Looking ahead at the Georgia Bulldogs for the 2020 college football season

Georgia’s impressive win in the Sugar Bowl proved it will take more than a few injuries and the absence of a few short-sighted teammates to keep the Bulldogs down. And with the addition of another nationally ranked recruiting class, the football program appears to again be poised to compete for a championship.

Even though 14 regulars did not play in the 26-14 victory over Baylor — some because of injuries, some to save themselves for the NFL Draft and others for assorted reasons — Georgia fans had to be pleased with what they saw from the guys who took the field.

The effort could not be questioned. The reserves who had to step in played hard and played well. And there was no hint that the team had phoned it in, as some believed happened a year ago against Texas.

But what about next year? Where do the Bulldogs stand in their pursuit for another shot at the SEC Championship and their first national championship since 1980? A lot of questions will be answered over the next few weeks and the number of defections will help determine the true expectations for the 2020 season. It allows for hours of lunch fodder until the 2020 season begins on Sept. 7 against Virginia in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Classic at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Here’s a look at the position groups:

Quarterback: All is well here — as long as Jake Fromm returns for his senior season. He could jump to the NFL and would likely be one of the top five quarterbacks selected. Although Fromm appears to have taken a step backwards this year, some of the blame can be directed toward an unproven group of receivers. Fromm looked pretty good against Baylor, completing 20 of 30 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns. If Fromm does not return, all bets are off.

Running backs: Georgia fans have been waiting to see the real Zamir White all season and the celebrated freshman showed up big against Baylor (92 yards on 18 carries). D’Andre Swift declared early for the NFL Draft on Friday, leaving the feature back role to White.

Receivers: George Pickens showed what he could do in the Sugar Bowl with 12 catches for 175 yards, a performance that earned him an MVP award. If the star-crossed receiver can stay on track, he can join with Dominick Blaylock (returning from knee surgery), Demetris Robertson, Matt Landers and Kearis Jackson to give Fromm — or whoever takes over — some experienced targets.

Offensive line: The team’s two top linemen are leaving early and Andrew Thomas and Isaiah Wilson will definitely be missed. Ben Cleveland missed the bowl game because of academics, but has a season left and should return. The unit that Georgia started in the Sugar Bowl looked good and they can all return for 2020. The Sugar Bowl starters were Cade Mays (6-6, 318) and Jamaree Salyer (6-4, 325) at tackle, Solomon Kindley (6-4, 335) and North Gwinnett grad Warren Ericson (6-4, 305) at guard and Trey Hill (6-4, 330) at center. It will be interesting to see how new offensive line coach Matt Luke will impact the group starting this spring.

Defensive line: Georgia loses seniors Tyler Clark, Michael Barnett and David Marshall to graduation, but the position appears to be in good hands. Malik Herring looks ready to take a large role at defensive end and true freshman Travon Walker had a breakout game in New Orleans. There is less proven depth at this position than at others, which could open playing opportunities from the incoming freshmen.

Linebackers: Jack linebacker Azeez Ojulari’s star is rising. He was very active in the Sugar Bowl and could be the next leader to emerge. Sam linebacker Walter Grant should return; he missed the bowl with a concussion. Reliable Monty Rice will return at the Will linebacker spot, but the Mike position is up in the air due to the graduation of Tae Crowder and the uncertainty of Quay Walker, who sat out the bowl game.

Secondary: If he returns for his senior season, Richard LeCounte will be the leader of the group. He’s a playmaker and a ball hawk, plus he showed great leadership when teammates began to jump ship for the bowl game. Others returning include cornerbacks D.J. Daniel, who had eight tackles against Baylor, and Eric Stokes and Tyson Campbell. Freshman safety Lewis Cine played well against Baylor and has likely earned more opportunities.

Specialists: The team loses All-American kicker Rodrigo Blankenship, who graduates and will take his record-breaking leg to the NFL. Punter Jake Camarda, a Norcross grad, will return for his junior season and has proven to be an undervalued commodity.