Notes: Grantham Adds Enthusiasm to Dawgs' D

Mark Richt has heard enough people wonder aloud if he has a proper football personality. The truth is, he’s not going to argue with anyone who says he’s an exceptionally nice guy – even if it’s not meant as a compliment.

But while Richt doesn’t plan to change his attitude on the field much, he recognizes that his new defensive coordinator may help fill a gap when it comes to that in-your-face style generally associated with football coaches.

“He’s intense, there’s no doubt,” Richt said of Todd Grantham’s demeanor on the field. “That’s what you want is a guy that’s got some fire in him. Everybody knows my demeanor and has a little bit of a feel for that. I think it’s probably good to have somebody who’s a little more outwardly excited. I do get excited on the inside sometimes, but it’s good to have that energy on the sidelines.”

For his part, Grantham said he has plenty to be excited about.

After 11 years in the NFL, being back in the college ranks has provided a healthy dose of excitement for a coach who already exudes enthusiasm, and last week’s G-Day game offered Grantham his first taste of what life is like inside Sanford Stadium.

"It was awesome.” Grantham said. “The fans are great, you know? Everybody's got their red on. I look forward to seeing it filled up.”

It will be a few more months before that happens, but when Georgia opens its first season with Grantham on the sideline, the coach’s lofty expectations won’t be limited to just his players.

“We need to make sure that stadium becomes a benefit to our defense because if they're loud, with the things we're going to be doing, it will be very difficult for an offense to change plays, change protections,” Grantham said. “When you're loud at home, the offense has to go on a solid count. That means that everybody's looking for the ball. So basically the advantage that normally the offense has is no longer there. So I'm definitely going to encourage our fans to be as loud as they can from here on out."

MARLON ON THE MEND

Marlon Brown spent the majority of the spring in a green non-contact jersey and he finished G-Day without a catch, which all might be a good indication that 2010 could look far too much like his disappointing 2009 campaign.

But while Brown may still be a bit shy of where he’d like to be in terms of progress, his teammates think he’s light years ahead of where he was a year ago.

“I see some qualities I didn’t see last year,” fellow sophomore receiver Rantavious Wooten said. “He’s gotten faster, he’s getting in and out of cuts and moving better than he did last year. He’s lost some weight, too, and I credit that to him. I think he’s ready to play.”

Given the lack of depth at receiver this year, Brown won’t be looked at as a luxury this season as he was last year when he caught just two passes as a true freshman.

Much of his shortcomings in 2009, however, could be attributed to a lack of experience after he played at a small high school that didn’t provide anything close to SEC caliber competition.

But those problems have been largely rectified in the past few months, offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said, and that’s a credit to Brown’s dedication.

“A lot of times that has to do with being more comfortable with the offense and getting more comfortable with his ability to execute things,” Bobo said. “That comes with practice. We’re definitely pleased with Marlon. I like how he comes out and doesn’t back down. He’s very physical. He needs to continue to fine-tune his route running, and I think he’ll be a major player for us this year.”

HAPPY IN ATHENS

On Georgia’s crowded depth chart at tight end, Arthur Lynch is clearly the odd man out for much of the spring. He lacks the experience of Bruce Figgins, the speed of Orson Charles or the versatility of Aron White. But his 39-yard touchdown catch-and-run at G-Day gave ample evidence that Lynch is still a dangerous weapon for the Bulldogs.

“I wanted to get some film on me and make some plays out there, and this was a good way to do it,” Lynch said.

While Lynch was the low man in the tight end pecking order a year ago, the Massachusetts native was also a bit of a fish out of water in Athens. Although the lack of playing time did frustrate Lynch, Charles said his teammate still felt right at home at Georgia.

“Transferring and stuff like that, it never crossed Arthur’s mind,” Charles said. “Yeah, he was upset, but he knew he had to get better, and now he’s looking good out there. I’m really excited for this year and to see how coaches are going to use us.”

GLAD TO BE BACK

In Georgia’s second spring scrimmage, Kris Durham hauled in three touchdown catches. Last week on G-Day, he was the day’s top receiver. It’s not exactly the same as celebrating a big score on a fall Saturday, but there’s no doubt that after a year on the sideline following a shoulder injury, Georgia’s lone senior receiver was thrilled to be back at work.

“It makes you appreciate the game more and appreciate everything everyone goes through,” Durham said of last year’s lost season. “I was kind of on the outside last year, so I’m just looking forward this year to being back in the mix.”

Georgia’s coaches are excited about the possibility, too. The Bulldogs’ receiving corps will be a bit green – with only A.J. Green having more than 20 career receptions. But Durham provides a veteran presence that Richt said will be crucial in 2010.

“Kris is so valuable because he knows every wide receiver position, he can get to the line of scrimmage and make sure everybody gets lined up properly,” Richt said. “He’s a tough guy you can throw screens to – because not many guys want to take the ball over the middle like he will. He can play inside or outside receiver, he’ll block, and he’s a leader.”

WOOTEN WAITING

His freshman season started slowly, but once Rantavious Wooten got onto the field, things began to click quickly. After catching just two passes in Georgia’s first six games, Wooten grabbed a reception in five of the team’s last six regular-season contests and earned the confidence of his coaches.

This season, Wooten is hoping to build on his strong finish to 2009, but he’s not expecting to be treated like one of the veterans just yet.

“I just want the ball,” Wooten said. “I don’t know what Coach Bobo or Coach (Tony) Ball have in store for me, but I just want to show them that I can play, and hopefully they see that and try to get me the ball. That’s all I can hope for.”

POSITIVE RESULTS

Corners Brandon Boykin and Vance Cuff shared the spring award for most improved players on defense, and Richt credits a good bit of that to the impressive work being done by first-year defensive backs coach Scott Lakatos.

“One thing about Coach Lakatos that I see, he’s a great technician and he seems to communicate well,” Richt said. “I think the players have a healthy respect for him and his knowledge, and there’s been some positive results which gives guys more faith in what’s being taught.”

Video Blog: Figgins Talks Tight Ends

Georgia tight end Bruce Figgins wasn't out on the field last year, but he got an up-close-and-personal view of his fellow tight ends. In this video, he gives an update of the progress his unit -- and rising sophomores Arthur Lynch and Orson Charles -- have made since the end of the season.



(*Video courtesy of Brandon Spoon.)

Home Is Where Your Helmet Is

A lot was made this week of freshman defensive end Montez Robinson earning SEC defensive lineman of the week honors, just a few weeks removed from some serious thoughts about transferring. That got me to thinking... Robinson certainly isn't alone in feeling a bit out of place at Georgia in his early career.

