The Georgia Bulldogs are putting up offensive numbers that are noticeably superior to those of last season's national champions.
With Ladd McConkey right in the thick of it.
The 6-foot, 185-pound redshirt sophomore receiver out of North Murray High School is a prominent weapon for the nation's top-ranked team, averaging 16.2 yards per catch and 9.7 yards per carry through whippings of Oregon (49-3), Samford (33-0) and South Carolina (48-7). The Bulldogs are averaging 532.2 yards a contest, dwarfing last year's 442.9-yard clip.
"Obviously we've had some great success, and when things are working, you roll with it," McConkey said Monday during a news conference. "We've done a great job of getting the players on the perimeter and letting them do their things. We've done a great job dispersing the ball and letting everybody get a little piece of the action.
"That's kind of what's separating us. There is not just one player to key on."
While Georgia has undeniable mismatches at tight end with the tandem of Brock Bowers and Darnell Washington, the versatile McConkey is providing more headaches than ever. In the opening rout of the Ducks, he scored Georgia's first touchdown of the season on a 9-yard run and later added a 4-yard scoring reception from Stetson Bennett.
McConkey had a 37-yard catch against Samford and then helped pummel the Gamecocks with four receptions for 52 yards and a 13-yard run.
"Ladd has been an incredible team person," Georgia coach Kirby Smart said Tuesday. "This guy embodies what you talk about when you talk about team, because he blocks so hard and he blocks so physical. He blocks bigger than he actually is. You watch the tape closely, and he goes in and cracks on safeties and hits people and goes and does what you ask.
"Then he gets the ball in his hands and he makes people miss. It's really the same thing he did in high school. It's not any different."
McConkey is also averaging 11 yards on four punt returns, but his numerous abilities with the ball are the result of what he has been able to accomplish without it. As a North Murray senior, McConkey estimates weighing "maybe a buck 65 soaking wet," so becoming stronger was his first objective after becoming the least-heralded offensive signee in Georgia's 2020 class.
After redshirting his freshman year, McConkey broke into the starting lineup last season on seven occasions, and his improvement in blocking has been evidenced by offensive coordinator Todd Monken's desire to test the perimeter more than during his last two seasons calling plays.
"That's a huge thing and a big part of the game," McConkey said. "If you can throw it out on the perimeter and get 5 or 6 yards, that's just as good as a run up the middle. You take pride in that. You can't just run routes and expect to play receiver.
"It's something we take pride in and something we look to build on."
The Bulldogs are also averaging 43.3 points per game and 7.9 yards per snap entering this week's game against visiting Kent State, and McConkey is ready to keep the fast start in high gear, whether he's blocking, rushing or receiving.
"It's the same mindset as every week," he said. "We're trying to play to our standard, and we're trying to beat everybody."
Beck the backup
Georgia backup quarterback Carson Beck is off to quite the impressive start, having played in all three games and having completed 15 of 19 passes (78.9%) for 178 yards and two touchdowns.
In fact, the 6-4, 215-pound redshirt sophomore from Jacksonville has an efficiency rating of 192.38 that actually tops Bennett's lofty 183.49.
"Carson's done a good job," Smart said. "He's playing with a lot of confidence. He understands our system. He's another year in being in the system. There was a point in time where he probably had more reps than Stetson did in terms of volume of work, because he took a lot of reps as the two when Stetson took some as the three, so he's gotten a lot of work.
"He's done a nice job with the opportunity he's been given."
Bulldogs bites
Bowers was named Monday as the SEC offensive player of the week after tallying five catches for 121 yards and two touchdowns and a 5-yard scoring run at South Carolina. ... Smart is hoping that two players nursing ankle injuries, defensive tackle Jalen Carter and receiver Adonai Mitchell, will be able to play this week. ... Kent State coach Sean Lewis on Monday said Georgia has "the greatest collection of talent ever assembled." ... The only previous meeting between the Bulldogs and Golden Flashes was a 56-3 Georgia win in 1998, when Smart was a senior strong safety. ... Smart said that senior defensive back William Poole, a starter in both games against Alabama last season, will miss the rest of this year due to a personal matter.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.