ATHENS — As Kirby Smart and the Georgia football team take the field to open spring practice, the tone surrounding the program suggests a mix of urgency, transition, and opportunity.
Coming off a season that exposed areas for improvement despite flashes of dominance, Smart made it clear that this spring is less about maintaining and more about rebuilding key areas of the roster.
Georgia enters the practice period with what Smart suggests is a significant shift in experience and leadership.
“We have the least number of starters coming back we’ve ever had,” he said. “A lot of good players with a lot of experience are leaving the program.”
That turnover is compounded by a lengthy list of injuries.
Several contributors, including Drew Bobo, Jordan Hall, Gabe Harris Jr., Kyron Jones, Carter Luckie, and Zayden Walker, will miss most or all of spring practice while recovering. While none of the injuries are considered long-term setbacks, the absences create valuable opportunities for younger players to take on expanded roles.
For Smart, that opportunity is the foundation of spring.
“Our goals are really simple,” he said. “We want to grow the bottom of the roster to the top, and we want to get the top of the roster better.”
That development has already begun.
Georgia emphasized a more demanding offseason program, featuring six early-morning workouts per week designed to build both competition and culture. According to Smart, players embraced the challenge — an encouraging sign for a team entering a transitional phase.
On the field, much of the attention will center on improving offensive explosiveness. While quarterback Gunner Stockton returns with experience, Smart emphasized that growth at the position — and around it — is critical.
“We’ve got to be more explosive offensively,” Smart said. “That does not fall solely on Gunner, but it does fall partially with him.”
Smart pointed to decision-making, protection, and playmaking as key areas for improvement, noting that too many big plays last season came on broken or unscheduled situations rather than within the structure of the offense.
Creating more consistent vertical threats will be a priority throughout spring drills, he said.
The Bulldogs are also counting on new additions to help elevate that production. Wide receiver Isiah Canion and running back Dante Dowdell both arrive with SEC experience and physical tools that fit Georgia’s identity.
Smart praised Canion’s playmaking ability and familiarity with the program, and highlighted Dowdell’s toughness and work ethic as immediate assets.
In the trenches, development remains a focal point. Smart emphasized the importance of coaching depth along the offensive line, where Phil Rauscher has taken over for Stacey Searels.
Defensively, the emphasis is just as clear. Despite strong performances against the run last season, Smart wants more disruption — particularly in the form of sacks and negative-gain plays.
The departure of key leaders has opened the door for players like Raylen Wilson to take on a larger leadership role, something Smart believes he is ready for after contributing significantly a year ago.
Meanwhile, competition across the roster — especially in the secondary and at outside linebacker — remains wide open.
Injuries and roster turnover have created a fluid depth chart, with transfers and young players all vying to prove they belong. That uncertainty is exactly what makes spring practice so critical.
“Time is going to tell whether they’re ready,” Smart said.
As Georgia builds toward its annual G-Day scrimmage, the expectations remain unchanged at the highest level: run the ball and stop the run.
But the path to get there will look different this year, shaped by youth, competition, and the need for rapid development.
For Smart and the Bulldogs, spring isn’t just preparation — it’s transformation.
LANCE McCURLEY/Staff