5 biggest questions for Georgia football going into fall camp

The sky is the limit for the 2024 Georgia Bulldogs. After missing out on the College Football Playoff a season ago, the Georgia football program aims to win its third national title in four years. This team has lost two games in the last three years combined, both of which to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta. They also haven't lost a game at home since before COVID occurred.

As one of the biggest brands in the sport, Georgia is expected to do great things this season Between the Hedges. I may be slightly biased, but I am once again picking my alma mater to win the SEC and win the expanded College Football Playoff. For all intents and purposes, the Dawgs are a lock to make the playoff. Anything short of a national semifinal appearance will be seen as failure.

So what I am going to do today is take a look at some of the biggest questions surrounding the Georgia program heading into fall camp. Admittedly, they have fewer, bigger, overarching questions when compared to most of their counterparts, but that doesn't mean they aren't important enough to not be answered. All I know is we will get a definitive answer for each of them by the end of the year.

Let's start with one of the biggest questions Dawg Nation may have about the Georgia offense.

5. Who will emerge as Carson Beck's go-to pass-catcher this season?

We will get our answer soon enough, but do keep in mind that Carson Beck did lose a ton of receiving talent to the NFL. Brock Bowers, Ladd McConkey and Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint all turned pro. Not only that but former Mississippi State transfer RaRa Thomas was suspended indefinitely and is no longer part of the team. That means there are plenty of opportunities for other guys to make plays.

Right off the bat, I would say three pass-catchers immediately come to mind. Oscar Delp will do his best to replace Bowers at tight end. Dillon Bell becomes even more important of a receiving target. I would also venture to guess that former all-conference performer Dominic Lovett's role will become even more important. Keep an eye on newcomer tight end from Stanford in Benjamin Yurosek as well.

This is not a bad problem to have for Beck and the Georgia offense, but one that must be addressed.

4. Can Trevor Etienne be relied upon as the bell-cow back right away?

Even with an arrest earlier this offseason, all signs point to Florida transfer Trevor Etienne emerging as the Dawgs' bell-cow back. One of the biggest reasons he left Florida was to be the No. 1 option in a contender's backfield. He will have that opportunity in Athens, but will he take advantage of it. Like starting quarterback Carson Beck, he is slated to be a first-team all-conference performer this year.

While we have seen Georgia go with the bell-cow back approach not that long ago, it has been more of a running back by committee approach in recent years. However, with Daijun Edwards and Kendall Milton having turned pro, it puts a far greater emphasis on Etienne to hit the ground running on his new team. Yes, he may have some more than capable backups behind him, but it is his time to shine.

There is a chance Georgia might have the best quarterback/running back tandem in college football.

3. How will Georgia navigate one of its most difficult schedules in years?

I hate to say it, but Georgia has benefited the last few years from playing in the SEC East as opposed to the SEC West. With the SEC doing away with divisions, that means Georgia will be playing teams like South Carolina and Vanderbilt less often. Replacing team are teams like Ole Miss and Texas. The Dawgs not only have to play them, but they also draw Alabama in conference play over in Tuscaloosa.

Georgia has to play Alabama, Ole Miss and Texas on the road, as well as drawing Clemson in Atlanta to start the year. Throw in Tennessee at home during the end of the season, and this is one of the hardest schedules Georgia has had to play in years. While this should be an 11-1 or 12-0 team, it might be a 10-2 squad due to the challenges of the schedule. They must win 10 to make the playoff.

The only thing I can say that lets me sleep easy at night is all of those teams have to play Georgia.

2. Who will be the playmaker in the defensive front-seven Georgia needs?

With Malaki Starks back for another season, I have a pretty good feeling that the Georgia secondary is going to be exceptional. As for the defensive front-seven, the Dawgs really need a bona-fide disruptor in the trenches, akin to what Jordan Davis was in 2021 and what Jalen Carter was in 2022. It could be the veteran Nazir Stackhouse, but I envision it being more of a collaborative effort this year.

The good news is Mykel Williams could be otherworldly coming off the edge. Factor in Smael Mondon Jr. flying around everywhere in the middle of the defense, and I think we will be more than okay. Other stars will emerge at all levels of the defense, but keep a close eye on Daylen Everette in the secondary. He could be making even more plays, given what we know about Starks at safety.

Georgia has about four or five stars on defense already, but another two to emerge would be great.

1. Can Carson Beck handle the pressure to be the best QB in the country?

I don't know if Carson Beck will ever be asked to fully carry this team on his back, but he has the talent to do so. He is cool, calm and collected. Beck could be as clutch as Stetson Bennett IV was. He is as talented as Matthew Stafford was coming out. There is a chance he could be as prolific as a passer as Aaron Murray was over a decade ago. It is all about Beck putting it all together for everyone to see.

Most people his age would crack under this pressure. Maybe the guy is really built for it? Keep in mind that most people in his shoes would have transferred at the first sign of adversity. Not Beck. That's because he might be special. Dawg Nation is hoping he can build off a tremendous first season as the starter last year. Look for him to be even more comfortable now in year two of the Mike Bobo offense.

We could be looking at Georgia's first Heisman Trophy winner since 1982, its first quarterback ever.