Jake Rowe lists this as one of Georgia’s biggest concerns after spring practice:
Running back depth: We really like the one-two punch at the top of Georgia’s running back room with D’Andre Swift and Brian Herrien. Swift has an argument as the most dynamic ball carrier in the nation and Herrien is more than capable of sharing the load with little or no dropoff. James Cook is an excellent change-of-pace option who can also serve as an offensive weapon/gadget guy.
Beyond those three, though, there are question marks. Zamir White isn’t yet healthy and no one truly knows when he will be back to his old self. Kenny McIntosh isn’t even in Athens yet and when he does arrive, how much of an impact will he make?
The fact that Walter Grant moved over from outside linebacker to give the running back room an extra body validates our concern here. It’s a physical position where an injury or two can really challenge your depth. Swift has a history of nagging injuries and you can bet Smart is crossing his fingers when it comes injuries at this position going forward.
There is something to be said for that. What I wonder is, which would hurt Georgia more, Swift going down with an injury, or Jake Fromm?
Get The Picture 
I want to say if Jake went down it would hurt us more. Leader and field general and all that. He has been through the crucible of conference play and Stetson would get a trial by fire in the SEC. Swift however is our most explosive player. The dawgs behind him all would have some question marks when comparing them to Swift. The backs would benefit running behind what is arguably the best offensive line in college football this year. So I am going with Jake.
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Answer is a question:
Why is it that DRob is struggling to see the field again?
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Would you rather take your chances with Stetson Bennett or Herrien, White and Cook? That’s not a tough choice imo.
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I agree. Losing Swift would be a significant blow, but would not take us out of contention for winning the East. Losing Fromm takes us out of the Conference Championship race. As much as I like Stetson, I don’t believe he’s a 1:1 stand-in for Fromm. When your starting QB goes down you lose more than a talented player, you lose your team leader and on-field General.
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Plus we had a guy with a well below average 40 time rush for over 1,000 yards last season behind a line that is supposed be improved in 2019.
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I think Swift would be bigger loss.
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We really missed on that kid that went to Bama. I’ll defer to others on the disturbing question and just say that White and McIntosh need to both give us more than expected.
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I find it hard to think of a position that’s three deep with quality, including a potential Heisman candidate and two highly regarded freshman at the four and rive spots as a problem. Is Georgia supposed to go 7-deep at the position or something?
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Yeah, I think almost every team in the country would trade their RB group for ours without hesitation.
Bama and LSU are the only comparable rosters I can think of and LSU is a stretch given they will be almost entirely dependent on true freshmen making an impact.
Color me not concerned…
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Hope I’m wrong, but I’m not nearly as sold on Herrien as a #2 back as most everyone else seems to be. I know he ran hard in the bowl game, but overall, I think the drop off from the #1 back to the #2 back this year is going to be the largest we’ve had since before Gurley and Marshall hit the door – by a wide margin.
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Herrien has done nothing but improve from game to game. He’s a workaholic and thrives on the “underdog” mentality. I love the way he runs and seeing him this spring, he’s noticeably bigger than he was last year. I think he is going to surprise you and many others this fall.
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Agreed. Herrien isn’t a flashy back, but, he’s a solid back with a full understanding of what we want to do as an offense. Good blocker, reasonable runner. He’s not likely to rack up a lot of highlight-reel runs, but, he’ll pound the ball, inside and out, get chunks of yards, and keep the ball in his hands. The dropoff from Fromm to Bennett/Mathis is shocking, Swift to Herrien/Cook/White entirely less so.
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Herrien is a terrific receiver. He’s a valuable third-down back for that alone.
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Herrien played really well against Tennessee last year. I expect him to improve and hopefully, he has some “wow” moments this year.
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I’m more sold on Herrien right now than I was with Holyfield this time last year.
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It would truly be hard to ask a dumber question than that, as a matter of it would
Be impossible!!!!
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How about both?
Of course if Jake or Swift got hurt it would be huge.
But you can’t just sit around and worry about potential calamity.
What would it mean for Bama if Tua got hurt? Or Lawrence at Clemson? Key injuries will always be a factor.
What’s scary to me is half the team coming down with the flu or something.
These are always possibilities and concerns.
However..remember when Eason went down?
You never know.
I’ll tell you this about skill depth…
Stetson can run the offense and even enhance it in a way with his quickness. Herrien and Cook can run the hell out of a football. Zamir will probably get his confidence back after the first game or two. The offensive line can make an average SEC RB look great.
