Wednesday Practice Notes

It sounds like the offensive line won't look too familiar when Georgia takes the field Saturday.

Left tackle Kiante Tripp and right guard Cordy Glenn both look as if they will lose their starting jobs, though head coach Mark Richt said the competition is still open.

"Right now, we're not playing musical chairs, but we're allowing other guys to get into this mix and become starters," Richt said.

Tripp sprained his ankle during practice Tuesday and was in a green non-contact jersey Wednesday. He looked agile during practice, however, and although he sat out of 11-on-11 drills, he did participate against the scout team.

He may not have been the starter this week regardless, however.

The apparent first team during Wednesday's practice included Vince Vance at left tackle, Chris Davis at left guard, Ben Jones at center, Clint Boling at right guard and Justin Anderson at right tackle.

That may not be how things look when the Bulldogs run their first offensive series Saturday, but it would be a big shakeup from how the season began.

"We're not really putting anybody where they haven't already been practicing anyway," Richt said. "It's been more of a production issue. We want to start the guys who give us the best chance. The other guys will still play, and it hasn't been established where everybody's going to end up."

Cordy Glenn, a true freshman, started the first three games at right guard but struggled against South Carolina last Saturday. Boling, who has started the past two games at right tackle after a one-game suspension, has graded out the highest of all the O linemen, Richt said, but it's the emergence of Anderson that has come as a surprise.

"He's doing well," Chris Davis said. "He's making strides to be great, and that's what he could be if he keeps working hard and keeps a good attitude."

Neither Jones nor Anderson have started a game before.

Tripp's injury is not severe, Richt said, and he will likely be available -- if not in the starting lineup -- for Saturday's game.

"He looked good to me," Richt said. "(Trainer) Ron (Courson) has every anticipation that he'll be on the trip. He'll be ready to go."

A few other news and notes...

* Tight end Bruce Figgins was in a green non-contact jersey during practice Wednesday after injuring his shoulder. Richt said the injury was not serious and Figgins should be ready for Saturday's game.

"It was sore enough where we didn't want him to do anything against the defense," Richt said, "but we plan on him being there, on being ready to play."

* It has been 22 years since Jon Fabris coached in the Pac-10, but Georgia's upcoming trip to Arizona State provides a good reason for the defensive ends coach to reminisce.

When asked how the Pac-10 stacked up to the SEC in terms of competitiveness, Fabris, who was an assistant coach at Washington State from 1982 through 1986, said there really wasn't much difference. Where the two conferences really diverge is in their fan bases.

"It's more of an entertainment thing, people like to go to the games to be entertained," Fabris said. "Some places it's like, we like football in the fall, we like basketball in the winter. Here, it's like, we like fall football and winter recruiting and spring football and spring recruiting."

The Sun Devils, however, might have the closest thing to an SEC fan base, Fabris said.

"I remember Tempe, that environment to me was the most SEC-like environment of all the Pac-10 schools in terms of the stadium and the noise and the fan base," he said. "They definitely like their football there, there's no doubt about it."