Georgia RB coach Dell McGee compares UGA’s loaded backfield to that of 2017, when Nick Chubb and Sony Michel were playing for the Bulldogs.
Georgia is at it again, returning yet another load backfield for the 2021 season.
Zamir White, James Cook, Kendall Milton, Kenny McIntosh, Daijun Edwards and 2021 early enrollee Lovasea Carroll all project to share the ball this season, resulting in another year of RBU going strong.
Right now, no single player is expected to shoulder the load, said Georgia running back coach Dell McGee on a Tuesday Zoom session.
“We don’t necessarily play seniority with any of our players, that’s why we have offseason workouts and spring ball.”
“A lot of our evaluation and setting of the depth chart will come from how they perform day in and day out leading up to the spring game. It’s a constant battle with our guys at the running back position.”
Last season, though, it was White who led the way in carries, yards and touchdowns.
Georgia running back stats (2020):
Zamir White: 144 carries, 779 yards, 11 touchdowns
James Cook: 45 carries, 303 yards, 3 touchdowns
Kenny McIntosh: 47 carries, 251 yards, 1 touchdown
Daijun Edwards: 37 carries, 218 yards, 1 touchdown
Kendall Milton: 35 carries, 193 yards, 0 touchdowns
Georgia’s running back battle will be exciting to follow this offseason with so much returning star power. McGee went as far as to compare the return of White and Cook to that of Nick Chubb and Sony Michel in 2017.
“It’s very similar to the situation when Sony Michel and Nick Chubb came back,” McGee said. “From a team standpoint, they want to do more and they feel like they are a part of that and part of the success that we can have.
Younger guys, like D’Adre Swift, seized the opportunity to learn from Michel and Chubb, and this year’s youngsters should take every chance they get to study and emulate Cook and White.
“I think it’s a good situation for our younger running backs and our younger players because they offer a lot of leadership mentally and physically on how to perform, how to practice and how to take care of their bodies.”
They have to treat this offseason and spring practice like it’s a brand new season,” McGee said.
They have to be eager to learn, eager to get better, eager to improve their skills because all of our players have weaknesses that they need to work on and that needs to be a point of emphasis and that starts with me making sure they’re detailed in what they need to improve on.”
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