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Position Week: Three questions for Georgia RBs in 2026

On3 imageby: Jake Rowe05/27/26JakeMRowe

The summer is here. Georgia completed spring practice in April and now the focus turns to summer workouts with preseason camp to follow. The team will spend the next few months getting bigger, stronger, faster and more connected.

That work will be done out of sight but not out of mind. For the purpose of making sure everyone knows as much as possible about Kirby Smart’s 11th team at Georgia, we’re breaking down a position each week. Running back week rolls on and today we’ve got three questions for the group.

Will Nate Frazier take a nother big step forward?

The California native was fantastic at the end of last season. He had a superb day at Mississippi State, and kept it rolling through the Texas and Alabama games at the end of the year. He should have gotten more carries, especially early, in Georgia’s loss to Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl.

Frazier showed flashes of being an elite back down the stretch. Once the ball security issues were put behind him, he started to show some explosiveness, and his abilities to run with power and punish defenses was a pleasant surprise. He made some big gains between his first and second seasons at Georgia. Another big step in the right direction could result in him doing some special things in 2026.

Can Georgia finally stay healthy?

Georgia has really battled injuries at running back the past few years. It has lost one of its best back at a key point in the year in the past two seasons. Last year it was Chauncey Bowens getting banged up late in the year and Dwight Phillips being slowed with injuries multiple times. The year prior to that, Trevor Etienne missed a stretch of games.

It’s hard to stay healthy at running back. The position is so physically demanding. Georgia even tries incredibly hard to keep its guys healthy by not heaping the load all on one guy. But the Bulldogs are due some good fortune in this area.

Is this Phillips’ breakout season at Georgia?

The third-year speedster showed some impressive flashes early last season. He was lethal when he ran outside of the tackles and showed the ability to bounce runs to the edge. Then he got nicked up with some injuries and, as a result, got lost in the shuffle. But Phillips has a tool that you cannot teach, speed, and Georgia wants to use it.

One thing to like about Georgia’s handling of Phillips is how it has tried to add mass in a responsible way. Pretty much every pound he has gained over the past two years has been good weight. Now he’s getting to the point where he should be able to hold up to contact. We could see him handle kickoffs and third downs as well.

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