in and we loved him right from the start. He’s been a great coach, great guy, great person to talk to off the field. I mean, losing David was a big loss but I think we’ll be fine. Somebody will step up and we’ll just keep moving. With Coach Sale, there’s a few minor things that have changed but as far as attitude, effort and all that stuff, everything is the same. We’re just trying to bring the same toughness we had last year.”

 

Senior linebacker Jake Ganus, the transfer from UAB, quickly learned about the talent of the Bulldogs’ offensive front … from the moment he arrived in Athens.

 

“They’re outstanding,” Ganus said. “It’s the best O-front I’ve played against, which is good because it makes me better. Going against guys like that every play it does nothing but make you better. They’re all good … 1’s, 2’s and 3’s, everybody. The whole offensive line, they do a great job. They’re physical, they’re fast and athletic and they get their hands on you; I just think they do a great job.”

 

Wynn, the sophomore from St. Petersburg, ran with the No. 1 unit for much of the spring drills but Sale said the battle for the starting center spot will be an ongoing competition throughout preseason camp.

 

“My philosophy is that everyone’s job is open in the spring and I tell those guys from day one and that’s only fair,” he said. “In fall camp, I’m going to say the same thing … hey, all the jobs are open because it’s their job for them to work it in the summer, putting in all the lifting, and then in fall camp doing the same thing. The jobs are open, then after the third or fourth week you kind of identify that, hey, these are the guys that can play. These are the guys I’m going to put in this spot here and that type thing.

 

“The center job is close,” Sale pointed out. “Guys are doing a good job and at the same time you’re trying to create an edge to where they don’t feel complacent. I would just go with one guy one day and then might go halfline and flip it. Isaiah might go to guard, Brandon might go to center and vice-versa. Hunter might go to center with the 1’s and Isaiah the same type deal. For depth, we have several guys. Hunter is one, he can play the inside ‘3’ which is good. He knows what to do.” The coach said the fact that Kublanow is left-handed hasn’t impeded his develop- ment at the position. “Well, the ball hits the quarterback in the hand at a different spot,” said Sale. “Gun snaps really doesn’t affect them but I haven’t seen it to be a problem yet but at the same time, he hasn’t gotten live bullets in scrimmage and team run situations, 11-on-11 situations, so we’ll see.”

 

“We don’t know who the center is going to be,” head coach Mark Richt remarked after the completion of the spring game and the subsequent final two days of practice. “Kublanow is capable, Isaiah Wynn is capable and Hunter Long is capable right now. Are they game-ready right this second? Probably not. Hunter is probably the most able to handle all the calls and everything going on and snap the ball consistently right this second. But there’s a lot of time between now and then for everybody to get better at the skills that they need to get better at and study the spring cutups and make sure they can make all the right calls and all that kind of stuff. Those guys will work all summer long.”

 

Late in the spring sessions, Sale was pleased with the entire line’s progress.

 

“I would say our run blocking might be a little ahead right now but we’re coming along in play-action as well,” he said. “Protection is coming along fine. You’re going to give up some pressures here and there and everybody’s going to get beat, especially in situational practice, but they’re doing a good job. I’m pleased with our progress thus far. I’d say the 1’s are doing better than the 2’s; the 2’s need to keep coming along – they’re the 2’s for a reason – but they are getting better. I think the four returning starters are right on par with where they need to be.”

 

And that final statement by Sale could mean the Bulldogs could be headed for another record-smashing year on offense in the autumn of 2015