The Bulldogs held their annual G-Day scrimmage, a game marking the end of spring practice. According to coach Kirby Smart, the Bulldogs learned multiple lessons from the experience.
First of all, the new Bulldogs participated in Dawg Walk, allowing their adrenaline to spike before the scrimmage. Smart said he hopes the event will help prepare Georgia’s younger athletes before games.
”I thought our fan base was really good out there and had good energy,“ Smart said. ”And that creates a little anxiety for our players, which is really good for young players.”
Smart also said the game involved more snaps than previous spring scrimmages, creating more in-game reps for the players.
“We got probably more reps than we’ve ever gotten before in terms of 1’s, 2’s, and 3’s on a full body of work,” Smart said.
Several players also stood out during the two-hour scrimmage. Tight end Jaden Reddell capped off his impressive spring with a touchdown, while freshman Tyriq Green made an interception. Running back transfer Dante Dowdell also had a strong showing with 61 yards rushing on six carries.
Concern lingers for running back Nate Frazier’s ankle injury — which Smart deemed precautionary — but overall, the scrimmage should be considered a success for Georgia football.
So check out the rest of our coverage below.
Trivia time
Before this weekend, when was the last time Georgia baseball earned a series win over Arkansas in Fayetteville?
Answer is at the bottom of the newsletter.
Social media raves about Georgia football transfer, freshmen coming out of G-Day
One of the joys of G-Day is that it offers fans a chance to see new Georgia players for the first time in Sanford Stadium.
On the offensive side of the ball, Dowdell impressed after transferring in from Kentucky. He ripped off runs of 27 and 28 yards.
At one point, he hurdled over safety Zion Branch. Dowdell led all running backs with 61 rushing yards Saturday.
“He brings energy, toughness, size, speed,” Smart said.“You saw him out there today. He flashes with some really good toughness and had some flashy runs. You can’t have enough backs in the SEC. And I thought he did a good job with the opportunities he got. He’s a great kid to be around and he’s blended in that room and worked really hard.”
Defensively, cornerback Braylon Conley made the most of his opportunity. He transferred in from USC this offseason.
Softball vs. Texas: 7 p.m. (going for series win).
No one at Georgia is surprised Jaden Reddell became a star at G-Day
No one on either Georgia sideline was surprised Reddell had a standout performance Saturday.
He had done so in just about every practice this spring.
“He been really grinding,” safety KJ Bolden said. “And just, you can tell he’s hungry for something. And the coaches see it, I think everybody sees it.
“He’s explosive, he’s just doing things the right way, and I’m proud of Jaden.”
Reddell scored the first touchdown of the afternoon. He hauled in a 7-yard slant from Gunner Stockton. He finished through contact from Clemson transfer Khalil Barnes.
It was one of three receptions Reddell had Saturday, finishing with 38 receiving yards and the touchdown.
He wasn’t just a threat as a pass catcher, with his first touch of the afternoon coming on a 23-yard jet sweep. He took advantage of some great blocking by fellow tight end Elyiss Williams, but Reddell demonstrated great patience on the run.
That’s been a key attribute for Reddell. This is his third year in the program, and this spring was easily his best extended stretch of practices.
Even before G-Day, Reddell was one of the winners of spring practice. His performance Saturday only made it obvious for Georgia fans.
Georgia tight end Jaden Reddell (23) was a standout player during Georgia's annual G-Day spring game on Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium on Saturday. (Tony Walsh/UGAAA)
Quote of the day
Smart on Reddell:
“He had a really good spring. I would say he was probably one of the most explosive, most improved players. He played twitchy, he played fast. He played with a chip on his shoulder, and we had not seen that before out of him.”
Former Georgia receiver Zachariah Branch arrested in Athens
As Georgia wrapped up its spring game, Smart shared a final message to his team.
It would seem former Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch did not heed that advice.
Branch, who hopes to hear his name called in this week’s NFL draft, was arrested Sunday on one charge of obstructing public sidewalks/streets-prowling and one charge of obstruction of a law enforcement official. Both are misdemeanors.
Per the Athens-Clarke County arrest log, Branch was booked at 1:26 a.m. Sunday and released on $39 bond at 3:44 a.m.
Georgia declined to comment on Branch, because he is a former player. Branch was in attendance for the G-Day scrimmage Saturday, and was seen signing autographs throughout the afternoon.
A full police report of the incident has not yet been released.
