Georgia begins preseason football practice this afternoon as a decided favorite in the Southeastern Conference's Eastern Division and as the No. 9 team in the USA Today coaches' poll.
Sophomore tailback Nick Chubb is an early Heisman Trophy candidate, but other areas must be solidified if Mark Richt's Bulldogs are to surpass last year's 10-win total.
Here are five prominent questions entering camp:
1. How does quarterback play out?
A summer that began with Brice Ramsey, Faton Bauta and Jacob Park vying for the job now has Ramsey, Bauta and Virginia transfer Greyson Lambert in the competition. Richt has no timetable for tabbing the starter, saying it will be "when we feel in our gut that we know who the guy is going to be."
Ramsey appeared in eight games last season, including the Belk Bowl after Hutson Mason was injured, while Lambert started nine games a year ago for the Cavaliers.
"I have no idea who the starter is going to be," Richt said. "We are going to have a tremendous competition, and I think it's going to take a while."
This is just the third time in Richt's 15 seasons that the Bulldogs enter August without a known starting quarterback.
(Photo by John Kelley)In 2001, David Greene and Cory Phillips competed before Greene earned the first snaps against Arkansas State and used that game performance to assume the role quickly. The second time occurred in 2006, when Richt established a pecking order of Joe Tereshinski, Joe Cox, Matthew Stafford and Blake Barnes two weeks before the opener. Tereshinski started against Western Kentucky, but it was Stafford's job down the stretch that season.
2. Will the receivers step up?
Of Georgia's top four producers at the receiver positions last season, only fifth-year senior Malcolm Mitchell returns. Isaiah McKenzie is hoping to add more receptions as a sophomore after a fabulous first year of returning kickoffs and punts, while Reggie Davis and Justin Scott-Wesley have shown deep-threat flashes but have not been consistent.
Five-star freshman Terry Godwin could make a quick impact, but keeping Mitchell healthy could go a long way in making up for the departures of Michael Bennett and Chris Conley.
"Malcolm is a very explosive player with a lot of experience, and he has made big plays in big games," Richt said. "If he's healthy, we'll be a lot better."
3. Can Barber bounce back?
While senior kicker Marshall Morgan has made 114 of 115 extra-point attempts the past two seasons and 38 of 45 field-goal tries, fellow 2012 signee Collin Barber has been a bit more erratic.
Barber, a senior from Cartersville, set a Georgia record for net punting with a 42.6-yard average in 2013 but slipped to 36.3 last season. His overall average of 39.3 yards per punt last year ranked last in the SEC.
The Bulldogs minimized Barber's disappointing year by averaging 457.8 yards and 41.3 points per game.
4. Can the outside linebackers flourish?
Georgia's top three defensive players under second-year coordinator Jeremy Pruitt could be the outside linebacker trio of Jordan Jenkins, Leonard Floyd and Lorenzo Carter. Floyd, once rated by Mel Kiper as a top-20 projection for the 2015 draft before electing to return for his senior season, is listed in the media guide as a starter at strongside or middle linebacker.
"With what Coach Pruitt has planned, there are multiple lineups that we have to where we can all be out on the field," Jenkins said. "One of us may move down to the defensive line. It's going to be interesting to watch what Coach Pruitt has planned out for us."
5. Which newcomers will contribute?
Playing early often is the result of instant talent, such as Chubb last season, or the combination of talent and a lack of depth, which helped accelerate the productivity of tight end Jeb Blazevich a year ago.
Godwin certainly could aid the rebuilding group of receivers, while Natrez Patrick, Roquan Smith and UAB transfer Jake Ganus will bid for playing time at linebacker. Smith was a heralded prospect who signed late with the Bulldogs, while Patrick enrolled in January and worked inside this spring behind Floyd and Reggie Carter.
Though Georgia has experience across its defensive front with Sterling Bailey, James DeLoach, John Atkins, Chris Mayes and Josh Dawson, there is certainly room for Trenton Thompson. The nation's top recruit this past winter according to 247Sports.com has been drawing rave reviews all summer.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.