As a new season quickly approaches one must remember, this is not your father’s Georgia football team. This team lacks the “star” power that all the networks and media folk fawn over.

Knowshon and Matthew Stafford are long gone, and unlikely to be seen in these parts again – unless they host a 10-year Soulja Boy reunion party. Though this team has a noticeable absence in the star power category, it might be better in the team category.

And that’s the goal right? To put the best team as possible on the field, not the team with the most All-Stars. Sure Florida has the revered Tim Tebow and Co., but before they are anointed as champions – again – the games must be played.

Here now, a position-by-position breakdown of the 2009 Georgia Bulldogs.

Quarterback

Into the role as field general, steps the seasoned Joe Cox. A fifth-year senior and a possessor of a grand total of 33 completions, Cox has been holding the clipboard since Matthew Stafford was still in high school. He knows the offensive coordinator Mike Bobo’s offense better than anyone else on the team. And that is all a coach can hope for, for his quarterback to be an extension of the coach on the field and in the huddle. He saved Georgia from themselves in a brutal game in 2006 against Colorado, throwing two late-fourth quarter touchdown passes to overcome a 13-0 deficit. He has one career start, against Ole Miss also in 2006 but is not concerned at his relative lack of playing time.

“It’s good to have the experience I have, to have taken snaps before,” Cox told The Red & Black. “It gives me confidence.”

He is vocal in the locker room and has become the leader Georgia has lacked since the graduation of David Greene and David Pollack. And while this is a completely different scenario, the last time the Dogs started a fifth-year senior – D.J. Shockley in 2005 – Georgia went to the Sugar Bowl.

Backing up Cox, is sophomore Logan Gray, a Shockley-like quarterback who also will see time at punt returner, and the freshman duo of Aaron Murray and Zach Mettenberger.

Murray, the No. 3 ranked quarterback by rivals.com possesses a strong arm coupled with the ability to escape scramble and make good decisions on the run. Despite missing his entire senior season due to a knee injury, Murray doesn’t expect to have any ill-affects from his injury. Mettenberger, a local kid from Oconee County, is a straight pocket-passer and may redshirt this season. Both were an Elite-11 quarterback in their recruiting class, Murray No. 3 and Mettenberger No. 11.

Running backs

The Dogs have a talented stable of running backs capable to provide a semblance of a running threat. The loss of Moreno may be worse than losing Stafford because Moreno was a threat to score whenever he touched the ball. But in his stead are sophomores Caleb King, Richard Samuel and talented freshmen Dontavious Jackson, Carlton Thomas and Washaun Ealey. All have the talent and potential to step up and grab the No. 1 spot on the depth chart and that is just what the coaching staff is looking for. Running back platoons rarely work unless there is a definite number one.

Fred Munzenmaier and Shaun Chapas step into the hole left by Brannan Southerland, and as a tandem can provide good run and pass blocking.

Receivers

The land of wide outs is where the one true “star” on this team resides. Sophomore A.J. Green put up ungodly numbers his first season on campus as he led the SEC in catches of 10+ and 30+ yards and in red-zone touchdown catches with six. Wideout Michael Moore will be thrust into a bigger role as Kris Durham recovers from injury and watch out for Marlon Brown, who has the potential to make a big impact in his first season on campus.

Tight end is a definite weakness as projected starter Bruce Figgins has been suspended for the first six games for violating team rules, leaving an inexperienced group behind him.

Offensive Line

If there was a singular reason for the offense struggling last season, consider by the second practice of the fall, it was already shorthanded with the ACL injury to tackle Trinton Sturdivant, who is fully recovered this season. The offensive line was a revolving door all season as injuries – and holding penalties – mounted. Stafford rarely had time to throw and Moreno worked for every yard he got.

This season, Sturdivant is back, and the rest of the line is experienced and able to handle the weekly grind of SEC football.

Defensive Line

Big ole No. 95, Jeffrey Owens is the key, as evidenced by the lack of pressure the defensive line was consistently unable to put on opposing quarterbacks. After Owens was lost for the season in the first game of the year against Georgia Southern, the Dogs only managed to sack opposing quarterbacks 23 times (ninth in the SEC). Owens is a dominate force who opens up pass-rushing opportunities for the rest of the line.

Linebackers

The soft-spoken, hard hitting Rennie Curran is as tough as they come and is expected to lead the team in tackles again. Joined by Darryl Gamble, Marcus Washington and Akeem Dent, the Georgia linebacking group is a solid and intimidating as they come.

Secondary

The cornerbacks are young, but the safeties led by Bryan Evans and Reshad Jones are experienced and should provide good run defense support and help the young cornerbacks. They just need to consistently tackle better and make more interceptions than the 11 (eighth in the SEC) it made last year.

Special Teams

Brian Mimbs is gone as punter and holder, leaving a largely untested group in his stead. Place kicker Blair Walsh struggled with his accuracy at times and could not keep kick-offs in bounds. That needs to be corrected as having the opponent start on the 40-yard line is a serious disadvantage.