Georgia Bulldogs Betting – 2011 Georgia Bulldogs College Football Preview
MLB baseball betting gurus are focusing on the Atlanta Braves this season, but even they know that this is a make-or-break year for Georgia football. The Bulldogs lost to Central Florida in the 2010 Liberty Bowl, capping a humiliating 6-7 season that put Coach Mark Richt on the hot seat in Athens.
Georgia returns just five starters on offense but the five that return do so at vital positions for the team’s success. Quarterback Aaron Murray started as a redshirt freshman and after taking his lumps early, developed into perhaps the SEC’s best returning quarterback. Along with Murray, Georgia returns three starters along the offensive line that, like Murray, played young guys and after taking a beating early was solid by year’s end. Murray’s security blanket, tight end Orson Charles, also returns. Charles is a wide receiver trapped in a much bigger man’s body. He’s a mismatch against smaller defensive backs and slower linebackers. With A.J. Green now departed to the NFL, he should see increased action in the passing game.
The Georgia offense still faces two critical questions. The first is who will step up and at least try to replace the production that A.J. Green gave them at wide receiver? A cast of players return including Tacarres King and Rantavious Wooten, both of whom saw a great deal of playing time when Green was out serving his suspension. None of the receivers on the roster now strikes fear into defensive coordinators like Green did. The second question is who will carry the ball? Wayshuan Ealey was finally removed from the team and now the tailback position will be manned by true freshman Isaiah Crowell. Crowell is as highly rated a prospect as Richt has ever signed. Richt will need Crowell have as much of an impact as freshman Marcus Lattimore did for South Carolina last year. That’s a lot to ask of a freshman tailback, but Georgia finds itself that desperate.
Defensive coordinator Todd Grantham is hoping that his defense shows the proverbial second year jump in his 3-4 defensive alignment. If the defense progresses, it will have to do so with a younger roster. Up front, Georgia returns ends Arby Jones and Deangelo Tyson and nose tackle Kwame Geathers. Linebacker is an entirely different story as only Christian Robinson returns. Georgia may find itself with no choice but to lean on a strong crop of recent recruits. Ray Drew is an enormous and athletic player and could play outside linebacker or defensive end for Grantham’s defense. Freshmen Sterling Bailey, Chris Mayes, and Ramik Wilson could all be forced into early duty in the Bulldogs front seven. Defensive tackle Jonathan Jenkins is a powerful nose tackle who should also push for immediate playing time. All in all, sports betting experts know that Georgia will rise or fall based on its defense this season.
In the secondary, the Bulldogs return Brandon Boykin and Sanders Commings, but need others to step up. Branden Smith is as fast as any receiver but has yet to distinguish himself at corner and Bacarri Rambo is back at strong safety but is coming off of offseason knee surgery. If there are lingering issues up front that keep them from getting pressure on quarterbacks, there’s no Champ Bailey type of shut down corner for them to rely on. That could mean more struggles against the better passing offenses on the schedule. The relative lack of depth could once again mean talented freshmen like Damien Swann and Corey Moore see the field as freshmen.
The good news for Georgia fans is that should either offense or defense struggle in 2011, the Bulldogs return the nation’s best pair of special teams specialists in punter Drew Butler and kicker Blair Walsh. It’s often difficult to measure the impact of having reliable punters and kickers, but it’s easy to tell when a team lacks them. In the end, a Georgia sports bet shouldn’t be too ambitious – there are too many question marks for this team to win the SEC East Division.