A handful of players who traveled the farthest to come to Georgia are getting minimal playing time, so I decided to look into how those players -- Brandon Bogotay, Arthur Lynch and Robinson -- have been coping. As a transplant to Athens, I know it can be a bit of a culture shock.

Anyway, my original version of the story came out pretty long, and with newspapers getting smaller, there just isn't room for 50-inch features anymore. So I had to make some cuts, and in the process, I think the story lost a lot of its color and detail.

You're free to read that version of the story online now, if you'd like. But, if like the Big Lebowski, you're not into the whole brevity thing, I figured I'd post the full version of the story here, without any cuts made to it.

Here goes...

----

It was the Fourth of July before Aron White’s freshman year at Georgia when he took a trip home to Columbia, Mo. for the holiday. He had been in Athens for a while, working out with teammates and getting ready for his rookie season, and the trip home was a welcome reward after a difficult start to his career with the Bulldogs.

Throughout the visit home, White couldn’t quite shake the feeling that he wasn’t supposed to leave. Many of his friends were in school at nearby Missouri, and being home was like old times. He missed family, he missed friends, he missed normalcy. Being home felt right.

Nearly four months passed before White made another trip back to Columbia, this time during Georgia’s off week in 2007. He hadn’t played a down that season, instead redshirting while fellow freshman Bruce Figgins earned praise from coaches and fans for his early contributions. Life in Athens was still unconfortable.

But that second trip to Missouri was different. White was happy to see his brothers, but many of his friends were occupied with school. Most had made new friends he didn’t know. The bedroom he had grown up in suddenly felt foreign. The bed wasn’t as comfortable. The décor wasn’t his own.

He missed Georgia.

“It was home, but it was just like, I knew by the end of that weekend I wanted to go back, I missed people,” White said. “I went home and slept in my old room, and it wasn’t the same. You don’t have all those things you surround yourself with. It wasn’t my bed, it wasn’t my TV, I didn’t have my movies or my posters hanging on the wall. That was definitely the point I realized that if I were to leave Georgia, I’d definitely miss it.”

White’s story is hardly unique. It’s an annual right of passage for Georgia’s freshmen, but it’s never a simple process.

While some players are eased into life in Athens with routine trips to nearby homes and meals prepared by mom or nights out with old friends, players like White can only make the occasional trip home, planned far in advance and paid for with scarce funds.

While some players transition is overshadowed by success on the field and immediate praise from fans and coaches, players like White often have far more time alone on the sidelines to question the decisions they made that led them to Georgia.

It’s never simple, but for some players, the transition is arduous.

“You definitely second guess yourself sometimes,” freshman tight end Arthur Lynch said, his words tinged with a heavy New England accent. “It’s not the easiest thing, and it’s something you can’t really adjust to because it’s so different than where I’m from. But you get used to it after a while.”

Athens may be one of the most beloved college towns in the country, but for players like Lynch, it’s a world apart from where he grew up.

The 6-foot-5 Dartmouth, Mass. native came to Georgia this summer expecting to stand out, but it’s the accent that always throws people. He can’t hide it. He might as well be speaking a foreign language compared to the slow, Southern dialect prevalent throughout Georgia.

There are other differences, too. There are things Lynch finds utterly perplexing about the South. He’s learned to keep most of those opinions to himself. He's not yet comfortable enough with his surroundings to ruffle any feathers. Life is simply different here.

Kicker Brandon Bogotay knows the feeling. He arrived in July from San Diego, and while the weather was a few degrees warmer and the beach was no longer within walking distance, things seemed relatively normal.

And then the rain came.

“It’s been raining, and I never really saw much rain out there,” Bogotay said. “The scooter rides in the morning have been pretty cold.”

Bogotay joked that he owned just two long-sleeved shirts when he came to Athens, but he’s in the market for a new wardrobe now.

For other players, however, the culture shock isn’t so much about the weather or the slang. It’s about family and security. It's about knowing who to trust and where to find comfort.

Defensive end Montez Robinson grew up in Indiana, then moved to Alabama when he was in grade school. His family life was difficult, but he was always close with his brothers. His father died when he was young and he and his brothers spent much of their lives as wards of the state. After his sophomore year in high school, he moved back to Indiana and later committed to Auburn.

When Tigers’ coach Tommy Tuberville resigned at the end of last season, however, Robinson’s life was shaken up yet again, and he re-opened his recruitment, eventually settling on Georgia, where assistant coach Rodney Garner assured Robinson he would find a home.

Through his first few months in Athens, however, Robinson simply wanted to see his family again.

“At first it was hard being away from home,” Robinson said. “There’s a couple other guys that are far from home, and we were always talking about how much we missed our families.”

It happens every season. The initial thrill of college grows old, the lure of home grows stronger, and eventually they all ask the same question: Did I do the right thing?

“I don’t care if you’re from 15 minutes away or 15 hours away, you’re not at home anymore when you go to college,” tight ends coach John Lilly said. “I think it’s natural to go through an adjustment period, and probably a little bit of a homesick period.”

As many times as they’ve seen it happen, Lilly said there’s no universal solution to getting a player past that point. They’re all different, but there is support.

Lilly said the coaching staff tries to talk to players' families and friends, asking them to offer encouragement rather than reminders of what was left behind.

Head coach Mark Richt has worked hard to create a family environment around the team, too. Coaches wives and children are frequent visitors, with the team holding a weekly family night after practice when they all share a meal together.

But while encouragement is offered, the job of most coaches is to impart discipline and demand excellence. They rely on the other players to handle the role of friend.

“It’s a difficult thing when you’re riding someone and you’re pushing them, you can’t be their buddy,” said Jon Fabris, Robinson’s position coach. “Yet you understand that there are players that have been there and you can tell them, ‘Hey, keep an eye on this guy.’ I think you can get better support through their peers because, who hasn’t gone through that?”

The feeling of being an outsider in a strange place is only exacerbated for those freshmen who rarely see the field. That has been the case for Bogotay, Lynch and Robinson this season.

Game days provide some solace, but offer little playing time.

White sees plenty of parallels between his career and Lynch’s. Both came from another part of the country. Both joined the team at the same time as another, more highly recruited player at their position. Both knew their role early on would be mostly as an understudy.

“It’s hard to deal with not coming in and being the guy and feeling like somebody else is getting all the spotlight or that he’s the guy people want to see take over,” White said. “It’s tough to deal with sometimes, but we remember that we’re all working toward the same goal, and so you just have to work hard as a player so you can be a part of that.”

