5 Things every Georgia Bulldogs football fan should know this week
Here are five things every Georgia Bulldogs football fan should know this week as we get closer to the start of the 2016 season.
As football season nears, first year head coach Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs have their hands full. From running back recoveries to ongoing quarterback dilemmas, here are five things every Georgia Bulldogs fan should be aware of this week.
1. Coach Kirby Smart wants Nick Chubb ready for the season opener against North Carolina.
Coach Smart, along with every other Georgia Bulldogs fan, wants running back Nick Chubb ready by the season opener against the North Carolina Tar Heels on September 3rd. By “ready,” he means he wants him at 100 percent. Will he be ready by then? Smart appears to be staying optimistic about his return for now.
"“On Mike & Mike Monday morning, Smart did hint that Chubb will be a full participant during the upcoming practices.“I think Nick Chubb is going to be fine, but I will not know that until that first scrimmage,” Smart said. “Then the second scrimmage, when we get to go live and tackle and he gets over that mental aspect of taking that first hit.“I know this, there is nobody in the country who could have been back as fast as he’s back, right now. He’s done that and he’s sped up the progress by his effort and toughness.”Smart is hoping to have Chubb in the backfield for the Sept. 3 season opener against North Carolina at the Georgia Dome, and he mentioned his star running back has implemented an interesting offseason regime in his attempt to return in time.“We want him to be 100 percent by the first game,” Smart said. “Will he be? I do not know that yet. But I do know this – he is working hard and doing a lot of taekwondo, a lot of different things to get back.”"
2. The Georgia Bulldogs are supposedly bringing back the black jerseys this fall.
Some of the prospects who were present at the Kirby Smart three-day football camp that kicked off last Friday got to try on the Bulldogs’ black jerseys and many posted pictures on social media wearing them.
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The black jerseys were first worn in the 2007 home game against the Auburn Tigers, which the Bulldogs won 45-20. The jerseys were not worn again until the 2008 Sugar Bowl in which Georgia defeated Hawaii 41-10. It seemed as though these black jerseys were good luck for the Georgia Bulldogs.
It was the final time the jerseys were worn that changed things. The jerseys were then seen again at home against Alabama in 2008, where they fell 31-0 in the first half. This time, the Bulldogs lost 41-30. The jerseys have not been worn since that loss, and it has been debated whether or not they should ever be worn again. According to Oxford, Alabama, linebacker prospect Kenney Britt VIA Twitter, “Lol yes people. UGA will have black Jerseys this fall.”
3. The quarterback battle continues for the Georgia Bulldogs.
Kirby Smart again addressed the starting quarterback battle on ESPN’s “Mike and Mike” on Monday morning. With top-two running backs Nick Chubb and Sony Michel both recovering from injuries, the decision as to whether or not Jacob Eason is ready for that role has only been made more difficult for Coach Smart.
VIA Jordan James of 247Sports:
"“I don’t disagree Jacob’s very talented, but Jacob’s got to earn the trust of that team,” Smart said in the interview. The other guys on the team are going to matter too. They come in and they get some input on which guy is the best leader, which guy throws it the best.”"
4. Smart confirmed the suspension of defensive lineman Jonathan Ledbetter.
Shortly after sophomore defensive lineman Jonathan Ledbetter‘s second offense, head coach Kirby Smart announced that he would face “discipline,” but never gave specific details. Coach Smart has now suspended Ledbetter for at least two games to start the season after his recent DUI arrest. ESPN’s Chris Low tweeted Monday evening, “Smart said DL Jonathan Ledbetter would be suspended for at least 2 games and hinted it could be more. Depth in DL is Smart‘s big concern.”
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5. The Bulldogs were picked to finish 3rd in the East by SEC media.
Last Thursday, the Georgia Bulldogs were picked to finish 3rd in the SEC East, behind Tennessee and Florida, according to the media that covered last week’s 2016 SEC Football Media Days. That should help take some of the pressure off such lofty exceptions for a first year head coach with a quarterback dilemma.