Tag: uga running backs

Projecting Georgia football’s running back depth chart

Who should start for Georgia football at running back in passing and rushing situations in 2023?

The Georgia Bulldogs always have a great deal of talent at the running back position. Georgia returns a few key pieces the running back room in 2023.

The Dawgs lost last season’s leading rusher, Kenny McIntosh, to the NFL draft. McIntosh was also Georgia’s top receiving back.

However, Georgia returns the remainder of its running back room from 2022. The Bulldogs had depth concerns in spring due to injuries, but the running back room looks pretty strong now.

Who in Georgia’s running back room is projected to start in 2023?

Georgia football walk-on RB enters transfer portal

Georgia Bulldogs running back Sevaughn Clark is entering the transfer portal

Georgia Bulldogs running back Sevaughn Clark has entered the NCAA transfer portal. Clark, a junior, received additional opportunities this spring due to a number of injuries Georgia sustained at the running back position.

The 6-foot-1, 215-pound running back played in three games for the Bulldogs in 2022. Last season, Clark recorded seven rushes for 44 yards and one catch for four yards.

The former Dawson County standout is likely looking for more playing time at his new home. Clark had a career-high seven carries for 35 yards in the national championship against TCU.

Joshua L. Jones/Online Athens

Clark will have two years of eligibility remaining.

Georgia’s projected running back room for the fall features Kendall Milton, Branson Robinson and Daijun Edwards.

Clark dropped some of his practice highlights after announcing he was entering the transfer portal.

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Georgia football walk-on RB enters transfer portal

Georgia Bulldogs football walk-on running back Anthony Summey has entered the NCAA transfer portal.

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Georgia Bulldogs football walk-on running back Anthony Summey has entered the NCAA transfer portal. Summey is a redshirt sophomore and will have four remaining years of eligibility.

The 6-foot, 210-pound running back is from Ocean Township, New Jersey, and is looking for a larger role at his new home. The former St. Peter’s Preparatory High School star has not seen playing time during his career in Athens. He primarily serves as a scout team running back.

Summey has played in four career games at UGA. He recorded five carries for 16 yards in 2021. Summey played against UAB and Charleston Southern this season.

Summey came to the University of Georgia as a two-star recruit as a member of the class of 2019. Summey redshirted in 2019.

He played high school football at St. Peter’s Preparatory. Summey plays with a steady style, but lacks game-changing speed. Summey initially committed to the University of Georgia as a preferred walk-on.

Summey thanked Georgia coaches and announced he would be entering the transfer portal via Twitter

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Georgia football RB named SEC breakout player

Georgia football RB Kendall Milton named SEC breakout player

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ESPN and SEC Network analyst Cole Cubelic has named Georgia Bulldogs running back Kendall Milton one of the top breakout players in the SEC.

Cubelic considers Missouri wide receiver Mookie Cooper, LSU tight end Kole Taylor, South Carolina wide receiver EJ Jenkins, and Auburn wide receiver Ja’Varrius Johnson to be his other offensive breakout players in the conference.

Milton is extremely talented. He came to Athens as a five-star recruit in the class of 2020 and impressed after enrolling early as a freshman. Milton grew stronger this spring and may have another level to his game.

He played in seven games throughout his first season in Athens. Milton recorded 193 rushing yards, broke lots of tackles and showed a good burst. However, Milton sprained his MCL against Florida and missed Georgia’s remaining regular-season games.

Milton was available throughout spring practice and was impressive in the spring game, in which he scored a touchdown.

This offseason, Milton has changed from No. 22 to No. 2. The No. 2 jersey fits him quite well.

In order for Milton to break out, he will have to emerge from Georgia’s crowded backfield of Daijun Edwards, Zamir White, James Cook and Kenny McIntosh. Georgia returns all of its leading rushers from last season.

Milton may have the highest potential of any Georgia running back on the roster. He is explosive and difficult to tackle. His receiving skills need polish, but nobody wants to tackle him in the open field.