Things will never be perfect but Georgia’s in great shape.
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Shut your mouth!
Yeah, I think we can overcome Swift better than Fromm. But losing either would really hurt. I’m counting on Zeus to be back strong. “Hope” is a plan, right?
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Bites your tongues all! To even speculate on such calamities invites unwanted attention from the football gods. Beg forgiveness and offer sacrifice for such blasphemies!
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Interesting. If you would of asked me the areas of concern, I would not have thought of RB. After reading the breakdown, it makes since. I remember when the moved Grant, and thought how weird that was. Great, I’ll add RBs to the prayer list.
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Am I worried that we may only be 4 deep instead of 5 deep at rib to start the season? Behind the best offensive line the team has ever had? When the starting rb will only be needed in the first half for most of the the first eight games? When the number one running back recruit in the country last year gets healthy by season end? We are inventing things to worry about now.
Fromm going down would be bad, more for his knowledge of the playbook and ability to run the offense than His arm. Stetson commanding a greater understanding of the offense will mitigate risk of Fromm loss.
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WE DON’T HAVE A RELIABLE BACKUP LONG SNAPPAH!!!!
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And we’re gonna be playing on Dooley Field!
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Losing Fromm would be an unmitigated disaster. Sorry, but if Bennett or Mathis take anything beyond mop-up snaps, we’re in deep …
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Gurley, Chubb, Michel, Holyfield, Swift; it doesn’t seem as hard to find a great back at UGA as it does to find a great QB. They don’t grow Jake Fromm’s on trees.
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The 2019 O line will make it much easier to survive injuries at any offensive skill position.
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I nominate this post for the “Larry Munson Post of Dread and Worry of the Year Award.”
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I think moving Walter Grant had more to do with the quality depth at LB and trying to find a spot on the field for a great athlete.
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Agree. We have seen disaster strike at RB a few years ago, we got down to 6th and 7th team RBs, but no reason to think we het this hard again. You can’t lose your top stars at key positions and not suffer some. If that happens, nothing we can do but try to stem the tide. If it is in critical games, it will cost us a chance at a title. Won’t be the first, or last time; fate can be cruel…UGA fans should understand that better than anyone. The real question for me is why any RB wouldn’t beg to run behind this OL, odd that we had trouble finding only McIntosh last cycle.
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Without a doubt, Jake going down would hurt us more than if Swift went down. I don’t think it’s even that close of an argument.
Yes, we are a run first team, and we did just fine with a true freshman at the helm 2 years ago after our Eason got hurt. And the OL will most likely be better than 2 years ago which should give us a strong running game.
Even though Swift is an elite RB, and the OL might be considered the same, good defensive teams can load up the box and take away a running game. Having Jake at QB doesn’t allow a defense to load up the box. And when you add that to our OL, an average RB can look great. And I believe that behind Swift, all our other RB’s are at the very least average. I’d actually consider them to be very good to great with the possibility of being elite for Zamir and Cook anyway. Plus, we don’t know what McIntosh will be but he could be another great RB.
If Jake went down, I think Stetson would be able to be a serviceable fill fir most games. But beating Bama would be much more difficult without Jake than without Swift. And ultimately, that’s what this team is working on accomplishing. Beating Bama in the SECC, and then whomever else is in the CFP have to be the ultimate goals for the ’19 squad. Jake is necessary for completing those goals. I think Swift will be necessary as well, but I believe we would still have a decent shot if we didn’t have him.
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Been saying it since we missed out on Trey Sanders. We’re thin at running back. Cook isn’t a game changer, Herrien’s a nice backup, White’s..you know and Swift’s father isn’t gonna let him play hurt. Why would he? He’s a 1st round talent. Not sure he’s not better than Saquon Barkley. He made some cuts in the last quarter of the season that I’ve never seen a UGA back make. Barry Sanders esque
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If Swift has another injury and misses playing time he will likely be judged as “injury prone” by pro scouts. He will have been injured in every season at Georgia. His father needs to keep this in mind.
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“Kenny McIntosh isn’t even in Athens yet and when he does arrive how much of an impact will he make?”
Gurley wasn’t an early enrollee. How’d that turn out? I wonder how all those teams that don’t have a stable of 4 and 5-star RBs manage to get along. I understand the Munsoning, but this crap is getting old fast. Dawg-grading is reaching a new low.
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