Team Mentality Carried the Dawgs to the National Championship in 2017 - Can they Do it Again?
The 2017 season will forever go down as one of the most memorable seasons in Georgia’s history. Although the magical, successful season did not end the way, many would’ve wanted it to end. That team will always have a special place in the hearts of those around the Bulldog Nation.
Many may not remember from that season the amount of leadership that team had from top to bottom. Following the 2016-2017 season and the victory over TCU in the Liberty Bowl, Georgia saw critical successes in the offseason with a senior class’s returns that included Nick Chubb, Sony Michel, Roquan Smith Lorenzo Carter, Davin Bellamy, Javon Wims, and many more.
Those seniors all cited that they had unfinished business, and that was their reasonings for a return to Athens for one last season. To boot, with a dedicated senior class, Georgia brought in the third-ranked class in the land. The 2017 recruiting class brought Andrew Thomas, Isaiah Wilson, Jake Fromm, Richard LeCounte, D’Andre Swift, and many others to Athens.
Georgia was locked and loaded to contend for the SEC East just one season after Kirby Smart’s return to Athens, this time as the head coach.
After a regular-season loss on the road to Auburn, the Dawgs would get revenge with a victory in the SEC Championship over the Tigers. The Dawgs would then head west to the Rose Bowl, where they battled in a shootout, overtime victory over Oklahoma.
The Playoff Semifinal victory would give Georgia’s its first chance to play for a National Championship in over 30+ years. And we all remember how that went from being 2nd & 26 to being history.
Smart said many great things in his post-game press conference, but one quote stands out from the rest.
“Yeah, I don’t really know. I do know this, and I want to say this. The standard’s been set by these young men right here. I can’t put into words what these seniors mean. We’re running out of the tunnel tonight, and this guy over here next to me, 27, comes by me and says, I’ll go anywhere with you, and I’ll follow you anywhere, and I’ll fight for you because I believe in you. And that meant more to me than anything.
The way he practices, the way he’s in every meeting, the way he carries himself, the way Sony Michel affects players on our team, Isaiah Wynn, Roquan, all these guys have been incredible leaders. And if we have that kind of leadership, there’s no doubt. The sky’s the limit. Because these guys are hungry. I just hope the younger class doesn’t take it for granted that it’s just going to happen. You’ve got to make it happen, and they’ve got to believe that.”
An extended quote from Coach Smart in the wake of losing in overtime of the National Championship game, but Smart spoke a lot about the men’s leadership in the senior class. So far, Georgia has seen many critical pieces to a potential championship team decide to return with a mindset of their being “unfinished business.”
Georgia’s offense looks to be the most talented offense on paper under Kirby Smart in his five years in charge. JT Daniels brought stability to a quarterback position that was struggling after halftime of the Alabama game.
George Pickens will be a veteran leader for the receivers who saw breakouts from Jermaine Burton and Kearis Jackson last season. At the same time, we will see the return of Dominick Blaylock and Marcus Rosemy from injury.
Georgia’s defense will be going through a quick reload as many top playmakers will trying their shot in the NFL. Georgia already got a big boost with the return of senior defensive tackle Devontae Wyatt. All eyes are watching big nose tackle Jordan Davis to make the fan-favorite decision of returning for his senior season.
Davis’s decision will likely have a more considerable impact on the team’s leadership next season than we’ve seen since Chubb, Michel, and Smith decided to return for their senior seasons in 2017. Davis brings the abilities to anchor and leads the defense like Roquan once did.
The dominoes are falling in Georgia’s favor to this point. With Jordan Davis and Jamaree Salyer yet to decide along with others, it will have an enormous effect on Georgia’s public title hopes in 2021.