#4 Georgia Bulldogs

Head Coach: Mark Richt
2003 Record: 11-3

Team MVP: The offense struggled at times last season and that was due to several reasons. Those reasons were the inexperienced offensive line, injuries at receiver and young running backs all prevented quarterback David Greene from successfully moving the offense and scoring as they did in his first two seasons. Greene is the MVP of this team due to his poise, leadership and solid decision making on the field. Look for the senior to have a solid bounce back year.

Quarterback: As mentioned above, senior quarterback David Greene is the key to this team. If he has a solid season, the Bulldogs could find themselves playing for a National Championship. The key to his season will be the play of the people around him. If Fred Gibson can stay healthy and a running game can be established, the college football world will see the David Greene of his first two seasons. Expect backup D.J. Shockley to see some time as well. He brings a new dimension to the offense when he is on the field.

Running Back: If the passing game is to take off, running the football will be essential. In 2003, the Bulldogs didn't have a go to back and a few backs split time. After spring practices, Kregg Lumpkin has claimed the starting job. Lumpkin will be a sophomore in 2004. Backing up Lumpkin will be fellow sophomore Michael Cooper. Both backs are young and still improving, but they have tons of potential. Jeremy Thomas will return at fullback and was a solid player in 2003.

Wide Receiver: The Bulldogs could have the best receiving tandem in the SEC should they stay healthy. Fred Gibson and Reggie Brown have All-SEC potential. Gibson struggled to stay healthy last season and the Bulldogs missed his size and downfield potential. Bryan McClendon, Sean Bailey and former running back Tyson Browning will give the Bulldogs two more dependable options at receiver. Overall, this is a very strong unit.

Offensive Line: Going into the 2003 season, the Bulldogs had to replace five starters and that was a recipe for disaster. That recipe held true as the offense sputtered and David Greene didn't have time to throw. Going into 2004, the offensive line appears to be in better shape with experience. Tackle Max Jean-Gilles is a solid player for the line to build around and will help protect Greene. The line must replace one starter, but with the experience from last season, they will be better overall.

Defensive Line: The Bulldogs have to be excited about the prospects of their defensive line. Returning is All-American candidate David Pollack. Pollack had a down year last season, but he should return to his dominant form in 2004. Also returning will be Will Thompson, who missed last season with an ankle injury. He should complement Pollack well and form a solid tandem. At defensive tackle, Gerald Anderson and Kedric Golston will return. Both players saw time last season and will be solid in the middle of the line. Depending on the success of Thompson, the Bulldogs could have the best defensive line in the SEC.

Linebackers: The key player returning in this unit is in the middle with Odell Thurman. Thurman finished last season with 121 tackles and could improve off of that number in 2004. Arnold Harrison is a solid player and should have a good season. The only question for the linebackers will be on the outside with Derrick White. Tony Taylor was expected to take over this position but was injured in the spring and will miss all of 2004. Overall, this is a solid unit and the only concern would be if White can step in for Taylor for the 2004 season.

Secondary: Two starters will be returning for the secondary. Returning will be cornerback Tim Jennings and safety Thomas Davis. Davis was a key reason that the Bulldogs defense had success last season. He tallied 138 tackles last season, which led the team. Jennings is small at 5'8, but can be an effective corner. Finding someone who can play opposite will be key for this defense. Greg Blue will step in at the other safety position and should be a solid player. Losing Sean Jones and Bruce Thornton will be a big blow, but the return of Davis and Jennings should help reduce that loss.

Special Teams: One of the biggest losses for this team was the loss of kicker Billy Bennett. Bennett was an All-SEC kicker, and he will be missed. The early lead to replace him will be Andy Bailey. At punter, Gordon Ely-Kelso had a solid freshman season and should develop into a solid, consistent punter for the Dawgs. The special teams will miss the returns of Damien Gary.

Final Thoughts: As Mark Richt is entering his fourth season as the Bulldogs head coach, this appears to be their best shot at a National Championship. The schedule is manageable as they have road games against Auburn and South Carolina and host LSU and Tennessee. They also have the annual Jacksonville game against Florida. Offensively, the offensive line has to play better. If the line plays better, David Greene will have time to throw and Kregg Lumpkin will find running room. If Fred Gibson stays healthy, he could lead the SEC in catches. Defensively, the Bulldogs are going to be tough to score against. With the return of defensive end David Pollack, and Will Thompson returning from an injury, they will get a solid pass rush. Linebacker Odell Thurman is going to be a tackling machine in 2004. Also, safety Thomas Davis is likely to have another big year. Finding a cornerback who can play opposite of Tim Jennings is going to be huge for the defense. Another question that must answered for the Bulldogs is finding a kicker. Not having Billy Bennett will hurt the team. If the Bulldogs can find answers to the offensive line and kicker, they could be playing for the National Championship.

-- Steve Lassan