ATHENS — It may have been the first practice of the year, but head coach Kirby Smart was in mid-season form when it came to trying to get the most out of his players.
Smart didn’t hesitate to try and push the likes of Nate Frazier or Arian Smith. With temperatures well into the 90s, Smart wanted to push his team through the intense August heat.
“We’ve got good depth in camp, and we’re looking forward to creating some mental and physical adversity through the heat and through practices that we can kinda start to form our team,” Smart said.
Georgia was without a handful of key pieces, as Smart provided a lengthy injury update earlier in the day. The practice was also our first chance to get a look at some newcomers like transfers Jaden Rashada and tight end Benjamin Yurosek.
“I love the way he’s kind of approached the team,” Smart said of Yurosek. “I see him meeting guys all the time, talking to guys all the time. He’s not just here for like one quick season and roll. He’s invested, he wants to be part of something special.”
Georgia welcomed 10 newcomers to the team this summer, with seven being 2024 signees and the other three coming out of the transfer portal.
Below are some additional practice observations following Georgia’s first practice of the 2024 season. The Bulldogs open the season against Clemson on Aug. 31.
Georgia football practice observations
- You could probably tell who the newest quarterbacks were based on who offensive coordinator Mike Bobo spent the most time coaching up. Rashada and Ryan Puglisi got plenty of attention from the fiery Georgia offensive coordinator. Rashada at one point had to re-run a handoff drill due to issues with the snap count, while Puglisi had an errant downfield pass that needed to be better. Redshirt sophomore Gunner Stockton meanwhile looked confident and a good bit better in the three media viewing periods.
- Smart made it clear that Trevor Etienne and Cash Jones were going to have to lead the running back room this year. But it was Frazier who really stood out, even if it was only in drills. From a speed, footwork and athleticism standpoint, Frazier stands out from the rest of the running backs, including Etienne. Branson Robinson was back out at practice, with Smart saying earlier in the day that he’d have no limitations. Robinson, almost a year removed from a patella tendon, looks noticeably slimmer.
- At wide receiver, Dillon Bell was getting first-team reps at the X position. Dominic Lovett was first up at the slot position while Arian Smith worked at the Z position. Colbie Young followed Bell at the receiver position. Could be nothing, but freshman walk-on Jeremy Bell does not look like a traditional walk-on wide receiver. He has some real juice to him.
- At the tight end position, Lawson Luckie was going through drills ahead of Stanford transfer Benjamin Yurosek.
- With no Jordan Hall or Warren Brinson, the Georgia defensive line was lacking bodies. The health of this group will be an issue all camp, especially with Mykel Williams working with the outside linebackers during the drill portion of practice. Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, working his way back from a foot injury, was at practice.
- At inside linebacker, Smael Mondon was out there going through drills. He missed the spring with a foot injury. Smart said Mondon is close to 100 percent.
- A couple of different notes at the safety position. Dan Jackson was ahead of KJ Bolden while going through drills, though that shouldn’t be a surprise at this point with Jackson in his sixth year in the program and first for Bolden. Chris Peal was in a black non-contact jersey but interestingly, he was working at the safety position as opposed to the cornerback position.
- Georgia did go through punt drills. Smart made it a point to let the on-hand NFL scouts know that Georgia’s best players were working on special teams, specifically Malaki Starks, Dominic Lovett, Arian Smith, Oscar Delp, Chaz Chambliss and Jalon Walker. Georgia did not surrender a single punt return yard last season, and with players such as Starks and Walker out there you can understand why.