That’s the approach Robinson has tried to take this season.

He admits he considered a transfer. There were too many days when going home seemed a far better option than going to practice. But things change. They always do.

Robinson got his first serious playing time last week against Tennessee Tech. He finished the game with the first five tackles of his career, including two sacks. He won the SEC’s defensive lineman of the week award two days later, and his foster father cried when he heard the news.

“You know when you can do something like that and the gratitude that people give you and the feeling you get afterwards, it eases things down a little bit, and it makes you want to work harder for things like that,” Robinson said.

It helped that Robinson’s two younger brothers, Armonze and Elijah, his foster parents and one of his cousins were all in Athens for his big game last week. They added a bit of home to a place that suddenly didn’t feel so foreign anymore anyway.

“Having success makes him love this place a little bit more,” Garner said. “Hopefully a lot of positives that come out of him having success, and that’s my hope for him, too.”

It’s probably too soon to call the game a turning point for Robinson, but sometimes it happens that quickly. That was true for White when he visited Missouri back in 2007 and realized it wasn’t home anymore. It has been true for dozens of others, too.

“You realize that home changes,” Lilly said. “You have all these great memories of high school and those kinds of things, and then when you do get back, it’s nice to go home and see people, but as the years go by you realize that home really is where you go to school. That’s where all your friends are and where your life really is at that point.”

Lynch tasted a bit of success last week, too, grabbing the first two receptions of his career during a fourth-quarter drive. There were no SEC awards that followed, but it was a good starting point, he said.

And seeing Robinson enjoy the spotlight after an impressive performance – that helped, too.

“You hope to catch a break and get on the field like Montez did Saturday,” Lynch said. “You keep moving, keep working hard in practice, and hopefully your time will come.”

Bogotay has taken the field just once this season, which is one more time than he has visited home. But even he isn’t sulking.

“I’m looking forward to the next trip home, but I love it out here,” he said. “It’s a big change, but overall I’m having a great time out here.”

Things change. Home is wherever you make it. It’s a conclusion everyone comes to eventually.

In fact, while Robinson was considering leaving Georgia just a few weeks ago, he’s now busy recruiting his brothers to join him in Athens.

“I have two brothers getting recruited from here, and they just want to go wherever I go,” he said. “I’m trying to convince them.”

It changes that fast, White said. Sometimes it happens after a big play. Sometimes it happens after a few friends are made. Sometimes, like White, a new perspective suddenly arises.

“Early on, I didn’t know if I fit in around here. It wasn’t so much football, it was just really hard for me to cope, being away from home,” White said. “But I realized it was about more than just feeling comfortable. I made a commitment to be here. The coaches gambled on me, they gave me this opportunity, and I didn’t feel like I was giving it a chance. By season’s end, I knew this was the right place for me and I had made the right decision.”

It’s a story he has passed along to Lynch, Robinson, Bogotay and others. It’s a story that dozens of other players on the team could tell, too, with just a few of the details changed.

Everyone gets homesick, White said. But eventually they all decide that Georgia is home.

“They’ll come around,” White said. "(Lynch), Montez, Bogotay, they’ll all come around. Because there are guys who live 45 minutes away that don’t want to go home on weekends. It’s too much fun being here.”

Notes: Curran Mulls NFL Future

With the season winding down and the hype surrounding next year’s top NFL draft picks heating up, Rennie Curran knew he would have some tough decisions to make.

The junior linebacker is second in the SEC in tackles and is on pace for his second straight 100-tackle season at Georgia, and many draft services see him as a potential early draft choice. So from family and friends to fans who see him on campus, he’s already being hounded about his future.

“That’s one thing people always want to know,” Curran said. “They see you in that position and you’re ranked high and having a good season, and they want to know.”

Curran said Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno, teammates last season who were both selected in the first round of the 2009 NFL draft, set a nice template for how to handle things, and that’s a path Curran plans to follow.

“Knowshon and Stafford, I watched them go through the same thing, and they did a good job handling it,” Curran said. “Right now, I’m just focused on the season, honestly. It crosses my mind just like it would anybody else who was in the situation I’m in, but it’s a good situation to be in and have to think about. But for the most part, I’m just focused on what got me here, which is working hard and finishing strong, because that’s all I really feel like matters.”

BACK TO THE BENCH

He’s the reigning SEC defensive lineman of the week, but that doesn’t mean Montez Robinson will be seeing a ton of action this week, head coach Mark Richt said.

The freshman defensive end earned his first serious playing time of the season against Tennessee Tech, racking up five tackles and two sacks while filling in for injured starter Justin Houston. But Houston’s injured elbow appears healthy this week, and that means Robinson will be back to his role of backup.

While his big week didn’t bump him up the depth chart, however, it wasn’t without it’s benefits.

“It’d be difficult to get him the same amount of reps he got last week with Justin being back, but he’s progressing and gaining confidence in himself, and we’re gaining more confidence in him,” Richt said.

Beyond the confidence boost for Robinson, it was a nice reminder for Georgia’s coaches that a once glaring hole on defense now appears to be turning into a strength.

Georgia was so thin at defensive end in the spring that two walk-on tight ends were forced to switch positions so the team could scrimmage, and when starter Rod Battle went down with a season-ending injury early in the year, things look bleak.

But Robinson’s emergence, coupled with Houston’s strong play and improved seasons from Demarcus Dobbs and Cornelius Washington, depth is far less of an issue that Richt might have imagined.

“Considering what happened a year ago and Roderick going out relatively early, you might have thought, well, here we go again,” Richt said. “But it really hasn’t been that way.”

ALIVE AND KICKING

This week’s matchup against Auburn has earned some buzz due in part to the tremendous talent both teams sport at kicker. The Tigers’ Wes Bynum and Georgia’s Blair Walsh are both among the country’s most accurate field-goal kickers, and while Walsh struggled in kickoffs last season, he has turned that around and is now the SEC’s leader in touchbacks.

All that success has been good for Georgia, but it has left Brandon Bogotay, the junior college transfer from San Diego brought in to challenge Walsh for the job, without much playing time this season.

“Every game I want to get in, so I’m just waiting for my shot,” Bogotay said.

Despite the lack of playing time – which has involved just one kickoff this season – Bogotay isn’t complaining. In fact, he’s thrilled to see the kicking game doing so well.

“Everyone wants to get their PT, but we push each other, we get better from each other, and it’s really all about the team,” Bogotay said. “As long as one of us is performing, I’m going to be happy.”

