Kirby Smart might not be under fire like some of his SEC peers, but that doesn’t mean the Georgia coach is getting off easy. Expectations are always sky-high in Athens, and any misstep turns into a media firestorm. While the Bulldogs dealt with offensive stumbles last season—remember those brutal 36 dropped passes?—a new wave of criticism is crashing in. This time, the target is Georgia’s linebacker room. But just as fans start to worry, an insider has stepped up to set the record straight.

Every year, anonymous coaches spill unfiltered opinions in Athlon Sports’ College Football Preview—and this year was no different. One coach took a shot at Kirby Smart’s squad, raising concerns about their depth, especially on the lines. “Defensively, it’s still an elite group, but they’re thin at linebacker… I don’t think this is the same level of talent we’ve seen in the last three or four years. I think you might see a decline, at least at first, on both lines of scrimmage.”

The quote quickly went viral, rattling fans and sparking debate. But Dawg Post insider Dean Legge didn’t hesitate to clap back. He questioned whether the anonymous coach even had their facts straight. “I don’t know if that person, who is the anonymous coach, actually understands the depth chart at Georgia. You’re talking about some really good players at linebacker: Justin Williams, Chris Cole, Raylen Wilson, and CJ Allen—alone are some really good linebackers that Georgia has got there. Zayden Walker will be coming in there as well soon, but I’m not sure if you could call that thin at linebacker.”

And he didn’t stop there. Was there a confusion? Legge added, “There’s no question that when you start talking about pass rushers that they lost, yes, that’s a different situation. Jaylon Walker, Mykel Williams—they lost two very good pass rushers. I don’t know if the [anonymous] coach is considering that a linebacker?”

Even ESPN’s Mark Schlabach backed up the idea that Georgia’s linebacker core remains elite: “Georgia’s linebackers figure to be the heart of the defense in 2025.” He added, “CJ Allen is the leader of the unit after ranking second on the team with 76 tackles to go with three tackles for loss and five quarterback hurries last season. Gabe Harris Jr. and Raylen Wilson got plenty of action last season, and Chris Cole was named to the All-SEC freshman team by the league’s coaches.” Sounds exactly like Legge?

So where did this whole thin at linebacker noise come from? Dean Legge has a theory: “But it may be that whoever is doing the reporting from them just talked to the wrong coach. Maybe they’re talking to a coach at Vanderbilt or Arkansas or Texas A&M that doesn’t really know the situation.” Whatever the reason, Georgia’s inside linebacker group is far from a liability—it’s one of their strongest assets heading into 2025. But….

The weak link in Kirby Smart’s team

Now, if there is one area on Kirby Smart’s team that’s teetering on thin ice, it’s the backfield. Georgia’s 2025 campaign might’ve ended in the CFP, but a 23–10 quarterfinal loss to Notre Dame revealed more cracks than they’d like to admit.

With over ten players heading to the NFL or transferring out, Smart has had to retool quickly. He landed the nation’s No. 2 recruiting class, but that doesn’t automatically patch every gap. As Schlabach bluntly noted, “As hard as it is to believe, the program that produced NFL running backs Nick Chubb, D’Andre Swift, and James Cook in recent years might have a question mark at the position going into the season.”

Freshman Nate Frazier leads the way with 671 yards, but Trevor Etienne’s NFL jump leaves a gap. The Bulldogs averaged only 124.4 rushing yards per game in 2024, their worst under Smart and second-worst in the SEC.

Even Kirby Smart admitted that injury setbacks are hurting their depth. “I mean, they’re working out kind of separate from us. Both are dealing with significant injuries. So they’re not going to be doing much during the spring,” he said about Branson and Roderick Robinson. Bo Walker has shown flashes, and hopes are riding high on Chauncey Bowens and Dwight Phillips Jr. to take the leap. In a bit of spring experimentation, Smart even tried WR Dillon Bell at running back to see if lightning could strike.

So while Georgia’s linebackers are more than solid, it’s the running backs who might end up being the team’s Achilles heel in 2025. With an already thin margin of error in the SEC and eyes locked on Kirby Smart’s every move, fixing that run game will be key if the Bulldogs want another natty run. For now, Kirby Smart might have dodged the linebacker heat—but he knows there’s still work to be done.