The Achilles heel. By definition, it is a weakness or a vulnerable point. According to Greek mythology, the heel was the only place on the body of Achilles – the Greek war hero – that his enemies could exploit to defeat him.

Every team, every coach, every player has an Achilles heel that goes beyond the actual physical tendon. They all have weaknesses that can be used against them.

In 2023, Georgia may have had more than one perceived weakness that led to the Bulldogs’ disappointing season ending against Alabama in the SEC Championship Game. While still ranked near the top of the nation, Georgia’s rush defense only finished 20th nationally.

The Dawgs allowed 114 rushing yards to Alabama in this game, including some key runs by Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe.

With returning players and additions from the transfer portal like Xzavier McLeod, the run defense should be a more solid unit in 2024. Injuries to Jordan Hall and McLeod have raised some questions about the defensive line, but it still looks like a very formidable group. So where do the Dawgs have to worry about next season?

Pass defense has been a consistent strength of the Bulldogs during the Kirby Smart era, with a season of good finishes usually followed by a down year for the unit.

In 2023, Georgia ranked ninth nationally in pass defense and led the SEC in interceptions with 14 picks on the season. But the departures of Karmari Lassiter, Javon Bullard and Tykee Smith to the NFL Draft and AJ Harris, Jamon Duman-Johnson, Xavian Sorey Jr. and Nyland Green to the transfer portal have left some holes in both the secondary and the linebacker corps.

While the 2024 recruiting class has some promising players in terms of pass defense, even a highly regarded recruit like Ellis Robinson IV could need some time to learn the defensive scheme and get used to playing at the college level.

What makes this change in pass defense even more concerning is the range of quarterbacks Georgia will face in 2024. In addition to one of the toughest schedules in the nation, the Bulldogs will be tested by veteran SEC quarterbacks like Quinn Ewers, Jaxson Dart, Graham Mertz and their former teammate Brock Vandagriff, not to mention another dose of Milroe.

Georgia’s offense should be able to score enough points to keep up with virtually anyone in the country, but it’s a safe bet that Kirby Smart and defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann won’t be looking to keep up with their neighbors on the field this season.

This is an area where Georgia has a ton of talent and depth. Any quarterback trying to find open receivers in the middle of the field will face resistance. Even in zone defense, this group of ILBs can make up some ground. With the addition of 5-star recruits Justin Williams and Chris Cole, this may be the best group of inside linebackers in the country.

Things are starting to calm down a bit here. Williams, Chambliss and Wilson have all seen some playing time, including in FSU’s landslide victory in the Orange Bowl. Damon Wilson missed that game after knee surgery, so he will need more playing time and playing time.

M’Pemba and Johnson have to develop further and if injuries occur before them, it could be a trial by fire for them.

While the linebackers have a lot of experience and depth as well as versatility with players like Jalon Walker, the situation is different with the defensive backs. Here, Georgia has to replace many of its core players and needs new talent quickly.

This group of players is as close as it gets when it comes to who deserves a first-team appearance. You may end up seeing corner-by-committee, with Harris, Humphrey and Robinson alternating in and out of the first team.

It seems like Aguero has the best chance of becoming the best nickelback, but that position could be under scrutiny early in the season.

While there is talent in the safety group, the firing of David Daniel-Sisavanh has left a depth issue that Kirby Smart expressed concern about in July. That means talented 5-star freshman KJ Bolden could quickly step in and bolster that group. Georgia has seen Starks make a big impression in his first few games as a Bulldog, so perhaps Bolden will follow a similar path.

Youth and depth are the big concerns in the pass defense, both at linebacker and in the secondary. With some of the best quarterbacks in the country targeting Georgia’s pass defense, we’ll know early on if this is indeed the Bulldogs’ Achilles heel in 2024.

Georgia’s pass defense will be tested for the first time against Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, who recognizes his big chance to silence his and Clemson’s doubters in a key Week 1 game on the national stage.

“Georgia is an incredible opponent,” Cade Klubnik said. “It’s definitely a huge honor for us to be able to play such a great team in an opening game. Coach talked about it yesterday and said, ‘Hey, you know, there are teams all over the country that bust their asses for 12 weeks to play a team like that in the playoffs, right? We can play them in a regular season game.'”

The Bulldogs will be tested early and often against Clemson, which now has a chance to establish itself as the team to beat in the ACC after FSU lost to unranked Georgia Tech in Week 1.