WAITING IN THE WINGS

There weren’t many members of Georgia’s 2009 signing class that haven’t seen the field this season, and several of those being redshirted are due to injuries. But of the six healthy players still waiting their turn to see the field on game day, Richt said many have adopted a healthy attitude toward work on the scout team.

“The great majority of their life right now is being on the scout team, but they can get better by doing it,” Richt said.

Richt pointed to past scout-team stars like Odell Thurman and Thomas Davis as examples of how this year’s redshirts are handling the job.

“Every day they said, ‘We’re going to give these guys as much grief as possible,’ and they got better,” Richt said. “I think we’ve got a little bit of that going on right now.”

Quarterbacks Aaron Murray and Zach Mettenberger both earned praise from offensive coordinator Mike Bobo, who said that both have gotten far more work with the first- and second-team offenses in practice this season than past freshmen quarterbacks, due in part to starter Joe Cox’s injury that keeps him from throwing on Wednesdays.

Linebacker Chase Vasser suffered a minor injury after a scooter accident on campus earlier this season, but Richt said he’s healthy again and performing well.

“Chase has done a good job on the scout team for us, and he’s back on track doing fine,” Richt said.

Georgia’s two freshmen offensive linemen – Chris Burnette and Dallas Lee -- have helped the scout team look far more impressive than years past, too.

“We’ve actually had one of our better offensive scout teams in a while. We’ve had some really good offensive linemen over there that have been able to give us a better picture.”

But the star of the redshirts, Richt said, might be defensive tackle Kwame Geathers, who has come particularly far from his first days on campus, when he arrived three days after the start of fall camp, slow and overweight.

“I don’t know the number that he dropped, but it was probably in the 30-pound range if not more,” Richt said. “That guy really did a phenomenal job of really getting his body down to where he could run and have some stamina.”

REMEMBER WHEN

Throughout a tumultuous season that has seen Georgia drop four of its first nine games, Richt hasn’t had much of a roadmap for navigating the troubled waters in Athens. But his best comparison has been to look back at the Bulldogs’ 2006 season, when after a 6-4 start, Georgia won its final three games – all against ranked foes.

That run began with a shocking upset of Auburn on the road, a game in which Richt admitted afterward that he didn’t think his team could win. Now, as the Bulldogs try to rally to another strong finish, he’s doing his best to instill confidence in his players by reminding them of how much that 2006 team overcame.

“There’s definitely some parallels and some similarities,” Richt said. “We don’t know how it’s all going to finish, but as you’re looking for something to build on or put in front of your team to tell them that you can do it, you want to grab those positive comparisons.”

BIG WEEK FOR RECRUITING

The biggest group of recruits to visit Georgia on a game day since Richt has been in Athens came when the Bulldogs hosted Auburn in 2005, he said. Most years, the Georgia-Auburn game draws a hefty crowd.

This year’s game may not draw quite as many recruits as the ’05 game did, Richt said, but it will be close, and the players who will be in Athens rate pretty high on Georgia’s wish list.

“It’s big, it’s what you would expect for Georgia-Auburn,” Richt said. “I know that as we covered the names that are coming in, not only is it a long list, but it’s a list of outstanding players for 2010, 2011 and even a couple of 2012s in there.”

Of course, the problem then becomes handling such a big group of players, but Richt isn’t complaining.

“It’s going to be a difficult day to manage because you want to spend time with these people and let them know how much you care about them,” Richt said. “When there’s such a massive number, it’s very difficult to get everybody the amount of love they probably feel like they deserve. But that’s a good problem to have.”

FIRST CATCH FEELS GOOD

When he got to Georgia, tight end Arthur Lynch was already well aware of his role on the offense. Aron White and Orson Charles were both lean, athletic tight ends with immense receiving skills. Lynch was the brawn.

But with Georgia’s big lead in the fourth quarter last week, Lynch got his first chance to show that he’s capable of more than just pushing people around, picking up two receptions back to back – the first two catches of his career.

“That was a cool experience,” Lynch said. “We were up big and the other team was playing hard, but they called the same route twice and I caught it. It was cool to get in there and see what it was like. I’ve been playing at spots blocking, but in terms of route running and out catching passes, I hadn’t had the opportunity to do that until that game, so it was definitely cool to get a part of the offense.”

PARKING PROBLEMS

Tailgaters may want to be aware of some reduced parking around campus for Saturday’s game against Auburn. Due to the wet weather brought by Tropical Storm Ida, several grass-covered areas typically used for parking, including the lots near the intramural fields off East Campus Drive, will not be available. The school also urged fans to carpool, to avoid using pull-behind trailers and reconsider placing heavy objects on the wet grounds in other grass-covered parking areas.

Practice Notes: Patience a Virtue for Samuel

A big preseason earned Richard Samuel the starting tailback job to open the season, but beyond an 80-yard run against Arkansas, his numbers have been declining each week since.

The sophomore tailback tallied 87 yards in his first career start against Oklahoma State and chipped in with several impressive runs against South Carolina a week later. But outside of his 80-yarder, Samuel has averaged just two yards per carry in his last two games, and head coach Mark Richt thinks the solution may be patience.

“I guess he’s similar to a quarterback who can throw it extremely hard,” Richt said. “They’ve got to understand sometimes how to use the touch. He’s a back who has to learn at times to gear it down a little bit until he really sees it, and then hit it.”

Richt said he remains confident that Samuel can develop into a star running back, and he isn’t asking him to change his style – just his approach.

“I think he’s getting a better feel of the vision of the running schemes and where it should go, but it’s hard to slow him down,” Richt said. “He really runs hard, and there’s a lot of value to that if you start knocking people back and breaking tackles. It’s just a different style of running.”

Samuel arrived at Georgia as a 16-year-old last season, and his football pedigree was primarily on the defensive side of the ball rather than tailback. So while Samuel hasn’t demonstrated all the subtleties of being a star running back yet, Richt said the coaches and fans should remain patient, too.

“That’s something they probably learn as they’re growing up if they’re runners all throughout their careers and they just kind of get the hang of it,” Richt said. “You could see where Richard is still in the process because he hasn’t been a running back his whole life. He’s a big, strong, fast guy, very smart and is tough and wants to do it just right, but it just takes reps until they get the feel of it.”

BOYKIN MISSES PRACTICE

Sophomore cornerback Brandon Boykin sat out Wednesday’s practice session because of an undisclosed illness, Richt said.

Boykin has started all four games for Georgia this season and has one of the team’s two interceptions. Following Tuesday’s practice, however, Richt said Boykin wasn’t feeling well, and coaches kept him out for precautionary reasons Wednesday.

“He doesn’t feel good, but we think he’ll practice (Thursday),” Richt said. “We think he’ll be fine.”