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Georgia football player card: RB Daijun Edwards

Georgia Bulldogs running back Daijun Edwards finished the 2020 college football season with 218 rushing yards on 37 carries

Running Back Daijun Edwards (No. 33):

Class: Sophomore

Height: 5-10

Weight: 201 pounds

Hometown: Moultrie, Georgia

High School: Colquitt County High School

Georgia Bulldogs running back Daijun Edwards finished the 2020 college football season with 218 rushing yards on 37 carries. Edwards played in nine of Georgia’s 10 games and saw additional playing time after Kendall Milton suffered a knee injury.

Edwards recorded one reception for three yards, so he will need to continue to work on that aspect of his game to boost his NFL draft stock.

Edwards came to Athens as a four-star recruit in the class of 2020. The Colquitt County graduate was rated anywhere between the No. 13 and No. 33 best running back in the country.

Edwards will compete with Kendall Milton, Zamir White, James Cook, Kenny McIntosh and more for playing time. Georgia returns all of its leading rushers from last season.

Cook is the most explosive player of the group and is an excellent pass catcher, but he isn’t as polished between the tackles as White. McIntosh is a versatile back who is very elusive. Milton, a former five-star recruit, is powerful like Nick Chubb and has a high ceiling.

Edward has displayed flashes of a rugged, tough style on tape. Edwards saw lots of playing time throughout his high school career at Colquitt County and is quite experienced.

Here’s a look back at his first career touchdown for the Bulldogs:

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April 17, 2021; Athens, Georgia; Georgia Bulldogs running back Daijun Edwards (33) is taken to the ground by linebacker Trezmen Marshall (15) during the Georgia Spring Game at Sanford Stadium. Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Georgia football player card: RB Anthony Summey

Georgia Bulldogs running back Anthony Summey has primarily served a scout team role during his two-year career in Athens

Running Back Anthony Summey (No. 28):

Class: Redshirt sophomore

Height: 6-0

Weight: 210 pounds

Hometown: Ocean Township, New Jersey

High School: St. Peter’s Preparatory High School

Georgia Bulldogs running back Anthony Summey has not seen playing time during his two-year career in Athens. He primarily serves as a scout team running back.

Summey came to the University of Georgia as a two-star recruit as a member of the class of 2019. Summey redshirted in 2019.

He played high school football at St. Peter’s Preparatory. Summey plays with a steady style, but lacks game-changing speed.

The Ocean Township, New Jersey, native is expected to compete with Kendall Milton, Zamir White, James Cook, Kenny McIntosh and Daijun Edwards for playing time. Kirby Smart and Georgia have a stacked and experienced running back room heading into the 2021 college football season.

Here’s a look at how Summey initially committed to the University of Georgia as a preferred walk-on:

 

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Georgia football RB among first to create own logo

Georgia football RB Kendalll Milton among first college athletes to create own logo

Georgia Bulldogs running back Kendall Milton is among the first college football athletes to create his personal logo. The California native is a former five-star prospect who played in seven games throughout his first season in Athens.

Now, Milton is testing the waters of the name, image and likeness bill. College athletes across select states in America can profit off their personal brand. The NIL bill gives athletes the “ability to have endorsement deals, monetize their social-media followings or get paid for signing autographs” after not being permitted to do so in the past.

The NIL bill is not uniform across the states, but is allowed in Georgia.

Last season, Kendall Milton recorded 193 rushing yards and showed an impressive burst before spraining his MCL against Florida. Milton scored a touchdown in Georgia’s spring game and has had a busy offseason.

Milton changed from No. 22 to No. 2 after the 2020 college football season. The No. 2 jersey fits Milton and his new personal brand quite well. Additionally, if Milton makes it to the NFL, then he could continue to wear the No. 2 at the professional level thanks to a recent NFL jersey rule change.

Kendall Milton will compete with Daijun Edwards, Zamir White, James Cook and Kenny McIntosh in Georgia’s stacked running back room. Georgia returns its seven leading rushers from last season and should have one of the most exciting stables of backs in the country.

It looks as though Milton already has some cool designs planned for his brand. It is a new era for college athletes.

Milton may have the highest potential of any Georgia running back on the roster. He is explosive and difficult to tackle. It will be a treat to watch Melton’s personal brand take off as he has success on the football field.

