ATHENS – Georgia running backs coach Dell McGee has seen the position he coaches change mightily since he joined Kirby Smart’s staff in 2016.
McGee saw the once run-heavy Bulldog offense lean more on the passing game through recent years, ultimately crafting the current iteration that won back-to-back national championships.
It’s the same shift that made Georgia running backs like D’Andre Swift, James Cook and Kenny McIntosh integral parts of the pass attack. McIntosh finished his final season at Georgia with 43 receptions, by far the most by any running back under Smart and third overall on the team.
New offensive coordinator Mike Bobo will look to maintain the kind of pass attack that his predecessor, Todd Monken, deployed over the last two seasons. That leaves McGee with the task of developing more pass-catchers out of the backfield.
Statistically, there doesn’t appear to be an obvious candidate to replicate McIntosh’s production in 2023. Daijun Edwards’ 14 receptions were the second-most out of the running back room last season.
UGA’s third running back, Kendall Milton, had just five. Milton did miss two games last year due to injury and is already dealing with a hamstring injury to start fall camp.
Injuries have challenged McGee as he looks to develop his running backs into better pass-catchers. In addition to Milton, Branson Robinson is working back from a foot injury and Andrew Paul is coming off a torn ACL last August.
RELATED: Dell McGee updates the progress of the Georgia running back room, injuries and all
“You don’t get a chance to get those physical reps, so you lose out on that,” McGee said. “So they have to really, really, really do extra, whether it’s on their own or me as a coach taking time and making sure that they’re getting those necessary route development and hand development that’s needed to catch.”
McGee added that he has seen all of his backs improve when it comes to catching the ball.
“We can’t let our injuries or not being there be an excuse to not catch the ball,” he said. “When their number is called in the passing game, they’re expected to catch it and answer the bell.”
As Kirby Smart said earlier this month, Georgia doesn’t seem to have a superstar running back in its midst. There isn’t a McIntosh in this room, much less a Swift, Cook or Sony Michel. All of whom McGee coached.
To that point, McGee echoed a sentiment similar to Smart about the state of the running back room.
“I think our running back room will be by committee,” McGee said. “Whoever has the hot hand will earn those touches. We’ll spread the ball out and find out who needs to touch the ball as the game goes on.”
RELATED: While Georgia running back future is promising, the present is a big question mark
It’s unknown how much this offense will rely on its running backs to catch passes. In addition to not having an obvious target — outside of the oft-mentioned Cash Jones who has been praised by both Smart and McGee — Georgia has a small arsenal of receivers, tight ends and quarterbacks supported by a monstrous offensive line that takes plenty of pressure off McGee’s group.
But if Bobo, McGee and the rest of the offensive staff want to maintain the all-purpose offense that Monken cultivated, the 2023 running back committee will need to prove it can actually do it. That starts with being on the field and continues by repeating it in games. Even if it’s not to the same level as McIntosh, Georgia is going to ask its running backs to be factors in the passing game.
