Swift looks to fulfill hype as Georgia reloads at tailback

Zamir White’s knee injury takes some of the mystery out of Georgia’s attempt to reload at tailback after losing Nick Chubb and Sony Michel to the NFL.

D’Andre Swift, already the favorite to take the first snap in No. 3 Georgia’s opener against Austin Peay on Sept. 1, now is even more important to the Bulldogs.

Swift had success last year, when he ran for 618 yards as a freshman in a complementary role behind Chubb and Michel. Now Swift must prove he can handle a bigger share of the carries.

“It’s great,” Swift said after practice Tuesday. “I’ve got to show a lot to people. I’ve got a little bit of hype behind me so I’ve got to show people what I can do.”

White, one of the biggest names in Georgia’s top-ranked freshman class , was expected to push Swift, Elijah Holyfield and Brian Herrien and possibly eventually start this season.

Instead, White suffered his second serious knee injury in less than a year and is expected to miss the season.

White was still wearing a protective brace on his surgically repaired right knee, hurt late in his senior season in high school, when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in Saturday’s scrimmage. White was working on a punt coverage team and was not hit when he suffered the injury, according to coach Kirby Smart.

Georgia is left with four scholarship players at tailback including freshman James Cook, who has impressed teammates with his speed in practice.

“Georgia is known as RB U. so our coaches will figure it out,” said Holyfield, the son of former boxing champion Evander Holyfield.

Holyfield (5-11, 215) is a strong, punishing runner who, like his father, has good balance and is difficult to bring down.

Swift (5-9, 215) has more big-play potential, as he showed with his 64-yard touchdown run in Georgia’s Southeastern Conference championship game win over Auburn last season. But he never had more than 10 carries in a game.