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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
James Morgan

Previewing Georgia football’s special teams

The Georgia Bulldogs lost 2022 SEC special teams player of the year kicker Jack Podlesny to the NFL this offseason. The Bulldogs are looking for a new starting kicker.

Georgia fans know very well that an entire season can come down to one kick or one special teams play. The Bulldogs should have excellent special teams coverage units due to Georgia’s stockpile of talent.

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Who will be Georgia’s starting kicker, punter, long snapper, kick returner, and punt returner for the 2023 college football season?

Punter: Brett Thorson

John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Class: Sophomore

Thorson has made the Ray Guy award watch list. The Australian will take Georgia’s punts in 2023.  Thorson boomed a 75 yard punt against Tennessee. He was outstanding as a true freshman and only had one touchback. He pinned 19 punts inside the 20 and averaged 45.0 yards per punt.

 

Long snapper: William Mote

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Class: Senior

Don’t know William Mote’s name? Well that’s probably a good thing. Mote has 39 games of experience and should be the starting long snapper again in 2023. He has two career tackles.

Kicker No. 1: Jared Zirkel

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Class: Junior

Zirkel made one 21-yard field goal in his career for the Bulldogs. He has recorded touchbacks on eight of his nine career kickoffs. Zirkel is in a competition with Peyton Woodring to see who is the No. 1 kicker.

Kicker No. 2 Peyton Woodring

Class: Freshman

Peyton Woodring was the No. 1 kicker in the class of 2023 recruiting cycle. Woodring has a powerful leg and is pushing Jared Zirkel for the starting role, which remains undecided.

Field goal kicker has been a really tight race. They both have been extremely accurate, outside of the one scrimmage. We haven’t decided yet.

Kicker No. 3: Liam Badger

Class: Redshirt sophomore

Badger impressed coaches with a 51 yard field goal in the spring game. He is not a bad back up option if Zirkel goes down. Badger is still fighting to win the starting kicker role, but we favor Zirkel to win it.

Punt returner: Ladd McConkey

Joshua L Jones/Online Athens

Class: Junior

Kirby Smart emphasizes that Georgia will rely on a group to do punt returns. We would project McConkey to start at punt returner for the Bulldogs, but we could see Georgia playing Mekhi Mews if UGA does not want to risk an injury to McConkey.

Punt return will be done by committee, Ladd (McConkey) has been back there before, Mekhi Mews did a good job in the spring, has been back there, Dominic (Lovett) has done it, both at Missouri and with us since arriving, Anthony Evans, Zeed (Haynes).

Ladd McConkey returned 16 punts for 197 yards last season.

Kick returner: Mekhi Mews

Joshua Jones/Online Athens

Class: Redshirt sophomore

Georgia may rely on walk-on Mekhi Mews as the top kick returner, but Kirby Smart expects to use several different kick returners in 2023.

Mews, Dillon Bell, Daijun Edwards, we could get Joenel (Aguero) back there, Malaki (Starks) has been back there. Kickoff returns, there’s probably six guys working for two spots.

Following Branson Robinson’s injury, it would be surprising to see Georgia starting any running back as a kick returner.

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