UGA Football WR Arian Smith Will Hurt Your Feelings
ATHENS - With a new quarterback under center this season, experienced playmakers will be at a premium for the UGA football this fall.
Regardless of who the new signal caller will be, knowing there are proven commodities in key perimeter positions should help both the UGA staff and fans rest a little easier heading into fall practice. Replacing Stetson Bennett and others won’t be easy, so bonafide downfield threats will keep defenses honest.
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Enter Arian Smith.
Smith is coming into his redshirt junior season with much to prove. He came to Athens with blazing speed as his calling card. He’s run a 10.18 second 100-meter dash as well as an unofficial 4.28 40-yard dash. That’s smoking. And with a 34.8 yards per catch for his career you’d think he’d be higher on this list. Smith’s problem has been his health. He’s missed 21 of a possible 39 games during his first three seasons with Georgia. His list of injuries since arriving in 2020 reads like a full team injury report – torn meniscus, fractured wrist, turf toe, shin contusion, and broken fibula.
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He missed the first four games in the 2022 championship season and took some time to get into playing shape. Thus, he only recorded seven catches for 198 yards and a touchdown. However, in two of the most impactful games of last season he played his best. Smith recorded a 52-yard reception early in against Tennessee that led to a touchdown. Several weeks later he embarrassed an Ohio State defensive back enroute to a 76-yard touchdown catch that got the Dawgs back in the game. In both cases his speed proved to be the difference.
Much like UGA running back Kendall Milton, Smith’s potential has only been limited by his availability and durability. At 6’0, 185 pounds Smith isn’t the largest receiver on the team. But he’s also not the smallest. Smith had two touchdowns in the UGA spring game, one rushing and one receiving. It appeared new offensive coordinator Mike Bobo was trying to find ways to get Smith the ball other than running post patterns. If Smith can work on his durability through the offseason conditioning program Georgia fans may just get to see him fulfill his 4-star potential.
When you combine Smith’s potential and game-breaking speed with proven SEC performers such as Ladd McConkey, Dominic Lovett and others in the receiver room it would appear Georgia has a plethora of weapons to attack any defense on the perimeter. Add Brock Bowers to that list, and it becomes downright frightening. Smith’s availability will give Dawg opponents a reason to keep someone deep consistently, thus opening other opportunities elsewhere.
Peek in the backfield for too long, and Arian Smith will hurt your feelings. Just ask Ohio State.
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