Can Georgia be RBU? It was once, but not anymore. Last year, we wrote how Trevor Etienne was going to help the Dawgs return to RBU status. It sadly did not happen. Against Texas, Etienne found another level and met that standard. In the first game in Austin, he rushed for all three of Georgia’s touchdowns. In the SEC Championship, he rushed for 94 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning 4-yard run in overtime. But for the rest of the season, he was either injured or largely a non-factor. A quick look at Georgia’s offense in 2024 reveals how far off the Dawgs were from the standard set in the years prior.
2024 Offense
Georgia’s offense in 2024 wasn’t quite the same machine we saw in 2021, 2022, and 2023. It took a noticeable step back across the board. The biggest drop came in the running game. The Dawgs averaged just 124.4 rushing yards per game, a steep decline from 191.2 in 2023 and 205.3 in 2022 during their back-to-back title runs. The 2024 season was the lowest rushing output of the Kirby Smart era.
Overall production dipped as well. Georgia averaged just 405.4 total yards per game — down from 496.5 in 2023 and 501.1 in 2022. While they still racked up over 5,600 total yards, the offense lacked the same explosiveness and consistency we’ve come to expect. The Dawgs also found the end zone less often. Georgia finished with 53 offensive touchdowns — 29 passing, 24 rushing — compared to 76 in 2022 and 68 in 2021.
Can Nate Frazier Bring Back RBU to Georgia?
Nate Frazier 2024
Nate Frazier, a true freshman running back, was a lone bright spot for the Georgia offense in 2024. Despite the team’s overall disappointing rushing production, Frazier quickly established himself, leading the team with 671 rushing yards on 133 attempts and eight rushing touchdowns, averaging 5.05 yards per carry. He also had 85 receiving yards on 12 catches. Frazier was one of the few sparks on an offense that sometimes featured too many duds.
Frazier made his impact immediately; he had 83 rushing yards and a touchdown in his debut against Clemson. He exploded for a career-high 136 yards and three touchdowns against UMass. Frazier was able to showcase his ability to be a lead back, especially when Etienne and others faced injuries. A highlight of his season was scoring the game-winning two-point conversion in the thrilling eight-overtime victory over Georgia Tech.
Coaches and teammates have praised Frazier’s confident running style, explosiveness, and strong decision-making. Frazier’s stellar debut season has generated considerable excitement, positioning him as a potential star in the SEC for 2025 and a vital piece for Georgia’s future ground game.
PFF High On Georgia’s 2025 Running Back Room
Pro Football Focus (PFF) — known for its deep dives into player performance and advanced analytics — dropped its rankings of the top running back rooms heading into 2025. Georgia landed at No. 8 on the list, thanks to Frazier and a combination of young stars and veteran depth. Georgia is poised to return to RBU.
Here is a closer look at the Georgia running back room for 2025.
-
Nate Frazier will be the bellcow in 2024. Posted an impressive 84.2 rushing grade from PFF. He will be the straw that stirs the drink for the Georgia offense.
-
Josh McCray, a transfer from Illinois, adds experience and much-needed depth to the room. He was the seventh-most-valuable RB in the Big Ten last year based on PFF’s Wins Above Average metric. He worked up feeling the cheesiest in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl. He was awarded the MVP after rushing 13 times for 114 yards and two touchdowns to lead Illinois to a victory over South Carolina.
-
Cash Jones gives Georgia a legit threat in the passing game. The redshirt senior finished with the fourth-highest receiving grade among all FBS backs (81.7). The Brock, Texas back is a third-down threat and a great value-guy to have on the roster.
-
Roderick Robinson II, Chauncey Bowens, and Dwight Phillips are all former four-stars. Robinson enters his redshirt sophomore season, while Bowens and Phillips are redshirt freshmen ready to break through. Robinson was injured most of 2024 and is a big-bodied athlete who can be a punishing back inside the tackles. Boens and Phillips are still waiting to find meaningful snaps after serving last year in a reserve role.
-
Bo Walker, another four-star and the youngest of the group, joins as a true freshman and adds even more upside to the room. The Georgia native won championships with both Cedar Grove and Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School. He can fly. Walker played baseball and ran track in high school. He clocked an 11.21-second time in the 100 meters and a 24.62-second time in the 200 meters.
Main Image: oshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The post Can Nate Frazier Bring Back RBU to Georgia? appeared first on Last Word on College Football.