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USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Inside Georgia football's backup quarterback situation
Georgia Bulldogs fans are very familiar with the importance of having a good backup quarterback. Last season, the Bulldogs won an SEC championship with Gunner Stockton coming in and playing well in the second half against Texas after Carson Beck suffered a serious elbow injury. In 2025, Georgia is expected to start redshirt junior Gunner Stockton. Georgia has almost no experience behind Stockton in the quarterback room. Stockton's projected backup, Ryan Puglisi, is a redshirt freshman, and has never appeared in a game for Georgia. Puglisi is a pocket passer and a former four-star recruit. Georgia coach Kirby Smart likes how Puglisi prepares, but if he has to play for an extended period of time, then that could spell trouble for Georgia. Puglisi has gotten a lot of practice reps this offseason and is expected to see his first game action early in the season against Marshall and/or Austin Peay. However, Puglisi still has a lot to learn. "He prepares really hard," Georgia coach Kirby Smart said on Puglisi. "He studies, he's smart, picks things up. He makes mistakes, we'll say I'll do, and he learns from them. He generally knows when he messed up, he's walking off the field in the scrimmage and didn't change the protection on the play that he knew he should have. "He knew it messed him up, but he knew it right away, which is different than where he was this time last year. He's still trying to figure that out. He makes some really good throws and he's more comfortable in the pocket than he's been. He understands things much better and he has a confidence about it that has helped." Puglisi looked solid in Georgia's G-Day spring game, especially with the first-team offense (three of three for 52 passing yards and a touchdown with the first-team offense). Puglisi has gotten a lot of reps and went 23 of 49 for 224 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception in the spring game. He flashed a bit more mobility than we expected and rushed six times for 24 yards on G-Day. Beyond Puglisi are even larger unknowns. Georgia's third-string quarterback may actually be preferred walk-on Colter Ginn, who is only a redshirt freshman. Additionally, competing for the third-string role are true freshmen Ryan Montgomery (four-star) and Hezekiah Millender (three-star). Montgomery comes in as the No. 14 quarterback recruit in the nation, but he tore his ACL early into his senior year of high school. He lacks experience like the rest of Georgia's quarterback room outside of Gunner Stockton. "Yeah, mentally, he gets it, and he's very into the mental side of it," Smart said on Montgomery. "He throws a very catchable ball, a very accurate passer. A little overwhelmed at times and probably thinking too much in terms of, we give the quarterback a lot, and we give a freshman quarterback a lot, because it's a lot greater than what they're used to. But he's handled that volume well, and he does a good job processing information and taking coaching to the field, which is a good sign for a quarterback." Overall, Georgia's quarterback room lacks experience beyond Gunner Stockton. Georgia's lack of quarterback depth should make the Bulldogs hesitant to have designed runs for Stockton. Frankly we don't feel this team is capable of winning a national championship with a backup quarterback unlike some of the previous Georgia teams. This is not a good year for quarterback depth at Georgia, but Ryan Puglisi could fill in for a starter as a game or two and keep the team afloat. Georgia quarterback depth chart
USA Today
01-08-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Georgia football 2025 tight ends depth chart, preview
The Georgia Bulldogs' tight end room should be one of the Georgia's top strengths this fall. Georgia returns over 75% of their 2024 tight receiving production. Yes, Georgia lost Benjamin Yurosek, who was UGA's third-best tight end in 2024, to the 2025 NFL draft, but the Dawgs return their top two tight ends in Lawson Luckie and Oscar Delp and the position is expected to be a major strength of Georgia's offense. Georgia's 2024 tight end room was faced with the impossible task of replacing star tight end Brock Bowers. Last season, Georgia tight ends (62 receptions for 799 yards and seven touchdowns) managed to out produce Bowers' 2023 season totals (56 receptions for 714 receiving yards and six touchdowns). However, Georgia did not match Bowers' 2023 production on a per game basis when accounting to the games Bowers missed due to injury. Georgia's projected tight end depth chart Georgia returns leading tight end receiver Lawson Luckie after a breakout season in 2024. Luckie posted 24 receptions for 348 yards and three touchdowns. Luckie combined with Oscar Delp (second-team All-SEC) gives Georgia two starting caliber Power Four tight ends that could both be 2026 NFL draft picks. Delp recorded 21 receptions for 248 yards and four touchdowns in a solid, but not spectacular junior campaign. Delp and Luckie are interchangeable as Georgia's top tight end. Delp turned down the 2025 NFL draft to return to Georgia for his senior season. Kirby Smart on Oscar Delp "Oscar's (Delp) a great player," coach Kirby Smart said ahead of fall camp. "He's gotten better and better. He has been a better leader. He got one of our most improved boards in terms of work ethic in the weight room and the jumps he made. "So he knows this is an important year for him, but for him, for us, it's like having a Y that can physically hold up and block, which no tight end likes to hear that, but the NFL loves that, They like to have somebody that's physical at the point of attack and he is strong, he's physical, he's good in play action, he's tough." More on Georgia's tight end depth Georgia's projected No. 3 tight end is redshirt freshman Jaden Reddell. Reddell showed flashes in Georgia's 2023 spring game and has a lot of potential as a receiver, but he underwent tightrope surgery on his ankle after spring practice, so we'll see if he's back to 100%. After Reddell is redshirt freshman Colton Heinrich. Heinrich could see action in 2025 as a blocking tight end, but was limited this spring after undergoing surgery. Georgia signed the nation's No. 4 tight end prospect in 6-foot-7, 235-pound target Elyiss Williams. Williams caught one pass on G-Day will be fun to watch this fall. Georgia signed four-star tight end Ethan Barbour, who has a lot of potential as a pass catcher. Barbour actually led Georgia tight ends in receiving (three catches for 34 yards) on G-Day. Georgia's 2025 tight end room is loaded with talent and depth. Georgia appears set up for the present and the future at the position.
