Kirby Smart’s got his eyes on what his younger Georgia Bulldogs can actually do once the clock starts ticking this fall. The team’s already facing a serious hit to their running back depth with Dante Dowdell out, plus they’ve got a new nine-game SEC schedule to navigate.
Smart plans to test their toughness right now during camp so they’re ready for those fourth-quarter battles when the game gets ugly. The season kicks off on September 5 against Tennessee State, and Smart says the squad has to generate more havoc while becoming way more explosive on offense if they want to win.
A Tough Start for the Running Back Room
Things took a turn for the worse for the Bulldogs’ backfield when reports confirmed that Dante Dowdell suffered a critical injury in an off-campus vehicle accident. Smart told reporters during SEC Media Days that the situation is just tough, admitting he doesn’t know when Dowdell will be back on the field. Two Georgia hospitals had already examined the player, according to the coach, and Smart made it clear they’re praying for him and his family.
Dowdell joined the roster via the transfer portal for the 2026 season after playing for Kentucky last year, where he even competed against Georgia in their 2025 matchup. He showed real promise during the G-Day scrimmage this spring, so now his future in the sport is in jeopardy. This leaves Nate Frazier and Chauncey Bowens as the main contributors, while the depth chart behind them remains a total unknown.
The program has dealt with injuries at this spot before, so they know the drill. A leg injury hurt Chauncey Bowens last year, and Trevor Etienne also missed time in 2024. The team will have to rely on other ball carriers to fill the gap, and Smart added that they’ll just go day by day with the injured player.
Testing Toughness in a New Camp Format
Smart is changing how the team practices to handle the new season rules the NCAA gave the SEC this year. Next year, the season actually starts a week earlier with a “Week Zero,” but Smart explained that they voted not to start earlier just because of that rule. Instead, the coaches changed the practice format to be smarter for the players. The team now uses a schedule of three days on and one day off, a shift from the five or six consecutive days they used to go in prior years.
This change gives players a day in between for recovery, which Smart pointed out is crucial given the record-breaking heat. He said it was 7 or 8 degrees hotter this year than last year. “You get the day in between for recovery,” Smart said. “There were some lighter, shorter practices due to the heat.”
Smart isn’t worried about the intensity dropping because of the extra rest; he wants to see how the players handle the grind regardless. “I’m asking each player to have some addition by subtraction,” Smart said, explaining that camp is longer than two weeks for the team. “Those are the number of days that you’re not in your normal bed. You’re away, you’re locked in, you’re focused, and school starts.”
The goal is to find out who has the right mindset. “We have to test toughness, and a word we talk about a lot around here is grit,” he said. Smart believes they must find out what kind of grit they have now, which will help them win fourth-quarter battles later in the season.
Building Depth and Explosiveness on Both Sides
The coaching staff is looking for improvements in every part of the game, and Smart said there isn’t one single thing they are harping on. They need to generate more turnovers and create more havoc on defense, while the offense must become more explosive. Smart noted that he could talk until he’s blue in the face, but it’s not just one thing they need to fix. The offense needs to use play action more to help quarterback Gunner Stockton, which means the tight ends must block well downfield.
Smart wants his 230-pound players to bully people on the perimeter. “There has to be a culture and belief that if I’m 230 pounds, my advantage is I can bully people on the perimeter,” Smart said. “And if they use that wisely, it makes our skill players, receivers and running backs even better.”
Senior Lawson Luckie is expected to be the primary tight end target after having just 15 catches last season but now has a big role to fill. He must replace Oscar Delp, who was drafted to the NFL, while sophomore Elyiss Williams is also expected to take on a large role. Luckie says he isn’t worried about the pressure. “Fall camp has this crazy hype behind it, but it’s nothing somebody who’s played football their whole life can’t handle,” he said.
Smart is also using the early part of the season to experiment, knowing the team will open against Tennessee State and then Western Kentucky. These games aren’t as tough as Oregon or Clemson. “We have the luxury of being able to experiment,” Smart said, noting the staff can give second and third-string players more reps and try different formats on Tuesday or Wednesday.
To help with this, Smart hired Maurice Smith as a defensive analyst, a former player for Georgia who knows the system well. Smith helped secure a top-ten win over Auburn in 2016, so his presence should help the defense stay strong as Smart has hired many former players to help the current roster succeed.
Path Forward is Clear Yet Challenging
The path forward is clear but full of challenges. The team must survive the injury to Dowdell and find new depth, while adapting to a hotter climate and a new schedule format. Smart wants to see grit from his young players when it matters most, and the season opener on September 5 is just the start.
The Bulldogs need to fix the weaknesses that showed up last year, specifically the loss to Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl after an 11-1 regular season. They need more standout wide receivers and a better vertical passing game, and the tight ends must step up to make the offense work. The defense must create more havoc to keep the team in games.
Smart is willing to change his approach to get better results, listening to how other people do things to find a better way. He isn’t afraid to experiment with practice times or player reps, and this flexibility could be the key to a deep playoff run. The fans will have to wait and see how the young talent responds to the pressure.
The team is favored by 45.5 points over Tennessee State and also favored by 30.5 points over Western Kentucky. These games offer a chance to test the roster without high stakes, but Smart knows the real test comes in September and October. He wants to build a team that can win fourth-quarter battles, so the focus remains on toughness, grit, and execution.
