For a program that practically breathes accolades, Georgia’s latest All-SEC roll call came with a twist that raised more than a few eyebrows in Athens. 13 Dawgs earned All-SEC honors, tied with Texas for the most in the league, and ten of them landed on the first team. Kirby Smart should be proud. That’s elite company with defensive standouts like Christen Miller, CJ Allen, and Daylen Everette leading the charge. Even kicker Peyton Woodring and return specialist Zachariah Branch found themselves a spot on the special team’s first team. But on offense? It’s a little too quiet. So what gives? 

Despite Georgia’s deep talent pool, its offense walked away with just three All-SEC picks. And none of them even made the first team. Gunner Stockton, the presumed heir under center, didn’t even sniff the preseason All-SEC list. That’s a stark contrast to the hype brewing in the Dawgs’ locker room where insiders like Rusty Mansel insist their QB has already earned the players’ trust and respect. 

In a new episode on Georgia Bulldogs Football on DawgHQ on July 20, Rusty Mansel peeled back the curtain and what he found was something Kirby Smart thrives on, which is leadership from within. “Even though he’s not technically the starting quarterback yet, which Kirby bringing here kind of tells you, I think Gunner’s a guy there,” he said. “I think Drew Bobo is a guy that carries a lot of weight in the locker room… Ernest Greene is another guy you hear a lot about.” But none of them made it to the list. So how’s all these translating off the field?

According to Masel, Georgia is tight on real-deal chemistry. Guys like RB Nate Frazier aren’t just grinding in the weight room. The Dawgs are fishing together, golfing together, vibing. “This team’s pretty tight. They do a lot of stuff together. You get to see all the social media. Get to see different things, doing different things. Seems like a pretty tight-knit group to me, and we’ll see how that pays off,” he said. That’s something the Bulldogs didn’t quite have last year. At least not visibly. 

Kirby Smart knows what he’s doing. He’s not one to give off flashy statements or publicly whine over offensive snubs. Just bringing Gunner Stockton to the SEC Media Days and letting the message speak for itself. But everything will be put to the test when they finally open their SEC play against Tennessee in Week 3. The Vols are entering the season with their own reason to prove themselves after the Nico Iamaleava saga. Can Georgia’s tight-knit, snub-grudge steal the spotlight? Still, they aren’t perfect and the HC knows it. And culture won’t move chains. Rushing yards will.

Kirby Smart gets real on Georgia’s offense

Transitioning from accolades to actual on-field concerns, Kirby Smart got candid this week. His tone turned serious, even stern, when discussing the ground game. “We have to get better at running the b—, better stopping the run,” he stated bluntly. And he’s not wrong. Georgia finished 102nd nationally in rushing yards per game last season, the worst showing under his tenure. So what’s Georgia doing about it? Reloading. With Trevor Etienne off to the NFL, sophomore Nate Frazier steps back into the spotlight, but the backfield got a jolt with the Illinois transfer.

At 609 yards and 10 TDs last year, Josh McCray isn’t just another name. He’s a bruiser with SEC-caliber grit. “I like his physicality. He’s got toughness. He’s got size,” Smart said, visibly amped about the Alabama native’s potential to shake up the run game. “He’s a different type of runner than we have.” Still, even elite backs can’t do much without a line. That’s where concerns creep in. Georgia’s O-line took a hit after losing Tate Ratledge, Dylan Fairchild, and Jared Wilson to the NFL. Replacing three Day 1 and 2 picks is a gamble. If this new unit doesn’t gel, Gunner Stockton’s debut campaign could get complicated fast. Georgia might be stacked on defense and special teams, but until the offense proves itself, SEC media’s skepticism will linger.