BULLDOG BEAT: Dawgs impress during G-Day

Georgia set a G-Day record Saturday as over 43,000 members of the Bulldog Nation ventured out to Sanford Stadium to witness the final spring scrimmage of the 2011 Georgia Spring schedule. Despite Isaiah Crowell, Ray Drew, John Jenkins and most of the vaunted 2011National Signing Day haul not being on campus as well as 10 other returning Bulldogs not suiting up, the Georgia Nation was treated to preview of the upcoming season.

But how was that preview? Will Georgia be able to rebound from two (really, three) disappointing seasons or will 2011 be just more of the same? If the spring game, which ended 18-11 is any indication, the defense will be much improved from last year. The defensive line looks to be really strong with Geathers, Tyson, Jones and Faloughi. The coaches also have to be pleased with the intensity of the linebackers, especially Jarvis Jones, Alec Ogletree and Richard Samuel, who really impressed with several nice plays. The defense wasn’t allowed to hit the quarterbacks, but still Jones came away with several nice QB rushes and a few nice pass break-ups. Samuel looked every bit the standout linebacker he was in high school, when he excelled on both sides of the ball enough to earn a scholarship to Georgia. The redshirt year also seems to have benefited Samuel enough to give an extra year of maturity which is only a good thing in the SEC. Finally, Ogletree made three bone-rattling hits in the second half of the scrimmage to delight the Sanford crowd.

But how did the offense look? Aaron Murray was sharp early on with his only incompletions coming on dropped passes. Murray seems to have gotten even better from a better-than-expected redshirt freshman season and he appears to have locked onto an All-SEC track that could last the next three seasons. While the running game was spotty at best, Carlton Thomas and Ken Malcome each scored a touchdown and Branden Smith caught a little swing pass from Murray and took it to the house from the backfield.

Smith may have been the brightest spot from the Georgia offense as the defense back made multiple plays on offense to remind folks of his potential that he flashed his freshman year. Last year injuries hindered his offensive output, but Saturday he showed the speed that led to Mike Bobo using him extensively as a freshman out of the Wild Dawg package and on various reverses and screens. If Smith stays healthy, he could be a huge factor for the 2011 offense that will need all of the playmakers it can come up with. Michael Bennett and Marlon Brown came up with a few nice routes, as did Tavarres King, but this offense will really take off with Murray and Crowell triggering.

Otherwise Hutson Mason showed well but Christian LeMay looked really good on a late drive where the Black team took the lead and ultimately the game. He made some nice throws, stepped up in the pocket and played the run-option read well. He looked overwhelmed at first but then caught on in crunch time.

The bottom line is the Georgia Bulldogs’ mostly first team offense looked sharp with Murray at the helm while the mostly first team defense did make plays that offer hope. For those in the Bulldog Nation hoping that 2011 is different from 2010, they should walk away from the spring game happy. For those wanting to know if the defense will look better this year in the second season of Todd Grantham, they should walk away happy with Jones, Ogletree and Samuel. For those wanting to know if Aaron Murray could find chemistry with another receiver now that AJ Green is gone, Orson Charles, Marlon Brown, Tavarres King, Michael Bennett and Arthur Lynch will all provide nice options.

The Georgia spring game was just a practice but unlike LSU fans and Florida fans, Georgia fans will walk away relatively happy from G-Day with a positive vibe heading into the Boise State game.