Top Dawg. This is Terry Godwin’s time to shine at Georgia, where he will see the ball from sophomore quarterback Jake Fromm as much as is warranted. While no players will personify the Richt-to-Kirby transition more than the NCAA’s all-time leading rushing duo, Nick Chubb and Sony Michel, who were this close to riding off into an eternal sunset in Atlanta, the defending SEC champions still feature a key Richt recruit leading the charge offensively.
Consider that Javon Wims, the key third down guy, the long and rangy two-year transfer wideout I loved so much, has taken his considerable game to the pros. His matriculation, along with the established power run game directly behind the only UGA blocker to go in the first round in the past fifteen years, Isaiah Wynn, and the aforementioned proven beasts of the backfield, leaves no player on the remaining roster with greater credentials to-date than Terry Godwin. He seems to me to deserve a much bigger share of touches this fall. A thousand-yard season, even, is remotely possible, although those are so rare at Tailback U.
Look for Godwin early and often, fans, as he and returning sometime starters Mecole Hardman Jr. (from last year) and Riley Ridley (mostly from the year prior) look to form a dynamic slate of Georgia pass catchers to rival the fabled running back stables of lore. Consider that Godwin was the only offensive player Kirby Smart took to SEC Media Days 2018. Held in Atlanta for the first time, there a smiling and calm Godwin glittered in the bright city lights where he had played quite well in three games in the 2017 season. He stated, “We’re trying to prove that we’re the best receiving core out there in the nation.”
Yes, he made The Catch at Notre Dame. But there weren’t all that many balls to go around last year, with Chubb/Sony rushing for 2,500 yards and Wims developing as trusty safety net. The Fromm to Godwin connection may in no exaggeration be the key to a successful 2018 football season in Athens.
Looking back on Godwin’s career at Georgia, this is the first time he is getting his passer back to feed him the rock. At a sleight 5-11, he more so needs honed timing and rhythm plays to make up for a lack of sheer physicality, especially at the line of scrimmage where he needs to get off tough press coverages.
When Godwin came in as a tip-top flight recruit for Mark Richt, he was thrust into the starting lineup opposite a struggling senior Malcolm Mitchell, who made the pros but actually regressed as a consistent performer as a senior, finishing an impressive career at Georgia where he had been the feature receiver for years.
- Lambert (one-year starter)
- Eason (one-year starter)
- Fromm
As we can see, Godwin has had far from a steady hand from the pocket. End of an era, Greyson Lambert was a good game manager who overcame terrible offensive coordinating from coach “Schitty-Hire” to win a lot of ugly games behind a strong defense, coached by Jeremy Pruitt. Jacob Eason struggled as a true freshman starter in the Classic City, with a rookie head coach and widely-considered bad play calling. Jake Fromm to the rescue; Godwin won the SEC.
Now, the two charismatic team leaders must push a young and talented Georgia together and continue to score points prolifically. Georgia will by necessity be retooled offensively, while it reloads on a defense orchestrated by the best defensive coaching in the country, with stellar Mel Tucker coordinating and head coach Smart still being so defensive-minded.
I’m looking D in my next few articles here. In 2017, a highly-underrated Georgia returned what had to be an all-college record, 14-of-15 of its top tacklers. That certainly is not the case in 2018.
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