Georgia’s spring showcase felt more like a silent warning shot than a celebration. No cameras. No national TV broadcast. Just fans, bleachers, and whispers. That was the vibe in Athens during G-Day this year. And that low-key setup wasn’t accidental. With the spring transfer portal flung wide open, Kirby Smart and his Bulldogs—like many programs—chose to keep things a little hush-hush. But while the game itself stayed off-air, the post-game message was loud and clear: Georgia’s road to a national title might be rockier than expected.

Now that the spring scrimmage is in the rearview, the focus shifts toward a pivotal 2025 season. It kicks off with a home opener on August 30 against Marshall—a matchup that should be a cakewalk, especially at Sanford Stadium, where the Dawgs are riding a 30+ game win streak. But just because the schedule starts easy doesn’t mean Georgia can breathe easy.

The transfer portal is already cooking, and Kirby Smart made his stance known. “They can go anywhere, right? They just can’t go somewhere in the SEC,” Smart said. “There’s nobody that loves that rule more than teams outside of the SEC. But again, if kids want to be here we are going to have them here. I hope I get to keep my whole entire roster and I hope we get to play the whole year with my entire roster. If we don’t, then we will get somebody that wants to.” But that “hope” part hits different when insiders are already raising red flags.

On the April 12th episode of UGA Football on Dawg, Dean Legge and Ryan Kerley took a hard look at what unfolded on the field. The big question: Does this team have the juice to win it all? Kerley didn’t sugarcoat it. “You trust a Kirby Smart defense… you think they’ll get that figured out. But something I didn’t think I saw a lot of today and was maybe lacking more than anything was pass rush.”

That’s a red flag that fans didn’t expect to see waving in April. Gunner Stockton and Ryan Puglisi—Georgia’s top two QBs—both had way too much breathing room during the scrimmage. “Gunner Stockton and Ryan Puglisi weren’t under a ton of pressure, and that’s one of your other big concerns,” Kerley added. In the SEC, where national titles are often won in the trenches, that’s not just a minor detail. It’s a potential season-breaker.

The Red team rolled past the Black team 34–17 in the scrimmage, with Stockton going 17-of-34 for 309 yards and two touchdowns. Puglisi, who played for both squads, was a combined 23-of-49 for 224 yards and two scores. The quarterbacks had their moments—but what stood out just as much as what wasn’t there was a pass rush.

Adding to the concern, likely starting EDGE Gabe Harris didn’t suit up. That absence left a major void in a unit that already felt thin. “You gotta have that. And those teams winning national championships and those competing for the last few years had really good pass rushers,” Kerley noted. “Even if it wasn’t Jalon Walker this past year, Mykel Williams. I don’t know yet if they have that. And that would be my biggest concern.” Without heat off the edge, Georgia’s title dreams could cool off quickly.

But let’s not slam the panic button just yet. Despite the red flags, G-Day wasn’t all gloom and doom. There were flashes—especially in the backfield—that gives this team hope.

Kirby Smart’s title path is a work in progress

Georgia’s title path isn’t crumbling—but cracks are showing. And for a program that hasn’t lifted the trophy since 2022, every detail matters. And one slightly bright spot? Dean Legge gave the running backs a thumbs-up.

“I didn’t mind the running backs at all today,” he said. Kerley backed that, pointing out some young playmakers who stood out. “Chauncey Bowens looked good. Bo Walker—you see why people are impressed with him. Doesn’t have that top-end speed but definitely shifty, can break tackles. He led the team.” As for Dwight Phillips? “Seems to be a little bit more of a gadget type of running back and not a three-down type.”

So while the RB room isn’t locked down yet, the pieces are promising. Especially with sophomore Nate Frazier in the mix. One standout play? Stockton hit Zachariah Branch on a 36-yard pass, setting up a 1-yard score from Frazier to give the Red team a lead. For a room that was a weak point in 2024, the momentum looks like it’s finally building.

Kirby Smart knows how to build contenders. He’s done it, and he’ll likely do it again. But if this 2025 squad wants to get back to the top, there are critical moves still to make. The biggest? Finding that game-wrecking pass rusher. The kind of guy who lives in the backfield, whom quarterbacks have nightmares about. Because as much as Georgia’s identity is built on defense, right now, that D-line needs some serious bite.

So what’s the vibe in Athens now? Cautiously optimistic. The blueprint for another title is still there. The roster is deep, the talent is undeniable, and Kirby’s track record speaks volumes. But if G-Day showed us anything, it’s that this isn’t a “plug and play” championship squad just yet.