Two biggest reasons for optimism in 2018

Obviously, it’s a long way from now to September and I could find myself feeling differently, but for the moment there are two things I really like about Georgia’s chances for another excellent year.

First, there’s the schedule.  The out of conference games are awful and they’re all at home (yeah, it’s time to beat Georgia Tech in Athens).  There are only four true road games.  Auburn, the only Georgia opponent that finished in Sagarin’s top thirty for 2017, has to come to Athens.  Look at that schedule and tell me in your honest opinion if you can see more than two losses there.  I can’t.

Second — and I fervently hope I’m not jinxing things by noting this — Georgia has a returning starter at quarterback in Jake Fromm, who, if he manages to avoid injury, will offer the most stability at the position since 2013.  (I know, I know.  I was saying the same positive things about Eason before last season’s opener.)

There are things to be somewhat nervous about, like who steps up at inside linebacker and on the offensive line, and whether there’s a viable replacement for Javon Wims, but those two pluses, along with a largely intact coaching staff in their third season on the job and a rapid rise in the quality of team depth as a result of Smart’s work on the recruiting front, should mean that Georgia’s chances bode well in a division that looks to have several rebooting jobs in the works in 2018.