Georgia’s secondary was already thin thanks to a knee sprain suffered by junior Vance Cuff against Arkansas. Cuff missed last week’s game against Arizona State but returned to a limited practice Wednesday.

“Vance is practicing, and I would say he’s probable also,” Richt said. “I don’t think he had a setback (Wednesday). He doesn’t look full speed when it comes to change of direction yet, but he was out there working with the scouts and I think he finished.”

CONFIDENCE IS KEY

Freshman receiver Marlon Brown hasn’t seen much action in his first four games at Georgia, but that could change soon.

Richt said he chatted with Brown following Wednesday’s practice to offer some encouragement, and he said he has been pleased with the progress Brown has made since the season began.

“I’m seeing a tremendous improvement in Marlon,” Richt said. “He’s smoothing his game out, and it’s coming. (Tight end) Artie Lynch, same way. He’s a guy who is improving rapidly, and their futures are very, very bright.”

Still, for a highly recruited receiver on a team without much depth at the position, the lack of playing time came as a surprise, Brown said.

“I came in working hard. I knew I needed to lift a little more weights and get a little faster,” Brown said. “Then camp came, and I was like, OK I had a pretty good camp. Then the season started, and I wasn’t playing. I got down a little bit, but after a while I was like, ‘Forget it,’ and I just decided I’d go out and grind every day at practice.”

Brown said the biggest hurdle now is simply gaining some confidence in his ability to understand the offense and make plays when called upon. He said that was driven home by some advice from a couple of his teammates.

“I talked to Mike (Moore) and A.J. (Green) about it, and they said to keep grinding,” Brown said. “A.J. said just to have confidence in yourself out there on the field.”

MURRAY THROWING AGAIN

Freshman quarterback Aaron Murray is back to throwing again after missing nearly two weeks with triceps tendonitis.

Murray said he began short tosses last week, progressing slowly each day.

“I started about 10 yards, the next day 20 yards, 30 yards,” Murray said. “I pretty much did most of practice (Wednesday). It’s feeling pretty good. No pain, no soreness, nothing.”

Still, the time off was tough, Murray said. The freshman was hoping to avoid a redshirt and earn some playing time as the season progressed, but with two weeks on the sidelines, he admits hurt his chances.

“It was kind of a bummer because I missed the whole month so I didn’t get to continue progressing,” Murray said. “I kind of took a little step back, but now I’ve just got to get out there and keep doing my thing.”

GOOD DAY OF WORK

With the weather cooling and No. 4 LSU on the horizon, Richt said Wednesday's practice was among the best of the year for Georgia.

"It was probably the best Wednesday we've had all year. I say that because of the effort, but also they just had a lot of enthusiasm out there. They seemed to enjoy it for a change. Instead of us feeling like we're riding herd, they just got into it and competed and seemed to really enjoy, so it was maybe more fun today. You can actually get your work done and enjoy it, and maybe they found that out today."

Notebook: Freshmen Ready For Action

The opening game of each season tends to bring a bit of first-time jitters for Georgia's freshmen, but for tight end Orson Charles, the scene at Boone Pickens Stadium on Saturday will seem a bit familiar.

It's not that Charles has ever visited Stillwater, Okla. before, but for the past six months, he's been dreaming about what the trip will be like.

"Ever since I found out I was going to Georgia, I looked at the schedule and I've just been dreaming about it – imagining scoring touchdowns, making that crucial block and just celebrating with my teammates after the victory," Charles said. "I'm getting enough sleep, but I'm always dreaming about the same thing."

Charles' fellow freshman tight end, Arhtur Lynch, said he hasn't been quite as consumed by visions of his first college downs, but he's definitely a bit anxious about what's in store.

"In high school, we had a lot of big games, but I can't really get a grasp on what it's going to be like," Lynch said. "It's going to be fun, it's going to be exciting, but it's going to be nerve-wracking because you know this isn't high school anymore."

Mark Richt has been down this road with freshmen before, but admits this season will be a bit different than even he is used to. It has been since 2003 that Georgia opened on the road – meaning there isn't a player on the roster that can pass along any advice on how the freshmen should handle the situation.

That, Richt said, might not be a bad thing.

"Those guys have no idea what's about to happen to them," he said. "They say the term ‘Ignorance is bliss' and it's probably true. The less you tell them, the better."

Regardless, it will be an experience the freshmen won't forget, Richt said. And more importantly, it's one they've waited a long time to enjoy.

"Camp has been long," Charles said. "We've been seeing too much of each other, been banging too much, and now we finally get to leave and go hit somebody else."

EARLY TEST

In last season's opener, Georgia went to then-freshman A.J. Green on just the third offensive play of the game and Green responded with a 36-yard catch to set up a touchdown.

"There's nothing quite like that first catch," Green said.

Richt said he's like to do a similar favor for a few of this year's true freshmen in Week 1, but he's not making any promises.

"It would be nice to, but I don't even know if we've established what the first play will be yet," Richt said. "I think the first time the opportunity arises for the freshmen, it's nice when they do make the play. It just gives them instant confidence. If they don't make the play, you've got to be there for them and give them another chance and let them know you believe in them."

EXCITEMENT ALL AROUND

It's not just the freshmen that are excited to get their first taste of action Saturday. Marcus Washington has been at Georgia for five seasons, but it's been more than a year since he last took the field on game day.

In the meantime, he's recovered from a serious shoulder injury and switched positions, from linebacker to defensive end, which makes Georgia's date with Oklahoma State as close to a new beginning as it gets.

"It's been a long time coming," Washington said. "I haven't played in over a year, and it's a new position, so it's almost like a fresh start for me. I just can't wait to get out there and see what I can do."

WHAT, YOU TOO?

The freshmen may not know what to expect Saturday, but Richt admits, he's not much different.

With Matthew Stafford, Knowshon Moreno and Mohamed Massaquoi – the stalwarts of Georgia's offense for the past two seasons – now in the NFL, it's hard to make an accurate prediction as to what the Bulldogs might look like when they take the field against Oklahoma State. But rather than nerves, Richt said he's feeling more excitement at the possibilities.

"I get excited," Richt said. "I'm anxious, but curious is maybe the best word. I've very curious to see what we've got, curious to see how we'll respond in this game and throughout the season. But you get a good taste in Game 1."

READY, WILLING AND ABLE

Richt isn't giving away any scoop on who might handle the kickoff duties at Oklahoma State – sophomore Blair Walsh or JuCo transfer Brandon Bogotay – but he definitely sounds like he's gained a lot more confidence in the incumbent since the preseason began.

