Where Do Things Stand at Running Back?

Athens is the home to RBU for a reason. The Dawgs are yet again returning a talented backfield with two senior backs opting into their senior seasons with the goal of finishing some #UnfinishedBusiness. The return of both Zamir White and James Cook has given the Bulldog faithful hope that they can provide the senior spark that Nick Chubb and Sony Michel once did in Athens.

It is no secret that the hiring of offensive coordinator Todd Monken meant a shift in offensive philosphy. For decades, Georgia ran the pro-style offense built off the run game; Georgia has always had a strong running game centered around a good offensive line and sometimes two outstanding backs carrying the rock.

With one of the best returning starting quarterbacks, JT Daniels, back for a junior season after a four-game stretch last season as the starter, he lifted the Dawgs to a 4-0 finish to cap off an 8-2 season. The instability at quarterback following the departure of the previous starter Jake Fromm saw the Dawgs handoff the SEC East crown to the Florida Gators.

With a quarterback in place and a core group of receivers, the Georgia offense looks to be a balanced one on the depth chart. Coaches and players have been preaching over the offseason, and throughout much of last season, they will always run the ball in Athens because they are “RBU.”

With a power back in Zamir White in the backfield, returning for his senior season after a productive junior season, he rushed for 779 yards with 11 touchdowns on 144 carries. It’s safe to say that Zeus would’ve run for over 1,000 yards in a full season, which sets the bar high for his senior and potentially final season in the red and black.

I would like to see White improve on his vision coming out the backfield. With a young offensive line last season, holes and gaps to run through may not have always opened up as quickly as they did in years past, which caused an impatient White to force things into the wrong running lanes. Being more patient in the backfield as a ball carrier and showing his prowess out of the backfield as a pass-catcher are two points of improvement for White.

White’s stablemate James Cook is also back in Athens for potentially his final season. The dynamic playmaker who just so happens to play running back put up the best numbers of his career last season under Monken. We saw Cook being used out in space as a receiver more than we had in the year prior.

Cook was finally putting the pieces together in the last three regular-season games, which saw his role in the offense becoming much more defined. Before the unexpected passing of his father, James Cook Sr, which saw Cook return home to be with family and sit out of the Peach Bowl.

Cook had a lot of momentum at the end of last season as a running back and as another viable option out wide catching passes from JT Daniels. We saw an emphasis in the spring game on getting the running backs involved in the passing game. Cook will excel in a system that utilizes his tools as a receiver.

The biggest threat to both Cook and White’s 1,000 yards rushing campaign is sophomore, Kendall Milton. The sophomore out of Fresno, California, showed burst as a freshman of a powerful dynamic back that resembled Nick Chubb with his physicality as a runner.

Milton ran his way into being a fan favorite early on in Athens with his physical run against Tennessee that fans were drooling to see more of the young freshman back. Milton missed time last season due to an injury, which saw him return for the Peach Bowl.

Milton was full go for the Spring and put the Black team offense on the board in the first quarter with a touchdown run. It kept getting harder to keep Milton off the field last year as a freshman, and it will be even harder this season after a whole year in the system.

Fellow sophomore Daijun Edwards saw minimal action at the beginning of the season before breaking out with 103 yards rushing against Missouri on the road and 77 yards in the win over South Carolina. Don’t the size of Edwards fool you; he is a physical back who plays like he is the same size and stature as Milton and Zeus.

Edwards will benefit from having a full spring this offseason to help develop his skills and technique as a ball carrier and helping out in pass protection, something the Georgia backfield has emphasized in the past.

With the position switch for freshman running back Lovasea Carroll, the Dawgs only had three active scholarship backs as the injury to Kenny McIntosh early on in the spring caused him to miss the rest of spring practice.

McIntosh isn’t expected to miss any time beyond spring practice and will make a full recovery from a dislocated elbow. The junior tailback was critical in the comeback victory in the Peach Bowl over Cincinnati, making some exceptional plays out of the backfield as a receiver to set up the game-winning field goal of Jack Podlesny.

The Georgia backfield is loaded with talent, which is nothing out of the ordinary for the fanbase that uses multiple running backs capable of stepping up at any time.