Georgia once boasted the talents like Nick Chubb, D’Andre Swift, and James Cook, but now faces questions at running back. The loss of Trevor Etienne to the NFL and injuries to Branson Robinson and Roderick Robinson II, who are sidelined for spring practice, have created a depth issue.
“I mean, they’re working out kind of separate from us, both dealing with significant injuries,” said Georgia head coach Kirby Smart on Branson and Roderick Robinson. “So, they’re not going to be doing much during the spring.”
Nate Frazier, coming off a strong freshman season where he was the leading rusher this past season rushing for 671 yards. He will be relied upon heavily for this upcoming season.
Frazier now takes on the lead back role, but there remains a concern with his ball security issues (three fumbles in 2024). Despite fumble concerns, he has the ability to be UGA’s first 1,000 yard rusher since 2019 when D’Andre Swift rushed for 1,218 rushing yards. Frazier’s quickness and his burst of speed is something that has not been in the UGA backfield since D’Andre Swift. He showed many glimpses where he rushed for 136 yards against UMass, but also scored a touchdown every time he rushed the ball over 10 times.
Cash Jones will still be the main pass catcher out the backfield. He excelled last year in that role. There were many situations where Jones sometimes was the unsung hero out of the back field. He is ready to be more involved in the run game after he only rushed for 27 yards last season compared to his 275 receiving yards.
Now with both Branson and Roderick Robinson out for the spring. Look for sophomore Chauncey Bowens and four-star freshman Bo Walker to compete for meaningful rushes this upcoming season.
Georgia’s 2024 rushing performance, the worst of the Kirby Smart era, the need for improvement will be significant with a first-year starter at quarterback in Gunner Stockton.