"I see a lot different focus from Blair," Richt said. "I think the competition of Bogotay coming in has really helped that situation. Both of those guys are really capable."

The competition has certainly kept both players sharp, but Walsh said it's not necessarily Bogotay's presence that has spurred him on to greater heights.

"I'm not the type of person who lays back when he has a job, but competition pushes everybody," Walsh said. "It's not just about bringing guys in so you have somebody pushing you the entire time. You've got to do what you've got to do and just working hard for me has been the key."

After a strong start to the season, Walsh struggled down the stretch last year – particularly when attempting directional kickoffs, a favorite philosophy of Georgia's kicking coach, Jon Fabris.

Whether the Bulldogs choose to kick to the corner or boot it deep, however, Walsh said he's aware that Oklahoma State presents a significant problem. Kick returner Perrish Cox is closing in on the Big 12 record for return yards, and his 895 return yards and two touchdowns made him one of the top threats in the country.

"We know what we're up against," Walsh said. "We know the guy is very good, and we've got to be on top of our game."

Walsh plans to be on top of his game, too. Regardless of which kicker is handling kickoffs, Walsh said he has something to prove, starting with Saturday's contest against the Cowboys.

"I've been working hard and I have something to prove to everybody to show that I can do what's asked of me and that I'm the guy for the job," Walsh said.

THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE

Oklahoma State's defense took a good bit of criticism a year ago after being embarrassed against rivals Texas Tech and Oklahoma and finishing 93rd in the nation in total defense.

That might be some encouraging information for Georgia, but with new defensive coordinator Bill Young now at the helm for the Cowboys, there's a bit of mystery as to just how good the unit might be.

"You look at where he's been, and if it's consistent, then schematically you know this is probably what he likes to do," Richt said. "But then as you're studying his scheme, you're not studying his personnel. If you're studying Oklahoma State's personnel, it's in a system that they're probably not going to be running. Coaches don't like the unknown, and we don't know for sure what's going to happen."

That makes the task of preparing for Oklahoma State a bit more of a challenge than normal.
The plan, offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said, is simply to watch the Cowboys' personnel and study Young's past work, then hope to come up with a few options that look like they have a chance to be successful. The bottom line, however, is for Georgia's offense to be good at what they do best.

"You've got rules for your plays and blocking assignments and routes for different coverages," Bobo said. "So what we can execute and what we feel gives us the best chance to win against any kind of package is what we'll go into the game with."

THEY ALL LOOK GOOD

Don't ask freshman cornerback Branden Smith to pick out which of Georgia's young receivers has been the most impressive this preseason. With all he's been trying to learn in such a short time, they've all looked good.

"Right now everyone's impressing me," Smith said. "The college level is a whole other level. I'm still improving, still trying to learn. Their routes are so smooth, and everybody's running good routes. So everybody's challenging me."

Of course, when it comes to playing favorites, Smith isn't pulling punches. As difficult as it might be to cover any of Georgia's receivers, he knows one has a little more to his game than the rest.

"A.J., he's amazing," Smith said of sophomore receiver A.J. Green. "Anything in the air, he goes and gets it."

NO HARD FEELINGS

Richard Samuel will get the start at tailback Saturday, and he's expecting a pretty significant number of carries, too. While that might be a good opportunity for him to gloat after numerous fans wondered if he might be better suited to linebacker this offseason, fullback Shaun Chapas said he never heard Samuel complain about the critiques.

"As far as I could tell, I don't think he ever let any of that bother him," Chapas said. "He's always been a student of the game and tried to go in and get better each day."

That attitude hasn't changed much in the wake of his recent success, either. Samuel ignored the critics at his low points, and he said he hasn't paid much attention to the enthusiasm surrounding him now.

"I'd say people are a little more excited," he said, "but I'm just going on with my day."

KING FOR A DAY?

With just six scholarship receivers, Georgia's coaches know they'll be counting on several unproven players to come up big in the passing game. That list might start with redshirt freshman Tavarres King, and Richt said he's been pleased with the attitude King has had throughout the preseason.

"The one area of improvement that I have seen has been in his confidence level," Richt said. "It's much more positive and stronger this fall. In this past scrimmage, in the running game, he really competed. That's something that is an indication of his confidence level."

After getting a taste of action early last season, then riding the bench with a medical redshirt the final three months, King admits he's in a far better emotional state this time around. The promise of significant playing time and a shot at some big plays is enough to keep anyone motivated.

"It's kind of exciting going into the season knowing that I could be a marquee guy, that I could be what Mohamed Massaquoi was last year," King said.

BOYKIN TO RETURN KICKS

Sophomore cornerback Brandon Boykin is the likely starter at kick returner, Richt said Thursday, while Prince Miller will handle the majority of the punt returns against Oklahoma State.

While Boykin is the top candidate for kick returns, Richt said freshman Branden Smith and Samuel are also in the mix, adding that Samuel's duties as the starting tailback – even with just two scholarship running backs likely to play – hasn't changed the way the team will use him on special teams.

"If we thought Richard was the best return man, he'd be there," Richt said. "Richard's actually covering some kicks for us. We're trying to put our best people in a position to help us win, and we think our special teams plays are just as important as our scrimmage down plays."

SPECIAL MOMENT FOR FRESHMEN

Prior to the start of fall camp, Richt said he anticipated that a number of Georgia's true freshmen would see action on special teams this season.

As Georgia prepares for Oklahoma State, Richt said he's not sure how many will actually start, but most of the 12 who are traveling to Stillwater will see some action on special teams.

"I don't know how many true freshmen are starters, but I know they're all over our special teams, and in the course of a game, you tend to get into your two-deep pretty quick," Richt said. "So I wouldn't be surprised if a good many of them play for us on a special team."

RUNNING DOWN THE LIST

The 12 freshmen making the trip for Georgia are:

QBs Zach Mettenberger and Aaron Murray; RB Washaun Ealey; WRs Marlon Brown and Rantavious Wooten; TEs Arthur Lynch and Orson Charles; DLs Abry Jones and Montez Robinson; LB Mike Gilliard; DBs Branden Smith and Shawn Williams

Sophomore kicker Brandon Bogotay will also be on the trip.

KEEPING AN EYE OUT

The college football season officially kicks off tonight with games between Oregon and Boise State and South Carolina and NC State. While Richt's focus will still be on Saturday's contest in Oklahoma, he said he'll be keeping a careful watch on tonight's games, too.

