Georgia Football: 5 takeaways from Bulldogs’ 2018 season

ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 08: Head coach Kirby Smart of the Georgia Bulldogs reacts to a penalty during the third quarter against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 8, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 08: Head coach Kirby Smart of the Georgia Bulldogs reacts to a penalty during the third quarter against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 8, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
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4. D’Andre Swift was awesome

Elijah Holyfield had a fantastic junior season in red and black. The son of the former heavyweight champ Evander Holyfield, Elijah ran for 1,018 yards and seven touchdowns on 6.4 yards per carry. Holyfield, however, wasn’t the only star in the backfield. He was joined by D’Andre Swift.

Swift, a native of Philadelphia, Penn., was a five-star blue chip prospect in the 2017 recruiting class. Swift ran for 618 yards and three touchdowns as a true freshman in 2017. The youngster ripped off 7.6 yards per carry that season and followed it up with a fantastic sophomore campaign. This season, Swift averaged 6.4 yards per carry while outrushing Holyfield with 1,049 yards and 13 total touchdowns from scrimmage.

Any time a program loses a 1,000-yard running back a drop off is felt but Swift is ready to take over the spotlight both as a ball carrier and a receiver. In addition to his 163 carries, Swift also caught 32 balls while averaging nine yards per catch as a sophomore.

Georgia fans don’t have to worry about Swift being beaten up by taking on all the carries, either. Kirby Smart has a four-star running back in the wings in Kenny McIntosh and signed five-star Zamir White in 2018 who must overcome an ACL tear.