USA Today
13-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Another Georgia football commit shuts down his recruitment
Another Georgia football commit shuts down his recruitment The Georgia Bulldogs are getting closer to knowing who will sign with them in the class of 2026. Four-star safety Jordan Smith has announced he is shutting down his recruitment, according to Hayes Fawcett. Although Smith had originally planned to take official visits with Florida State and Tennessee, this news suggests he will more than likely sign with the Bulldogs during or after the early signing period. Smith has already committed to Georgia. Smith is a four-star safety from the class of 2026. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound defensive back plays football for Houston County High School in Warner Robins, Georgia. He is the No. 56 prospect and No. 6 safety in the nation, according to 247Sports. Smith committed to the Georgia Bulldogs on May 11 and the seventh-best recruit in the Peach State. The Georgia Bulldogs' 2026 class is chock-full of elite secondary recruits. Four-star safety Zech Fort was the first to commit on Jan. 30. Then, three-star safety Kealan Jones committed on Apr. 12, the same day as G-Day. After Smith committed on May 11, four-star cornerback Justice Fitzpatrick, who is the brother of All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, committed on June 3. Smith is the third player in Georgia's signing class to conclude his recruitment, joining Fitzpatrick and three-star wide receiver Brady Marchese, who have also shut down their recruitment. Of course, there's nothing stopping these players from changing their minds later down the road. It is still a long way away from December's early signing period. After a slow start in the recruiting cycle, during which Georgia only had five commits by April, the Bulldogs have ramped up their recruiting efforts. According to 247Sports, Georgia now boasts the fifth-ranked recruiting class in the nation. UGA has the SEC's best class of 2026.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Georgia Bulldogs hire two NFL coaching veterans
The Georgia Bulldogs have added some NFL coaching talent to their staff. UGA announced the hiring of Phil Rauscher and John Lilly to the Bulldogs' staff as offensive analysts. "And then the hiring of two of our assistants, new assistants on offense, both Phil Rauscher and John Lilly will be helping out Coach Bobo and his staff on the offensive side, as well as all of us," said Georgia football head coach Kirby Smart. Advertisement Lilly is a 30-year coaching veteran. He previously worked at Georgia as the tight ends coach during the Mark Richt era from 2008-15, overseeing the development of star tight end Orson Charles. Ever since then, he's worked with the Los Angeles Rams, Cleveland Browns, North Carolina Tar Heels, and Carolina Panthers. Lilly has experience working with offensive coordinator Mike Bobo and offensive line coach Stacy Searels. Rauscher has spent fifteen years coaching both in college and the NFL. His most recent stints were as offensive line coach and running game coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars after spending stints with the Denver Broncos, Washington Commanders, and Minnesota Vikings. Rauscher and Lilly join a long list of analysts hired by Georgia. The Bulldogs have also hired Ty Hatcher, Garrett Cox, and Bryson Allen-Williams to their staff, but Georgia has not had much major coaching turnover this offseason. Advertisement 'I've got a lot of confidence in this organization, the foundation we've built. I've got the best staff in the country, and I have no doubt about that,' Smart said earlier this spring. 'I've got one of the most experienced SEC staffs there is, and to be honest with you, there's a lot of confidence in that, and I have a lot of confidence in it.' Considering his praise for 2024's staff, this is exciting news. Smart prefers to have continuity as opposed to new coaches, who may bring new ideas, in his coaching staff. Georgia is set to wrap up spring football on April 12, the day of G-Day. This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: Georgia football hires pair of NFL coaching veterans
USA Today
18-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Kirby Smart credits freshmen WR for strong spring performance
Kirby Smart credits freshmen WR for strong spring performance This freshman group of wide receivers coming into Georgia had a good spring with the headliner five-star WR Tayln Taylor along with four-stars CJ Wiley, Landon Roldan and Tyler Williams. Unfortunately Tyler Williams had his spring cut short due to an injury. In the G-Day scrimmage, Wiley showcased his potential with a pair of receptions totaling 47 yards. One catch was a one-hander on former five-star CB Demello Jones. Taylor, despite an early drop, also contributed with three catches for 32 yards. Roldan hauled in one of his four targets for a modest four yards. For all three, this scrimmage marked their first experience with the speed and intensity of a college football game like environment after successful high school careers last season. Head coach Kirby Smart spoke very highly of the group and how their spring went. 'Yeah, way, way, way, way, way further ahead,' Smart said after the G-Day game. 'I mean, they've come a long way. They were thrown into the fire. They've been demanded to get the call, line up. I mean, they're ahead of where our typical freshmen are because they've gone with the twos. They've got a ways to go still. They had a little anxiety today. They had a couple plays I thought they should have made. But they're a good group, and Tyler's been hurt. We haven't been able to see him much. But that young group has made some plays for us.' This group of players are the future for the position but their contributions are more than needed for this season if Georgia wants reach heights that they could not last season.