"When you watch those games, you can do some role playing. You're watching it and you're like, ‘What would I do in this situation right now?' It's kind of a practice game for you. Situations, as much as you try to simulate them out here, there's always something that could happen that you didn't plan for. When I watch these games, situations will come up, and I might get on the horn with a coach and say, ‘Did you see what happened last night? Are we ready for that?' There's a checklist for all these situations, but everyone once in a while something will pop up."

*NOTE: Our meetings with Richt on Thursdays come before practice, so there won't be any post practice notes. I'll post the release from UGA after practice though.

Just How Good Are Charles & Lynch?

After watching the tight end position essentially disappear from Georgia's offense a year ago, hopes are high for the position this year. But how good are Georgia's two freshmen tight ends, really? Well, that's probably hard to say until we actually see them play. Until then, the next best opinion is probably the one that comes from the guys covering Orson Charles and Arthur Lynch in practice.

So, with that in mind, I got some input from linebacker Nick Williams, who has seen a good bit of both tight ends while playing Sam linebacker this preseason.

Here's what Williams had to say...

On Lynch: "Arthur is really aggressive, and that's going to help our running game. He's a great blocker. He can catch, he's got great hands, but he's a great blocker. He's a smart player. That's the one thing I've learned. I always hear Coach Lilly saying, 'Good job, Arthur.' I'm thinking, man, this guy's a freshman? He's got all the intangibles."

On Charles: "He's got good speed, good size, and he can run. He's coming on at blocking, too. His footwork is good, good balance. He's going to be a great player. Whenever you're lining up over Orson, you know he's got at any time he could break a big play, so you better be going hard. And he can do so many things that when I'm lined up over him I'm thinking, is he blocking, going out for a pass, because he's a good blocker, he can run routes, he can catch a pass. So you've got to be 3-D-like. He's going to be a good one."

Bottom line, Williams said: He's as excited as anyone to see Lynch and Charles in action.

"I want to see them," Williams said. "I go against them every day and I want to see what they do in the game."

Practice Notes: Samuel Impresses During First Scrimmage

The spotlight was on Georgia's tailbacks during the Bulldogs' first scrimmage of the fall Wednesday, and sophomore Richard Samuel didn't disappoint.

Samuel stole the show with a series of impressive runs, totaling 108 yards on five carries, two of which went for touchdowns, and adding another 70-yard reception for a score.

"He ran the ball well," head coach Mark Richt said. "He definitely had more space to work with than any other back, but he broke some tackles also. He finished strong."

Samuel saw minimal playing time in a backup role a season ago, showing flashing of potential, but had trouble picking up extra yards downfield at times.

While Richt said Samuel benefited from some big holes at the line of scrimmage Wednesday, a great deal of his production came on moves the sophomore made in the open field, including a few impressive maneuvers on a 63-yard touchdown dash.

"We were running off of the right side of the line and it kind of got congested," Richt said. "He broke it back across the grain and got vertical. He either made a safety miss or stiff-armed him and then made the last guy miss."

Samuel had the majority of the carries with Georgia's No. 1 offense, Richt said, while his primary competition for the starting tailback job, Caleb King, split time between the first- and second-team offense. King finished the day with just 18 yards on five carries.

Georgia's other running backs met with mixed results as well. Carlton Thomas tallied 60 yards on five carries, including a long run of 28 yards, while Dontavius Jackson ran four times and lost six yards. Freshman Washaun Ealey added just 13 yards on five carries, but Richt cautioned fans not to read too much into the final statistics.

"You can get a pretty good gauge of who ran with the No. 1 offensive line and who ran with the No. 2s," he said.

NOT ALL GOOD NEWS

As impressive as Samuel's scrimmage stats were, the sophomore is still having some problems holding on to the football.

One of Samuel's most impressive runs of the scrimmage came on a third-down play in which he darted through the line of scrimmage for a first down and a long gain. The play ended with Samuel coughing up the football, however, and that's something Richt won't tolerate in a starting tailback.

Richt said the fumble may have been the first of the fall for Samuel, but after the tailback struggled with the same problem as a freshman a year ago, it's an issue he needs to resolve quickly.

"Right now I would think the incentive of playing time would really help him hold on to the ball," Richt said. "That's probably the only thing that will keep him from getting a substantial amount of playing time is just being a guy who fumbles."

DECISIONS, DECISIONS

After Georgia's coaches have a chance to break down the film from Wednesday's scrimmage, Richt said he expects the depth chart at tailback to be reshuffled a bit, with two or three of the top performers to be moved to the front of the pack. Although Richt cautions that his evaluations won't be all about the numbers.

"When we evaluate, we will put more on a scrimmage than we do on any other grading system," Richt said. "This is as live as we can get, as real as we can get. So the scrimmages mean a lot, but we do understand when one guy's got a lot of space and other guys don't."

While the new-look depth chart will likely be a hot topic among fans, Richt said he's not overly concerned with who has earned starting jobs just yet. The bigger issue for him is finding enough depth that Georgia won't have to worry about employing a back-up from time to time.

"I don't particularly care who's No. 1 today or tomorrow," Richt said. "I'm looking for guys that are ready to play. I'm not even looking for starters. I'm looking for guys that, if we put them in the game, they could function at winning football. That's really and truly all I'm concerned about right now."

PASSING GRADES

Beyond tailback, the biggest position battle on the roster may be for the No. 2 quarterback job, a position to which sophomore Logan Gray continues to stake his claim.

Gray was the top performer among Georgia's backup quarterbacks Wednesday, completing 6-of-12 passes for 93 yards and two touchdowns, going mostly against Georgia's No. 2 defense. While Gray has continued to impress, however, Richt said the second spot on the depth chart is still an open competition.

"He's done a nice job, and I would say he's still a solid No. 2 but Aaron (Murray) has done some nice things," Richt said.

Murray finished the scrimmage 5-of-16 for 52 yards and a touchdown, while fellow freshman Zach Mettenberger completed just 1-of-10 passing.

Mettenberger's performance was as much a function of some problems with the No. 2 offensive line, Richt said, which has made it tough to evaluate the freshman's overall ability.

"I hate it for him because the great majority of his passes that were incomplete were batted at the line of scrimmage," Richt said. "When he got in there, he didn't get much help from the line at all. When Mettenberger gets time and space, he can really throw it beautifully, but he's just not getting that luxury right now."

While Murray and Mettenberger are both battling to move up the depth chart by the time fall practice ends, Richt said he still wouldn't write off the option of playing one of them this season even if they don't beat out Gray for the No. 2 job.

"If we felt one of those two guys was our No. 2 then we'd absolutely play them," Richt said. "One of them is going to be No. 3 if they're not No. 2, and we still may choose to play them, but I'd be hesitant to do that."

