What to look for on defense at G-Day

By no means is any G-Day scrimmage a be-all end-all of where things stand, but it is a good outward sign of how the fabric of any Georgia team is coming together as the summer draws near. 

The defensive side of the ball will be no exception as Saturday’s spectacle wraps up spring practice in Athens. 

Here are some key things to watch for on Saturday, either in person, watching at home, or in other ways that we cannot legally endorse.

On-field chemistry

Georgia’s defense was a ride last year, and a bit too adventurous early-on.

As headache-inducing as stretches of the Alabama and Tennessee game were, there were also the Ole Miss and Texas games, for instance. Finding footing early this fall will be key, so it’ll be of note to see how the back-and-forth communication on the field is and if there are many blown coverages or missed assignments or not. If we see a good number on Saturday, it’ll show how far off away from getting on the same page this group is. 

How much do we really want to see the starters?

We already know what the KJ Boldens and Raylen Wilson of this defense can do. If you are aiming to see what younger or newer faces can do, how much do you really need to see well-established players in what’s a part of multiple weeks of spring practice? 

Are injuries a silver-lining? 

Spring ball is about seeing what the up-and-coming part of the roster can do. Given that, could the injuries to Jordan Hall and Amaris Williams be a blessing in disguise? If you want to see what the second and third group of a rotation can do, that task is a lot easier now with a handful ofvplayers sidelined.

Bigger roles for Dawgs on the rise

All that leads to by far the most exciting part of G-Day. For those who either are new to the roster or played sparingly, they now get their chance for more of the spotlight. The list is here each year of players that were highly touted, and it’s settings like this where you hope to see how much of that promise will be realized soon.

Isaiah Gibson and Zayden Walker absolutely come to mind in the front seven, and it’s intriguing to see how this defensive staff will try to use Khamari Brooks from nearby North Oconee as well.

In the secondary, we all know what Ellis Robinson can do. But how will Clemson transfer Khalil Robinson look within this group at safety. The same goes for Braylon Coney and Gentry Williams are corner, opposite of Robinson. 

So set a nice table for Saturday. The spread of appetizers going into the summer look to be very tasty.

Go Dawgs!