ATHENS — The mood surrounding Georgia football is on a decidedly upward swing entering into the offseason with 16 early enrollees on campus and classes underway.
The Bulldogs ability to secure defensive coordinator Dan Lanning — one of the rising stars in the coaching industry — provides valuable continuity for a unit reloading at outside linebacker and in the secondary.
RELATED Dan Lanning turns down Texas, stays with Bulldogs
Lanning coaches the outside linebackers and looks to get Adam Anderson and Nolan Smith prepared to replace departed sack leaders Azeez Ojulari and Jermaine Johnson.
Coach Kirby Smart, himself, coaches safeties and worked with defensive backs coach Charlton Warren to improve players in the secondary.
Smart knows better than anyone there’s been a great deal of attrition on the back end of the Bulldogs’ defense with six former starters departing.
Still, Georgia appears loaded for a title run with key players like nose tackle Jordan Davis and quarterback JT Daniels opting to return for the 2021 season.
Here’s a look at the players who made decisions to stay, or leave, and some commentary on how those decisions might work out.
Also, one final look at the 2020 season with some context for the grades doled out in each position group.
DawgNation Offseason
Cover 4: Georgia offseason will have a different feel about it
Final Grades: One last look back at the 2020 Bulldogs
The latest Georgia football roster movement
Where Georgia ranks in ‘Way-too-early’ Top 25 polls
Georgia-Clemson Game of the Year subplot is incredible
