Notre Dame Football Opponent Preview: Georgia Bulldog Offense
By Andrew Hall
The Notre Dame football faces a massive step up in talent on Saturday when they play the Georgia Bulldogs. The Georgia Bulldogs bring an extremely talented backfield into South Bend. If Notre Dame hopes to win, they must stop Nick Chubb and Sony Michel.
Quarterback – Jacob Fromm
When Jacob Eason went off the field with an apparent knee injury against Appalachian State, the hearts of Georgia fans sank to the floor. Freshman Quarterback Jake Fromm quickly rescued their hopes and dreams with a solid performance. Fromm, a Quarterback from Warner Robins, Georgia, ranked as the 44th prospect in the 2017 class.
After Fromm entered the game on Saturday, he threw for 143 yards on 10-of-15 passing. Despite possessing a great upside, the Bulldogs do not need Fromm to win the game for them. He simply needs to turn around and hand the ball of to one of the extremely talented Running Backs in Georgia’s arsenal.
Running Backs
The strength of the Georgia football team resides in the backfield. Sony Michel and Nick Chubb carry the Bulldog offense. In 2016, Chubb carried the ball 224 times for 1130 yards with 8 touchdowns. His teammate in the backfield, Michel, rushed for 840 yards with 4 touchdowns.
In last Saturday’s contest, Michel rushed for 87 yards and Chubb collected 96 yards. Notre Dame Defensive Coordinator Mike Elko plans to stop Georgia revolve around stopping Michel and Chubb.
Wide Receivers
Georgia returns a relatively unproven Wide Receiver group. Terry Godwin, Riley Ridley and Javon Wims led the receiver group. Godwin tallied 38 receptions and 397 yards. Ridley may or may not play against Notre Dame. Head Coach Kirby Smart suspended Ridley for marijuana possession.
Tight Ends
The Georgia Tight End position group is led by Issac Nauta and Jeb Blazevich. As a Freshman, Nauta caught 29 passes for 361 yards with 3 touchdowns. Blazevich, a former Notre Dame recruit, product steadily declined since his Freshman campaign. Now, in his Senior season, Blazevich hopes to stay healthy and produce at a high level.
Next: Takeaways from Brian Kelly's Pre-Georgia Press Conference
Offensive Line
Despite plowing the way for two excellent Running Backs, the Georgia Offensive Line represented the weakest part of the 2016 football team. The Bulldog Offensive Line appears to be much improved. However, the unit remains unproven. If Notre Dame can get Georgia to 3rd down, Notre Dame’s pass rusher may take advantage.