Former Georgia All-SEC quarterback D.J. Shockley shares vision of 2023 offense

ATHENS — Faces, numbers, names and alignments must change in the Georgia offensive, but the philosophy doesn’t figure to be too much different, if at all.

Former Bulldogs first-team All-SEC quarterback D.J. Shockley expects Kirby Smart to maintain the same offensive identity, even if he has to go about it a different way.

“Coach (Mike) Bobo was my quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator, and knowing him and Kirby the way I do, they want to have the effect of, when we want to run the football, we want to be physical and be downhill,” Shockley said during a Sirius XM radio interview earlier this spring.

“That’s one of the things Kirby has continued to do in recruiting big, physical offensive linemen and big, physical backs.”

Former offensive coordinator Todd Monken devised a high-percentage pass scheme featuring many short throws to backs and tight ends last season, the better to play to the strengths of mobile QB Stetson Bennett.

WATCH: How Mike Bobo ‘mitigates the gap’ in Georgia QB competition

Georgia finished the season 15th in passing offense, and it’s a good bet whoever plays quarterback this season — Carson Beck and Brock Vandagriff are the leading candidates — will continue to have games airing it out.

“They want to have the element of being able to change when they need to,” Shockley said. “It’s similar to what Todd Monken was able to do last year, when they needed to go spread and needed to open it up.”

Shockley sees an uptick in perimeter speed, which should help compensate for the unique matchup challenges tailback Kenny McIntosh and tight end Darnell Washington brought.

“You look at some or the guys they have now, and they were able to add speed,” Shockley said. “You have a guy in Rara Thomas who came over, and then Dominic Lovett came over, and they were number one receivers who could stretch the field.

“You still have a burner in Arian Smith, (and) they have some leaders like Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, who has some speed and is a good possession guy, and Ladd McConkey, who has been known to take the top off a defense for a long time.”

Shockley noted some of Bobo’s strengths helped bail out Monken where the former play caller struggled, particularly in the red zone where Smart often referenced TD percentage.

“When (Monken) was making his rounds during the awards shows, he gave Mike Bobo a lot of credit,” Shockley said, “for the touchdowns they have in the Red Zone — he was integral in coming up with Red Zone plays and third down plays.”

Ultimately, Shockley concluded, “I think this offensive will stay similar to what you saw,” even if there will be personnel differences.