UGA Football Coach Stacy Searels Talks About His Offensive Line
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ATHENS - After a 2024 season where you could say Georgia’s offense line didn’t play to their standard, Kirby Smart and Stacy Searels will go back to the drawing board this spring.
Tate Ratledge is gone. Dylan Fairchild is gone. Jared Wilson is gone. Xavier Truss is gone, too.
That’s a lot of veteran, experienced leaders that Georgia will have to replace. They do have guys returning with plenty of experience, but it’s clear several offensive linemen have a big opportunity in front of them this spring.
One player Bulldog fans have a close eye on is tackle, Monroe Freeling. The former 5-star got his feet wet some as a freshman in 2023, and saw action in all 13 games last fall with four starts.
He got the start at left tackle during Georgia’s Sugar Bowl loss to Notre Dame and it was one he’d like to forget. It’s in the past now, but it’s something he can still learn from this spring. He knows there’s still a lot of developing to do, and offensive coordinator Stacy Searels believes he’s up to the task.
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“I think Monroe’s future is bright”, Searels told Dawg Post in New Orleans. “He’s a talented kid who hasn’t reached his full potential. He’s done a really good job and I’m pleased he’s here.”
The Bulldogs need Monroe to step up in a big way over the next six months. The same can be said for returning starter Earnest Greene, reserve guard Micah Morris, and backup center Drew Bobo. Each of those players have experience and have been in the program for several years now.
Those aren’t pups anymore. They’re grown dawgs who have a chance to get Georgia’s offensive line back to playing at an elite level.
Of course, the young pups aren’t backing down.
Along with signing Monroe Freeling in the 2023 class, the Bulldogs still have offensive tackles Bo Hughley and Jamal Meriweather on the roster. In the 2024 class, Searles signed an eye-opening seven offensive linemen. He wanted to bring in size, and that’s exactly what he did with six of those seven coming in over 320-pounds. Those heavy pups came to Athens needing to shed some weight, and Searels is happy with what that group has done over the last 12 months.
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“One of the best things that they’ve all done is come in and bought into our offseason program. When you come to Georgia you have to have a different mentality work wise. You have to have the grind of getting your body in the right shape to compete at the SEC level. They all bought into the nutrition program. They got their weights down, worked on the scout team, and practiced against the defense every day which is a challenge. They’ve done a good job this year and they all have a bright future. It’s good to have the size but they also have the work ethic necessaary to play here.”
With starting roles up for grabs, several young Bulldogs have a chance to step their game up and see the field this fall. That includes second-year players Daniel Calhoun, Marques Easley, Jahzare Jackson, Marcus Harrison, Nyier Daniels, and Michael Uini.
The competition is on, and it starts the first day of spring practice.