Georgia Football: Five Things to Watch vs Austin Peay
- Georgia Football Elijah Holyfield (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)
The entire state is counting down the days until Georgia Football takes the field between the hedges vs Austin Peay Saturday, the countdown ends!
Georgia Football fandom is at an all time high as the Bulldogs look to prove that last year’s first trip to the College Football Playoff was no fluke. Head Coach Kirby Smart and his staff, have done the work in recruiting. The payers have done the work in practice. Now it’s time to put toe to leather, as the Dawgs take on the Austin Peay Governors. Game time is Saturday, 3:30 pm at Sanford Stadium, Athens GA. The game can also be viewed on ESPN. Here are seven things to watch for in the ball game.
Running Back Carry Distribution
Georgia Football is blessed with a wealth of talent at the tailback position. Despite losing the nation’s top running back recruit Zamir White, to a season ending knee injury, the Bulldogs still have four quality backs to turn to. It will be interesting to see how the carries will divided between the quartet, particularly in the first half.
D’Andre Swift is expected to start the game, and should see a good share of the Bulldogs’ first half carries. Swift is a lightning fast back, who is also capable of running between the tackles. The 5’9 215 pound tailback rushed for 618 yards and 3 touchdowns, with an amazing 7.6 yards per carry average as a freshman. He also added another 153 yards, and a score through the air.
Elijah Holyfield, a junior, is the son of former Boxing Heavyweight Champion Evander Holyfield. He also in line to receive a nice share of the carries. Holyfield at 5’11 215, is a chiseled specimen, who runs with a powerful, violent style. Last season he rushed 50 times for 293 yards and 2 touchdowns. Holyfield along with D’Andre Swift, are expected to form the Georgia Football version of thunder and lightning.
James Cook, a 5’11 190 pound true freshman, is starting to garner a lot of buzz around Georgia Football Nation. James is the brother of former Florida State Seminole, and current Minnesota Vikings’ running back, Dalvin Cook. Blinding speed is the best attribute James Cook brings to the table. Jamey Goodman aka New Dawg of the Dawgcast Podcast, believes that Cook will surpass Brian Herrien on the depth chart sooner than later.
Junior Brain Herrien stands at 6’1, weighing 210 pounds. He has carried the ball 124 times for 628 yard, and three touchdowns in his two-year Georgia Football career. He is sure to see a significant amount of attempts in this ballgame. His performance could help dictate future playing time, as Coach Smart streamlines the backfield.