Georgia running back Kendall Milton announced plans to return to Georgia for his senior season.
The junior tailback battled injuries throughout the 2022 season, yet Milton is third on the team in rushing with 533 yards on 72 carries. He has a team-leading 7.4 yard average per carry and six touchdowns.
The Georgia running back room is known for rotating backs.
The Bulldogs featured upperclassmen Zamir White, James Cook and Kenny McIntosh in Milton’s freshman season in 2020.
White and Cook returned for their senior seasons in 2021 before finding homes in the NFL this spring.
McIntosh and Milton were projected to take on a larger role in 2022, but Milton’s injuries sidelined him for two games and limited his opportunities in others.
Milton finally looked back to form in the Bulldogs’ SEC Championship win over LSU.
Milton leads all rushers with 113 yards and a touchdown in eight carries against the Tigers.
We’ll get you ready for kickoff in our Peach Bowl special episode of ‘UGA Football Live with J.C. Shelton‘. We are joined by former Georgia offensive lineman Chris Burnette to talk UGA vs. Ohio State. Listen here:
Georgia football is currently in fall camp preparing to defend their national title.
With three weeks till the Bulldogs tee it up versus Oregon in Atlanta for the Chickfila Kickoff game, there are questions surrounding the Dawgs’ running back room.
Talent is not the question here, but rather how upperclassmen like Kenny McIntosh, Kendall Milton and Daijun Edwards take over for Zamir White and James Cook, who are preparing for their rookie seasons in the NFL.
Running backs coach Dell McGee expanded on the backfield to the media earlier this week.
One position the Georgia Bulldogs haven’t had a swinging door situation with over the last few seasons is tailback.
Zamir White, James Cook and Kenny McIntosh have been staples in UGA’s run game for the better part of three years.
With that said, there will be a new-look backfield in 2022. White and Cook are off to the NFL, which leaves McIntosh as the most tenured back on the Dawgs roster.
But we know Georgia doesn’t take a one-back approach to its offense. Juniors Kendall Milton and Daijun Edwards will be serious contributors to the Dawgs’ backfield next season.
We’ve seen flashes of ability from Milton, who finished as the team’s 4th-leading rusher last season with 56 attempts for 264 yards (4.7 avg.) with one score.
But what about Edwards? The former four-star prospect served as UGA’s fifth-string back last season, but watch out for the Norman Park, Ga., native to take off with more carries in 2022.
Milton spoke on Edwards’ talent to the media this week.
“Now Daijun, that’s one guy that I think a lot of people sleep on. When you see Daijun every day in practice, he has a killer dead leg that is almost unstoppable. He has great balance, great speed, great power. So, you know, I feel like Daijun, he’s definitely going to surprise a lot of people this year. He’s somebody that, he has a lot of the oohs and aahs in practices just because he has a big play-making ability.”
Edwards has 86 career carries for 428 yards (5.0) and four scores, including a career-high 49 attempts in 2021.
Both Milton and Edwards should get ample opportunity to show their skills next season.
We’ll get a taste of what that will look like when Georgia hosts its annual G-Day spring game on April 16.
Check out freshman phenom Kendall Milton’s 2020 highlight reel here.
Georgia freshman running back Kendall Milton shared the Bulldogs backfield with a group of talented upperclassman in 2020, but the 6-foot-1 220 pound Fresno, Calif., native made his presence felt when he was given the chance.
Check out Milton’s 2020 highlight reel that was posted to his Twitter account here:
Although Milton only ran 35 times, he averaged over 5.5 yards per carry with 193 rushing yards and showed glimpses of why he is the future of the Georgia backfield.
The former four-star prospect was rated as the No. 7 running back in the nation coming out of Buchanan High School in Clovis, Calif., a part of Georgia’s No. 1. ranked recruiting class of 2020.
Georgia’s top rusher Zamir White and junior James Cook decided to return to the Bulldogs in 2021 instead of entering the NFL Draft, so the running back room may be crowded next fall, but expect Milton to get a large number of carries with how well he played this passed season.
Milton’s father, Chris Milton, joined the UGA Football Live podcast last fall to talk about his son’s time in Athens. Listen here:
A breakdown of Georgia football’s running backs for the upcoming 2020 college football season.
It seems like every time an elite running back leaves the University of Georgia, there is another one ready to step in the very next year.
This offseason headlines the departure of running backs D’Andre Swift and Brian Herrien.
Swift was selected 35th overall by the Detroit Lions in the second-round of the 2020 NFL Draft, while Herrien signed an undrafted free agent deal with the Cleveland Browns. Herrien finished with 1,413 yards and 13 touchdowns during his career at UGA. Swift finished with 2,885 yards and 20 touchdowns in a year less.
Georgia’s offense will lose a lot of production with these two gone, but now it’s time to look at who will be carrying the load for the Dawgs in 2020 and beyond.
1. Zamir White (RS So.) –
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Nobody has dealt with adversity as well as Zamir White has. Coming in as the No. 1 running back in the 2018 class, White endured two knee surgeries in under two years. White redshirted his freshman year and has begun to show why he was the top running back recruit in the country.
White was the third back in 2019, playing behind D’Andre Swift and Brian Herrien. He showed glimpses of greatness in this year’s Sugar Bowl, getting 18 carries for 92 yards and a touchdown. Hopefully White will be able to maintain his health and have a breakout year for the red and black as RB1.
2. James Cook (Jr.) –
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James Cook has had it tough during his time in Athens. With a seriously talented backfield ahead of him for the past two years, the former five-star could see his opportunities increase drastically this season.
Cook is a great receiving back and could be used perfectly outside of the backfield with the Dawgs’ new offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Monken was known to use his running backs as receiving threats during his time as OC on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Cleveland Browns, which will be fun to watch with Cook. Cook averaged 9.2 yards-per-reception, capitalizing on his few opportunities. Look for Kirby Smart and Monken to get creative with the way they use Cook in 2020.
3. Kenny McIntosh (So.) –
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Kenny McIntosh could potentially take the No. 2 spot behind White this season over Cook. Now entering his sophomore season, McIntosh was ranked as the #11 running back prospect in the country for the 2019 recruiting class. He didn’t get that many touches last season, but made them count when he did. McIntosh eluded an Arkansas State defender this year on his way to a 61-yard touchdown.
4. Kendall Milton (Fr.) –
Kendall Milton is an incoming freshman that could make a huge difference for Georgia’s offense this year. Milton is listed as the 7th running back in the country, per 247Sports. Milton is the ideal all-around back with power, size, speed, vision and elusiveness. The Clovis, California native was at the top of many teams’ wishlists, but Milton chose the Dawgs.
If you watch Milton’s high school film, he plays with amazing vision and poise that you typically see out of elite college and NFL backs. His patience and his power are his two strongest attributes. Milton is expected to make a big splash in the SEC this season.
