Bulldogs Are Back To The Top Of The College Football World Due To The Huge Combat Advantage For UGA In 2024…

Jared Curtis might’ve raised a few eyebrows when he visited USC a few weeks back, but he’s here to help lower them.

The Georgia quarterback committed has been pledged to the Bulldogs since the spring, and nothing’s changed there. But a few other top programs continue to work to get him on campus. That included USC who hadn’t offered yet, but wanted to get Curtis out to Los Angeles so he could offer.

“I love Georgia. A couple weeks ago, I went down to USC, but I’m definitely still a Dawg for sure. I’m 100 percent on Georgia,” Curtis told Dawgs247. “I told them before, and they told me they was OK with it. They just said, make sure you’re still a Dawg. I’m definitely locked in with them and can’t wait to get up there again. It was a good time. I talked to Lincoln [Riley] for a while. I really liked it up there. The weather up there is crazy, but I’m still a Dawg.”

That first return trip to Georgia post-USC visit already took place. Curtis visited Athens the Thursday-Saturday of the final official visit weekend of June. He participated in some of the weekend’s activities, including a game of charades his team lost: “Unfortunately, we lost in that, but we definitely had a good time for sure.”

Curtis’ big takeaway from the visit: His film session with Mike Bobo and Ryan Puglisi. The Nashville Christian (Tenn.) 5-star got to spent time with Georgia’s offensive coordinator and freshman quarterback.

“Me and Coach Bobo and Ryan Puglisi, we went over some film and got on the whiteboard a little bit. Coach Bobo always tries to get me on the whiteboard,” Curtis said. “He tries to teach me a little something all the time. Every time I go there, I learn something new from him. … It was really nice because Ryan’s still trying to learn the plays and get all the play-calls right and know what to do with the ball. It just shows me when I get there what all I’ll have to be going through.”

Curtis plans to return to Georgia on July 27 for the summer cookout.

Every free weekend he gets, he tries to spend it with Bobo. That coaching staff consistency is Georgia’s strongest selling point.

“Definitely the stability of the coaching staff. Coach Smart, I know he’s not going anywhere. Coach Bobo, he’s locked in there. Coach Gummy, of course, he has a big role in it,” he said. “Their development, I think that’ll make me a better person all-around.”

Having seen spring practices, Curtis has high expectations for the season.

“Definitely a national championship, for sure. They’re bringing a lot of good players like always, but just the discipline in the players, the hard practices they go through, Coach Smart on the microphone getting after them during practice, that’s always good to hear,” Curtis said. “I feel like they’ll win it all for sure.”

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Phil Steele gives Georgia the No. 1 OL room in the country, receiving room ranked No. 16

The Georgia Bulldogs are loaded with talent at several positions as they gear up for a 2024 season that features high expectations once again for the red and black. Many people see Georgia as one of, if not the most talented team in the country at most positions, including another preseason magazine that gave the Bulldogs a lot of love. Phil Steele’s preview magazine made sure to give Georgia plenty of attention in its preseason position group rankings. Steele has ranked Georgia’s quarterback room as No. 2 in the country and its running back group at No. 9.

The Dawgs, with its leading receiver set to return in Dominic Lovett,  the addition of transfers Benjamin Yurosek, Colbie Young, and London Humphreys, a more experienced Dillon Bell, and a dependable, healthy RaRa Thomas, did not make the magazine’s top group, coming in just outside at No. 16. For reference, Steele had Georgia ranked No. 4 among receiving units a year ago. Oregon, Missouri, and Ohio State comprise the top 3 receiving units, with Ole Miss at No. 4 and Tennessee at No. 15.

Steele had Georgia’s offensive line ranked No. 1 last year as well. Last season saw Georgia’s offensive line named a finalist for the  Joe Moore Award for the second year in a row. The 2023 award ultimately went to Washington, unseating back-to-back winner Michigan. Center Sedrick Van Pran and right tackle Amarius Mims departed for the NFL, but the Dawgs still return four starters in Earnest Greene, Tate Ratledge, Dylan Fairchild, and Xavier Truss. Georgia was eighth overall and fifth among Power 5 programs last season with a 3.02 sack percentage. Georgia was No. 9 overall and 3 among Power 5 programs with 5.3 yards per rush.

Thanks to Ratledge’s return, Jared Wilson’s emergence at center, and Earnest Greene holding down the fort at left tackle, the positions of interest this summer are left guard and right tackle. Kirby Smart shined some light on those battles during the spring, though he noted he doesn’t distinguish between the two guard positions given the versatility of those players.

“We’ve got a lot of guards competing in there,” Smart said. “When you start at guard, you start with Micah [Morris], Dylan [Fairchild], and Tate. Those three guys are really interchangeable parts. Daniel Calhoun has done a nice job working in there. So has [Marques] Easley, so has Drew Bobo. Jared can play there. They’ve all done a good job competing right there.

“Right tackle, Truss, Monroe [Freeling], [Jamal] Meriweather. [Bo Hughley is] out, so Bo hasn’t been able to go. A lot of guys — Micah’s thrown out there some, Dylan’s jumped out there and gone.”