Spring football statistics can be misleading on occasion, but that isn't tempering the optimism Georgia receivers are expressing for the upcoming season.
While Saturday's announced attendance of 93,000 at Sanford Stadium was anything but inflated given that some fans left when there were no more seats available, the passing totals were a bit extravagant. The Bulldogs averaged just 185.1 passing yards per game last season but had 657 aerial yards at G-Day, with talented freshman quarterback Jacob Eason alone throwing for 244.
Enhancing the passing game is among the many goals for new Georgia coach Kirby Smart, who was Alabama's defensive coordinator last October when the Crimson Tide held the Bulldogs to 106 yards through the air and collected three interceptions in the 38-10 cakewalk.
"We did a good job of executing the offense for the most part," Smart said Saturday. "I challenged both offenses to throw with some timing, and I thought they did that."
The Bulldogs are having to develop a passing attack without a decided starting quarterback and without a reliable veteran at wide receiver. Malcolm Mitchell is preparing for next week's NFL draft after a senior season with 58 receptions, which were more than the next three wide receivers - Terry Godwin (35), Reggie Davis (12) and Isaiah McKenzie (10) - had combined a year ago.
Davis had more receiving yards as a freshman in 2013 than his past two seasons combined, but the senior had six catches for 134 yards in his final G-Day showing. Godwin had the most momentum entering this spring after earning MVP honors in January's TaxSlayer Bowl triumph over Penn State, and he had two catches for 25 yards Saturday.
"I feel like all spring and leading up to today that we've been working hard," Godwin said Saturday, "and I feel like the offense did very well."
Godwin is a sophomore who arrived last year with Jayson Stanley and Michael Chigbu, a duo who didn't have much of an impact last fall. Their first G-Day game was a different story, as Chigbu had two short receptions and an apparent 29-yard touchdown catch from Greyson Lambert ruled out of bounds (replay is not used during spring games).
Stanley led the victorious Black team with 87 yards on four receptions.
"He's just worked his way to the top," junior tailback Sony Michel said about Stanley, "and I think he's kind of getting it. He's learning the system and he's getting it."
The Bulldogs could have another receiver in the mix this summer should they land the signature of Demetris Robertson from Savannah Christian. The nation's top receiver this past winter according to 247Sports.com will announce his college destination May 2, when he reportedly will pick among Georgia, Georgia Tech, California and Notre Dame.
Any conversation this year about Georgia's passing game has to include the tight end quartet of Jeb Blazevich, Jackson Harris, Jordan Davis and newcomer Isaac Nauta. Tight end is the deepest position on the team, with Harris catching seven passes for 53 yards at G-Day and Nauta six for 56, including a 7-yard touchdown from Eason.
While new offensive coordinator Jim Chaney has a history of incorporating tight ends into the receiving game, Georgia's wide receivers know they must be better than a year ago to play an effective part as well.
"I think the whole receiving corps has grown up and is ready to help out with this offense," Godwin said. "We're all improving, and we all want to be threats."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.