NEW ORLEANS — Mike Bobo has led more prolific Georgia offenses before, but this might be his best coaching job.

It’s fair to ask: Could any other offensive coordinator in the country have taken this team this far under the circumstances?

Bobo has dealt with injuries to each of his starting offensive linemen and top three tailbacks at different points this season and seen UGA’s top two receivers sidelined by off-field issues.

Then, Bobo’s most recent challenge, losing starting quarterback Carson Beck at halftime of the SEC Championship Game while facing a 6-3 deficit against the top-ranked defense in the league.

“We are a very resilient group as a football team and offensively, you know, kind of all year,” Bobo said.

“It hasn’t been perfect and it’s never perfect, but it hasn’t been smooth. We’ve kind of embraced that, that things might get hard.”

The fact Georgia ranks 5th in the SEC in scoring offense (33.3 points per game) despite the injuries, attrition and challenging schedule is a tribute to Bobo’s knowledge and experience.

The Bulldogs’ defense, once known for its penchant to force three-and-outs and provide advantageous field position, has certainly not been as complimentary as past seasons.

But most any football team’s offensive coordinator is and most likely always will the most second-guessed coach on the staff.

Bobo knows it comes with the territory, even if he’s not the one dropping passes, fumbling balls or throwing interceptions.

Bobo’s offense will be under the microscope once more when Georgia takes on Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl CFP quarterfinal at 8:45 p.m. on Wednesday night in Caesars Superdome.

The Bulldogs will trot out redshirt sophomore Gunner Stockton to make his first start at quarterback, and Bobo will be expected to have Stockton ready to beat a fierce Irish defense.

Here are three key takeaways from Bobo’s press presentation on Saturday:

It’s Gunner’s world

Stockton has yet to show the NFL arm Beck boasted, but he brings a dimension of mobility that will likely change the Georgia run-pass ratio, if not the look of the offensive unit.

“Moving into this game prep, things are centered around (Stockton) and his strengths and what he does well,” Bobo said. “That was the difference in weeks before where it was centered around Carson and what he does well with our football team.

“So things are a little bit more specific to him. Questions are asked to him, whether he likes this scheme or this play going into practice, and whether we carry it or not.”

The X-Factor

For all the talk about Stockton, tailback Trevor Etienne figures to be the most pivotal figure in the Georgia offense.

At least, Bulldogs’ fans should hope he is, as the Florida transfer represents the most consistently dangerous threat on the field for UGA when healthy.

“We think he’s a special back that gives us a chance to hit a home run any time he touches the ball,” Bobo said. “Nothing more evident than that game, Texas. Run a simple zone play, the frontside defensive end kind of stuck his head in the wrong gap, and he bounced it outside. It was an explosive play. It kind of got that drive going. It got the offense ignited.”

Etienne has overcome shoulder and rib injuries to lead Georgia with nine touchdowns, carrying the ball 111 times for 571 yards while also catching 28 passes (fourth-best on the team) for 168 yards in the nine games he has played.

“You wish he was would have been healthy all year …. ‚” Bobo said. “The four or five weeks that he was out, you know, hurts you a little bit, but that’s football.The thing about Trevor that I love, you know, obviously he’s just been here one year, but he’s came in here with the right mindset.”

Run the darn ball

There are plenty of reasons Georgia has struggled to run the ball at times this season, whether it be injuries or challenging opposition in the deep, balanced SEC.

“We could sit here and give you a lot of reasons, but all they’d be is excuses, point blank,” Bobo said. “You could sit here and say injuries, you can say this, bottom line, excuses.We got to be able to run the ball if we want to continue to win in these playoffs.”

Bobo sent that message at halftime of the SEC Championship Game when Beck was sidelined and Stockton was pressed into action.

“I said, hey, we’re not just going to go out there and throw the ball, we got to get balanced, and we got to run the football, and I think those backs and those linemen took ownership in that and played hard and blocked for those guys, and we broke some tackles,” Bobo said.

“I think we’ve got a good offensive line that I think we’re the most healthy that we’ve been at offensive line, tight end, running backs, so I think that’s going to help us be able to run the ball.”