Georgia soccer has a tricky job forward this weekend. The Bulldogs will face an elite broad receiver for the primary time all 12 months when Luther Burden III and Missouri come to city.

The sophomore at present sits fifth within the nation in receiving yards with 905 yards. Burden can also be focused loads, as the previous five-star recruit has 61 receptions, which is sixth in all of school soccer, and 6 touchdowns.

Head coach Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs tried arduous to recruit Burden, and Georgia landed in his prime three colleges earlier than committing to Missouri. Smart was fairly conversant in Burden’s recreation and skills earlier than he had his breakout efficiency this season, and stated as a lot previous to Georgia’s recreation towards Missouri final season.

“Size. Elite skill set. He’s strong. He’s physical,” Smart stated. “You watch him as a returner, he makes people miss. They find ways to get him touches. He catches the ball out of the backfield, speed sweeps. He runs deep and he returns the ball. He’s a very elusive, physical runner. You can tell when people go to tackle him, you can tell, he’s stout.”

Burden isn’t alone within the receiver room, as fellow starters Theo Wease Jr. and Mookie Cooper have additionally had stable seasons.

Wease, a senior switch from Oklahoma, has 440 receiving yards and is second on the staff with 5 receiving touchdowns. Cooper is in his third season with Missouri, having transferred from Ohio State after his freshman 12 months. He has but to seek out his method into the endzone however does have 359 yards on the 12 months.

While not listed as a starter, freshman Marquis Johnson has been an efficient receiver as nicely. He has 268 yards and three receiving touchdowns, regardless of solely 9 receptions.

While Georgia will nonetheless be with out its personal star receiving choice with Brock Bowers, Georgia nonetheless has its personal slate of pass-catching choices, together with former Missouri switch Dominic Lovett.

Lovett hasn’t had as statistically robust of a season as he had with Missouri final season — he led the staff with 846 receiving yards — however he’s main Georgia broad receivers with 35 catches for 365 yards and one landing.

Senior Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint is second amongst all receivers with 341 yards and two touchdowns, whereas fellow switch Rara Thomas sits behind Lovett with 275 yards and just one landing.

Ladd McConkey has been quiet to this point this season with solely 242 yards and one landing after coming back from damage, however remains to be a reputation to keep watch over for this recreation. McConkey broke out towards Florida, recording 135 yards and a landing in his fourth recreation of the season.

Even although Missouri has extra statistical manufacturing, Georgia’s bevy of wideouts may show troublesome for the Tigers’ secondary. Georgia has 9 totally different gamers with over 100 receiving yards in comparison with Missouri’s 5. Georgia additionally has 19 gamers with receiving yards, whereas Missouri solely has 10.

Missouri’s passing recreation has been relying closely upon one participant, whereas Georgia’s technique continues to depend on power in numbers. On Saturday in Athens, one offensive technique will stay supreme as each battle it out for first place within the SEC East and a bid for the SEC Championship.