Milton comes from an excellent football background. His brother, Ka’Lonn, played as a defensive back at Fresno State. Kendall’s uncle, Kevin Hardy, won the Butkus Award at Illinois and played in the NFL from 1996-2004 after being a first-round draft pick.

Here are several of the first college athletes who have created their own personal logos:

All of the logos above are pretty awesome. D’Eriq King and Spencer Rattler’s logos really standout. It will be interesting to see how widely adapted personal logos become. They are becoming more and more common across the NBA, NFL, and now the NCAA.

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Report: Georgia RB to miss rest of spring practice with elbow injury

A Georgia running back is recovering from an elbow injury suffered in a UGA spring practice. Details here.

Georgia running back Kenny McIntosh suffered a dislocated elbow in aΒ  spring practice session and will miss the rest of spring training, according to a report by UGAsports.com’s Dayne Young.

McIntosh confirmed the report with this post to his Instagram account on Sunday morning.

McIntosh posted this photo to his Instagram story.

McIntosh had an MRI done and the results showed that no surgery is needed.

Georgia shouldn’t miss a beat in spring drills without the third year back. One of the Bulldogs’ deepest positions is at tailback with all of 2020’s production returning, headlined by seniors Zamir ‘Zeus’ White and James Cook.

Sophomores Kendall Milton and Daijun Edwards will have a chance to get more reps with McIntosh out.

McIntosh has been an explosive part of Georgia’s rush and kick-return game over the last two seasons. In 2019, McIntosh flashed speed and vision abilities with 174 yards and 7.0 yards per carry on just 25 attempts and in 2020, finished as the Bulldogs’s third-leading rusher with 251 yards on 47 carries and one touchdown.

 

Check out a new episode of “UGA Football Live with J.C. Shelton” here!

Georgia RB coach Dell McGee on UGA’s loaded backfield

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 CarrollΒ 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.

β€œWe don’t necessarily play seniority with any of our players, that’s why we have offseason workouts and spring ball.”

β€œA 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.

β€œIt’s very similar to the situation when Sony Michel and Nick Chubb came back,” McGee said. β€œFrom 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.

β€œI 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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Georgia football is returning the highest-graded backfield in CFB

According to Pro Football Focus, Georgia is returning the best backfield in CFB for 2021. Details and analysis here.

Georgia is also known as ‘RBU’ and for good reason. The Bulldogs are like a workshop for elite college and NFL running backs.

Guys like Knowshon Moreno, Todd Gurley, Keith Marshall, Sony Michel, Nick Chubb and D’Andre Swift are just some examples of recent Georgia running backs that have either dominated SEC play, or have went on to productive NFL careers

What about the 2021 Georgia Bulldogs?

Things are business as usual in Athens. According to Pro Football Focus, who grades each player on each play in college football, Georgia is returning the highest-graded backfield in all of college football.

The Bulldogs return four running backs who each received a rushing grade of 80 or more this past season. The next closest is Alabama and Texas A&M at two a piece.

Those Bulldogs are junior Zamir White, junior James Cook, sophomore Kenny McIntosh and freshman Kendall Milton.Β 

White, the leading rusher from a year ago, will most likely be the No. 1 option with Cook, Milton and McIntosh cleaning up the rest of the touches equally. We may even see a second-year surge from Milton, who earned Freshman All-SEC honors and showed flashes of greatness in limited carries before missing time with a minor knee injury. He should be back and ready to go against Clemson in the Sept. 4 season opener.

Here’s a look at each Georgia rusher in 2020 by the numbers:

Zamir ‘Zeus’ White:Β  10 games played. 144 carries for 779 yards and 11 touchdowns with a 5.4 yards per carry average.

James Cook:Β  Eight games played. 45 carries for 303 yards and three touchdowns with a 6.7 yards per carry average.

Kenny McIntosh:Β  Eight games played. 47 carries for 251 yards with one touchdown and a 5.3 yards per carry average.

Kendall Milton:Β  Seven games played. 35 carries for 193 yards and a 5.5 yards per carry average.

 

A new episode of “UGA Football Live with J.C. Shelton” is streaming now! J.C. talks the latest college football news and breaks down Georgia’s 2022 recruiting class and more. Listen here: