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Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Wednesday Practice Notes (11/12)

Head coach Mark Richt said Wednesday that linebacker Darius Dewberry could miss the rest of the season -- possibly including Georgia's bowl game -- with a shoulder injury.

"I don't think Dewberry will play this week, and I'm not sure he'll play again this year," Richt said.

Dewberry left the Florida game with a hip-flexor injury, but it is a shoulder problem that is currently keeping him on the sideline.

"His shoulder is banged up pretty good," Richt said. "He may need surgical repair by the end of the year."

-- Richt didn't directly address the rumors of Tommy Tuberville heading to Clemson, but you can probably read between the lines a bit in his response to a question about the coaching situation there.

"I think the season will be over before any announcement is made," Richt said. "It's possible it's a coach from another school who is active right now, and I'm sure he wouldn't want everybody to know. That could be happening or it could be that people don't even want to talk or interview until the season is over."

Asked about his feelings on the effects of the annual late-season coaching carousel, Richt said he was empathetic to the kids at the various schools going through coaching turmoil, but said there really isn't much of a solution.

"It is sad that it has to be that way," Richt said. "I was reading about the Oklahoma (assistant coach) to Clemson, and he was vehemently denying anything, and he probably didn't have any (interest).

"I remember when I was offensive coordinator at Florida State, I was approached by a few jobs over the years, and it's just a very, very difficult time of the year to be messing around with that. You have such a great sense of obligation to your fellow coaches and your teams, and you don't want to take the focus away from some type of a possible championship run. It seemed like we were in the mix just about every year at Florida State, and there was never a good time to talk about the possibility of a head job. It does hurt the focus of your football team. It hurt the focus in that Oklahoma national championship game that year.

"It changes the dynamics of everybody's focus. But can you solve it? I think the NFL has some rules as to when people can talk. I assume it's when the regular season is over. But rules are only as good as people will adhere to them also. You wish there could be a better way, another way, but recruiting is so crucial. I'm sure Clemson is wanting to hang on to their recruits, and they need to move forward in that way. You wish there was a better way, but I don't think there is."

-- Richt said Cordy Glenn has not worked more than just a few reps at right tackle this week, and said he expects Josh Davis and Kiante Tripp to split time at the position Saturday against Auburn.

I'll have a story on the offensive line in tomorrow's Telegraph and Ledger-Enquirer, but I also put together this little timeline of the offensive line's season that I think puts into perspective just how crazy it has been...

Spring -- Georgia ends spring practice with a tentative line that includes (from left to right) Trinton Sturdivant, Vince Vance, Chris Davis, Clint Boling and Kiante Tripp -- with Vance, a junior, the oldest starter.

July 3 -- Boling is suspended two games by head coach Mark Richt after he was charged with DUI. His suspension was later reduced to one game after he pled to a lesser charge.

August 11 -- Sturdivant, who started every game at left tackle in 2007, is lost for the season with a knee injury.

Fall camp -- The coaching staff tries several combinations on the line, but finally decides to move Tripp from right tackle to left to fill in for Sturdivant, while freshman Cordy Glenn impresses enough to land a starting job.

Aug. 30 -- Georgia opens its season with Tripp at left tackle, Vance at left guard, Chris Davis at center, Glenn at right guard and Josh Davis at right tackle. Josh Davis is replaced by Boling a week later.

Sept. 20 -- Georgia sends Tripp and Glenn to the bench for its game against Arizona State. Boling moves to left guard, Vance to left tackle, freshman Ben Jones takes over at center, while Chris Davis and Justin Anderson work the right side.

Sept. 27 -- After Georgia's top two tight ends suffer shoulder injuries, Tripp is moved from offensive line to tight end.

Oct. 11 -- Vance injures his knee in the first half against Tennessee and is finished for the season. Boling moves to his fourth position on the line this season: Left tackle. He plays well enough to be named the SEC's lineman of the week. Meanwhile, Tripp is moved back to the offensive line once again.

Oct. 18 -- For the second straight game, Georgia's makeshift line doesn't allow a sack. To date, the Bulldogs have taken just eight sacks for the season -- the same number of different players to have started a game on the line.

Oct. 23 -- Reserve guard Chris Little, highly touted coming out of high school, decides to transfer from Georgia after suffering a litany of injuries in his brief career.

Nov. 8 -- Anderson suffers a foot injury against Kentucky that will keep him out between two and three weeks. Josh Davis fills in the rest of the game and is projected to split time with Tripp until Anderson can return. Jones earns SEC lineman of the week honors for his performance against the Wildcats.

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