georgia football quarterbacks early enrollees spring game

Georgia will hold its spring scrimmage on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET in Sanford Stadium. While the takeaways from the final spring practice shouldn’t outweigh what transpired over the first 14 practices, Saturday will give us some answers as far as where things stand with the Georgia football team.

Below we examine some of the bigger storylines and how they may play out on Saturday.

What happens with the backup quarterbacks?

Stetson Bennett will be the starter on G-Day. Short of an injury, he will be the starter at the end of G-Day as well.

But what Saturday really offers us is a chance to see Carson Beck and Brock Vandagriff showcase their talents. Beck had just 23 pass attempts last season, while Vandagriff had one.

Both generated positive buzz at times, but head coach Kirby Smart is rarely going to be critical of how his players perform in practice. Saturday will pull back some of the curtains regarding the development of these two prospects.

Beck seems to have had the stronger spring between the two, building off what he was able to do last spring for the Bulldogs. Can he follow that up again in what should be less than ideal conditions in Sanford Stadium? There is a strong chance of rain in the forecast on Saturday.

As for Vandagriff, can he showcase his athleticism and ability while showing that he can read Georgia’s defense and make the proper throws? This might perhaps be the most interesting position battle come Saturday.

Which wide receivers emerge?

Unlike last spring, Georgia’s wide receivers have been able to stay healthy. Georgia should have close to its full arsenal on Saturday, with only Arian Smith and CJ Smith limited this spring due to previous injuries.

“I’m running top speed,” Arian Smith said. “I feel like they are really cautious of letting me trade in my black jersey for a red jersey. If I’m in a red jersey I’m vulnerable, I can get hit. If I’m in a black jersey the defense can’t hit me.”

With that in mind, which wide receivers go out and make a name for themselves? Will AD Mitchell and Ladd McConkey build off their strong 2021 seasons? Can Kearis Jackson, Dominick Blaylock and Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint look like their former, pre-injury selves?

It’s also worth wondering which if any under-the-radar wide receivers turn heads come Saturday. Mitchell was able to do so last spring and that proved to be a sign of things to come. Jackson Meeks and De’Nylon Morrissettee earned praise this spring and it would not come as a surprise to see either make a play or two.

Many eyes will also be on how the tight ends are used. No Brock Bowers and Darnell Washington means more snaps and potential targets for Arik Gilbert and Oscar Delp.

Who starts at cornerback?

While Georgia has been able to keep its depth chart shrouded this spring, G-Day will illuminate where players stand in regards to the defensive depth chart in the secondary. Georgia is going to have a first-team defense and someone will need to start opposite Kelee Ringo.

Kamari Lassiter, Nyland Green and Daylen Everette have all gotten plenty of reps this spring due to the lack of available bodies at cornerback. Expect all four to get a number of reps at the outside cornerback positions.

It’s worth cautioning though against reading too much into who the starters are on Saturday. Ameer Speed and Jalen Kimber were working with the first-team defense in last year’s G-Day. Both of those players ended up transferring following the 2021 season.

Safety might be even murkier in terms of who will be playing. Chris Smith figures to man one spot in the secondary and William Poole is likely to play at either the star or other safety position. From there, Dan Jackson, David Daniel, Javon Bullard, Malaki Starks and Jacorey Thomas will be looking to make the most of their opportunities on Saturday.

How do the early enrollees look?

Georgia has 19 early enrollees this spring and Saturday will be their first chance to play in front of a crowd at Sanford Stadium. Smart has been careful to temper expectations for this group, as they’ve all only just begun their college football journies.

Last spring though offered us a glimpse, with Mitchell and Bowers both making plays in the passing game. Could Morrissette and Delp replicate those performances? How will Earnest Greene look, especially after the transfer of Amarius Mims?

Most of the attention will be on the defensive side of the ball, with linebacker Jalon Walker, Everette, Starks and defensive lineman Mykel Williams hoping to carve out roles with the new look Georgia defense.

ESPN2 will broadcast the scrimmage, providing many a chance to see how the Bulldogs look after losing so many key members of the 2021 championship team.

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