The best thing that could have happened to Georgia’s offense this season was the NCAA’s announcement that kickoffs would be moved back five yards.

Since kickoffs will be moved back to the 30 yard line, Georgia’s returning unit will be able to provide its young offensive line some breathing room.

Special teams will become much more important as Georgia will look to gain an early edge in the field position battle.

“The big thing is it’s going to give the offense better field position and it’s going to put the offense in a better position to score, and from my perspective, to hopefully kick more field goals,” senior kicker Brandon Coutu said.

Asher Allen and Thomas Brown figure to open the season as the return specialists, but redshirt freshmen Knowshon Moreno and Reshad Jones might see some time back there as well.

“I asked coach (Tony) Ball, our kick return coach, you know, about how many kicks were we returning percentage wise last year,” head coach Mark Richt said at the SEC Media Days in July.

“He said we only really returned about 25 percent of the kicks. Now we predict we’ll be returning 75 to 90 percent of the kicks.

That’s going to be at least two, maybe three times as many kicks we’re returning this year than we did a year ago, so that’s crucial.”

However, given the advantage offenses will receive, Richt said the kickoff coverage must be tweaked as well.

The punt returning duties will be given to senior Mikey Henderson, who was a first team All-SEC return specialist last year, returning 25 kicks for 324 yards and two touchdowns.

“Of course, Mikey was one of the top punt returners in the nation and in our league,” Richt said. “He’s very electric in that role.”

Coutu, who nailed 10 of 11 field goals last season, is coming off a torn hamstring he sustained in practice before last year’s game against Tennessee. Coutu is looking to rebound and regain his pre-injury form.

“I’m definitely excited, and I have a lot of confidence,” Coutu said. “I got a snapper (Jeff Henson) that I know can get it done and I’ve got a holder (Brian Mimbs) that I know can get it done.

“I’m excited about this season and I feel like I’ve prepared long enough. I’m just ready to play.”

Coutu was named to the Lou Groza Award watch list, which recognizes the nation’s best kicker.

The punter position is still in flux. Junior Brian Mimbs was figured to win the position after Gordon Ely-Kelso’s graduation, but freshman Drew Butler has made a move for the spot.

“(The competition’s) really been tight and we’ve been both playing real well,” Mimbs said. “I have to get more consistent. You just have to go out there every day and not take a day off.”

Mimbs said he’s impressed with the way Butler has been able to adjust so quickly from high school to college.

“I think (Butler’s) done tremendous to come in as a freshman when the speed of the game is so different in college than in high school,” Mimbs said.

“The way he’s performed, it’s like he hasn’t missed a beat.”