A demoted linemen takes it in stride

Georgia juggled its line a week ago, putting in a true freshman and a former starter recovering from knee surgeries. The results, coaches said, were good enough to try another week.

One of the odd men out was Josh Davis, a senior who had started 11 straight games. But Davis is taking his demotion as a message to give better effort.

“I think that was my biggest strong point. I think I started to rely on other things and not so much playing as hard as I could,” Davis said.

Those “other things,” according to Davis, were his technique and finesse. The demotion has led him to try to show coaches in practice that he was back to “mauling” and getting a push on the line.

“Stuff I used to do, (which) I did every down, I stepped back from a little bit, and it hurt me,” Davis said.

But he doesn’t begrudge the man who essentially replaced him in the starting lineup. Left tackle Trinton Sturdivant is recovering from consecutive knee surgeries. Davis understands a bit of what Sturdivant went through, having had shoulder surgery in early 2009 that caused him to miss the first half of last season.

“Trinton worked crazy hard to get to where he is right now,” Davis said. “I’m really excited to see Trinton playing again. I thought when he was going in 2007 he was probably one off the best going in the country, to me. So it’s great to see him back out there.”

Davis and Sturdivant could still end up starting together. Kenarious Gates, the freshman, is getting his second start at right guard, but Clint Boling (starting at right tackle) has played at that spot too. The coaches have shown they’re not afraid to juggle, and could do so again.

But for now Davis is saying all the right things.

“I’ve never really been a me guy. So if they think that’s the best team, then fine,” Davis said. “I’ve just gotta work and get in their eyes that I can be in the best five again.”