By: Joe Delaney

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

In 2024 the Georgia Bulldogs won the SEC Championship and went to the College Football Playoffs. They won 11 games and beat the 2025 consensus number 1 team Texas twice.

What a great year, right? Not hardly sports fans. Such are the expectations in Athens, Ga these days. It doesn’t matter that many of the 2024 starters are in NFL camps right now. And the 2025 schedule has top twenty teams all through it. The Dawgs are expected to win and win big!

This all starts with Kirby Smart. Widely acknowledged as one of if not the best college coach in America. Kirby has built a dynasty.

And while the Dawgs annually reload, this year’s edition has more young gunslingers than in the past. That means Kirby will have to be at his best. And that goes for Bobo, Schuman, and the rest of staff.

There are holes to fill and changes to be made. The talent is younger than ever. Georgia will be very good. But will they be elite? That is probably Kirby’s’ favorite phrase. With the schedule they play they had better be.

For me there are 4 critical keys for Georgia in 2025. If these end up positive then the Dawgs will be hell.

First is the offensive line. Georgia lost 4 linemen to the NFL this year. And yet they underachieved. Rushing per game was horrendous. Especially in the 3 losses.

Granted many of Georgia’s second teamers would start for many SEC schools. Well, it’s time for some young pups to get rabid.

Monroe Freeling, Micah Morris (Camden County), Drew Bobo, and Ernest Greene all have starting experience. Add in Daniel Calhoun and these guys have got to be better in the rushing game and protecting the QB.

Secondly is the defensive line. Kirby Smarts Dawg teams have regularly sent D linemen to the NFL. This year was no exception.

And while Christen Miller, Gabe Harris, Xavier McLeod and Jordan Hall have all played extensive minutes for the Red and Black. They and their cohorts will need to step it up in 2025. The linebackers and defensive backs should be solid. So how the defense plays will rest on how the line plays.

Next is Brett Thorson. What? The punter? YEAH……  Think how many times Thorson flipped the field against teams. It’s a big difference to have to drive 80 or 90 yards as opposed to 50. He was missed terribly in the Playoff loss to Notre Dame. How he returns from ACL surgery is critical for the Dawgs.

And last but not least is you guessed it……. Gunner.

Is he serviceable or is he elite? We’re about to find out. With an improved rushing game and receivers who don’t lead the nation in drops, Gunner could be very good.

They have brought in help for both of those shortcomings from last year.  If he plays within himself and limits his mistakes, he could be very good.

Throw in the best tight end room in the nation and it’s there for him.

He is completely different from Carson Beck and the team loves the guy. How he held on to the ball on the run to inside the 5 against Texas I’ll never know.

The Dawgs need to run the ball and catch the ball. That’s bottom line. Do that and Gunner has a good chance to shine.

The schedule gets Alabama, Ole Miss and Texas at home.

Alabama and Texas will see Athens go completely crazy.

Road games at Tennessee and Auburn are scary.

Throw in the Gators and Jackets and the pups had better be DAWGS by the time they head to Knoxville.

The Dawgs have the talent. They also have two home games to start the season that should help them fix any issues. After that all hell will break loose one way or the other.