2010 SEASON IN REVIEW: Mark Richt's winning percentage in 10 years as head coach at Georgia is .738, but last season was certainly one to forget for the successful leader.

After beating up on Louisiana in the opener as expected, the Bulldogs suffered four consecutive defeats to South Carolina, Arkansas, Mississippi State and Colorado. An 0-3 SEC start is impossible to overcome, and a 1-4 opening was extremely hard to believe for loyal fans of the program.
Richt's squad did manage to bounce back with three consecutive victories, all by double figures, and had a chance to knock off Florida in the annual rivalry game. Unfortunately, the 'Dawgs fell in overtime by a 34-31 final and dropped a sixth decision before the regular season concluded.

The hope among players and coaches was that they would finish strong against UCF in the Liberty Bowl, but a poor offensive showing led to a 10-6 loss in that affair. Despite all of his accomplishments, Richt heard plenty of cries for his job at season's end, but he is back in place and ready to resurrect the proud program.

2011 ANALYSIS:

OFFENSE: Georgia put its trust in Aaron Murray as a freshman last season, and with a year of experience under his belt, the quarterback could be poised for a big campaign.

"Aaron, he's really a coach's dream in how he approaches the game," says Richt. "He understands preparation. He understands team. His motivation is for Georgia to win. His motivation is to see his teammates have success. His motivation is not to promote self. When you have a guy like that, it just makes your life a whole lot easier."

Murray threw for more than 3,000 yards and 24 touchdowns against only eight interceptions a year ago, numbers that a freshman in the SEC rarely compiles. He doesn't welcome back any stars at the receiver position, but Tavarres King is a solid contributor who will improve upon his 27-catch total from a year ago.

Plenty of eyes will be on freshman tailback Isaiah Crowell, who is expected to immediately elevate a rushing attack that placed 10th in the SEC a year ago. One of the top recruits in the nation at his position, Crowell has the talent to make the same impact for Georgia this year as Marcus Lattimore did for South Carolina a season ago. The caveat is that the Bulldogs' offensive line needs to be far better than it was in 2010.

DEFENSE: While the Georgia offense welcomes back only four starters, there are seven starters back on the defensive side of the ball. The Bulldogs run a 3-4 defense under Todd Grantham, and perhaps the best player among the three down linemen is senior end DeAngelo Tyson. At the linebacker tier, Christian Robinson posted a pair of sacks a year ago, but he brings more to the table in regard to leadership than big-time playmaking ability.

The defensive backfield figures to be much improved, as the unit got plenty of experience a year ago. Opponents threw the ball quite a bit against the Bulldogs with a wealth of success, so don't be surprised if the three returning starters are forced to prove themselves early this season. Safety Bacarri Rambo made 82 tackles a year ago and always seems to be around the football. The two returning starters at corner are Brandon Boykin and Sanders Commings, a pair of juniors with plenty of athletic ability.

One player to keep an eye on is John Jenkins, a 340-pound juco transfer who has been brought in to play the nose. If he can clog up the middle and collapse the pocket from the interior, this Georgia squad will benefit tremendously.

SPECIAL TEAMS: There is very little doubt that Georgia has the best kicking game in the SEC. Placekicker Blair Walsh is back for his senior season after nailing 20-of-23 field goals a year ago. Fellow senior Drew Butler returns to handle the punting duties, and he excels at the position just like his father, Kevin, a former NFL standout. Add Boykin to the mix as a dangerous kickoff returner with three career 100-yard returns and Georgia is loaded on special teams.

OUTLOOK: Many fans and analysts consider 2011 a "do or die" season for Richt, who has failed to challenge for the SEC title in recent years.

"As a player, we don't really look at the media outlets or what they are saying about our coaching staff," says Boykin. "It's our job to just go out and play as best we can and focus on each game and the task at hand, one game, one day at a time. I feel like if we do our job and do what we're supposed to do, everything else will take care of itself."

There is no doubt that Georgia can improve on last season's record, and there is too much talent in place for another .500 season. However, a run at the SEC crown seems a bit too ambitious at this point.

latimes.com