Starting quarterback Joe Cox completed nine of his 13 attempts for 158 yards and two touchdowns in Wednesday's scrimmage.

BRINGING THE PRESSURE

Rod Battle missed four games last season and all of spring practice due to a litany of injuries, but Richt said his senior defensive end is making up for lost time.

Battle was a force during Wednesday's scrimmage, racking up three-and-a-half sacks. The senior's return to health – and to the starting lineup – will be a key for the defense this season, Richt said.

"He missed four of five games, some at the beginning, some in the middle, some at the end, and he never really got on track (last season)," Richt said. "He's excited he's healthy, and he's practicing well. It's good that we've got a bunch of healthy D ends right now, period. We will be better."

Fellow defensive end Demarcus Dobbs had half-a-sack during Wednesday's scrimmage.

NEW LOOK AT LINEBACKER

A number of Georgia's usual starters at linebacker sat out of Wednesday's scrimmage nursing injuries, but Richt said none were serious. Rennie Curran, Darius Dewberry, Akeem Dent and Darryl Gamble all missed the practice with soreness in their hamstrings.

The absences were likely as much about getting a closer look at the youngsters as it was about giving the time off to the veterans.

"I think that's partially to get those guys a lot of work and then we had some veterans that are a little banged up, and we wanted to just keep them from getting hurt unnecessarily," Richt said. "I think Coach (John) Jancek wanted to see his young pups play. He knows Rennie can play, he knows Dent can play, he knows Gamble can play."

In place of the veterans, Nick Williams, Marcus Dowtin and freshman Mike Gilliard ran with the No. 1 unit for most of the scrimmage. Dowtin tallied seven tackles and a half-a-sack at middle linebacker, while Gilliard had five tackles and a half-a-sack, as well, while playing the Sam position.

"(Gilliard) seems to be picking things up well," Richt said. "He lined up properly, and certainly he will hit you. I think he's gaining the respect of his teammates."

MORE BUMPS AND BRUISES

Receivers Marlon Brown and Tavarres King skipped Wednesday's scrimmage as well. Brown is recovering from a jammed finger, and Richt said King's back has been sore after taking a particularly rough hit during practice earlier this week.

While Caleb King and Washaun Ealey both played in the scrimmage, Richt said neither was at full strength. Ealey has practiced with a sore elbow after hyperextending it last week, and King had a sore hamstring, Richt said.

Tight end Aron White also missed the scrimmage with a sore hamstring, Richt said.

HAPPY RETURNS

The number of scratches from the starting lineup was extensive, but two returning veterans looked good in their first live action of the fall.

"Jeff Owens got to play today and came out of it outstanding, and Trinton Sturdivant played and came out of it just fine," Richt said. "So they were happy, I'm sure, to get that full scrimmage out of the way."

EXTRA POINTS

-- While Richt and running backs coach Bryan McClendon have insisted that blocking will be as important in deciding on a starting tailback as their rushing totals, Richt said his runners didn't have too many chances to show their stuff Wednesday.

"The defense didn't bring a lot of pressure," Richt said. "You usually have to bring a linebacker or a safety in order for the backs to get involved in the blocking schemes. ... The true test comes when they're bringing pressure where you have to recognize it, get in position to do it, then follow through on your block. We didn't (bring) much pressure at all."

-- Richt said the No. 1 units performed admirably, as expected, but he was disappointed with the performances of some of Georgia's backups.

"Our No. 1 offense did really well and our No. 1 defense did really well, but there's too much disparity between our ones and twos right now," he said. "There should be better competition when our twos go against our ones on both sides of the ball."

-- Georgia's coaches have worked tirelessly to eliminate penalties this season, and the defense seems to be on board. The offense, however, has been a slightly different story.

"It's not horrific, but we're still jumping offsides a bit too often on offense," Richt said. "The defense might have had one. The defensive line has been better this camp than the offense as far as just aligning properly and just not jumping off. The neutral zone penalties (for the offense) are a little bit of a bother right now."

-- Orson Charles had two touchdown receptions in the scrimmage and Richt said he has been impressed by what the freshman tight end has done in practice thus far. Arthur Lynch added a third touchdown reception during Wednesday's action, too, and Richt is hopeful the position could be a key weapon in the red zone this season. "We do have some good-looking receiving tight ends right now," he said.

-- Richt said Marcus Washington worked almost entirely at defensive end during the scrimmage. Sounds like that's close to being a full-time gig for Washington now.

-- For those of you who asked, no, I didn't get to watch the scrimmage. The stats were provided by Richt and were "unofficial."

-- One other note I meant to mention yesterday: Talked to A.J. Green for a story and the subject of Mohamed Massaquoi came up. He said he spoke with Mo earlier this week and that Massaquoi is working as the starting No. 2 receiver with the Browns alongside Braylon Edwards right now.

-- For full scrimmage stats, click HERE (or scroll down an extra half inch).

Practice Notes: Geathers Makes the Grade

It took a little longer than expected, but Georgia's 2009 freshman class is finally complete.
Head coach Mark Richt confirmed Thursday that lineman Kwame Geathers was cleared by the NCAA and will be on campus when Georgia holds its fourth day of fall practice today.

Richt said he was informed Tuesday morning of the decision, but Geathers still won't be a full participant in the Bulldogs' practice sessions for a few more days. The NCAA mandates that players are given five days of acclimation time before participating in contact drills, which means Geathers will be in shorts today when his teammates are in shoulder pads, and he'll still be in shoulder pads when the team holds its first full-contact practice Monday.

Geathers brother, Robert, played at Georgia and is currently a member of the Cincinnati Bengals, and his uncle, James, played 13 years in the NFL as well, so Richt said he's confident Kwame Geathers will be in good shape upon arrival.

"He comes from a family that has a lot of football players," Richt said. "They know how to work."

DOWN AND OUT

Safety Reshad Jones injured his hamstring Wednesday and was held out of Thursday's practice. Although the injury is not serious, Richt said Jones will miss some time.

"It's too bad because he was really practicing well and leading," Richt said. "He'll be healthy enough by the time the season starts and he has enough quality reps and playing time that I don't think it will be a huge deal, but he quite frankly had a lot of positive momentum coming into this camp."

Quintin Banks took reps with the first team in place of Jones on Thursday, with Baccari Rambo and Sanders Commings working with the second team.

SHOWING IMPROVEMENT

With Justin Houston suspended for two games and nearly every one of Georgia's other defensive ends coming off an injury, the start of fall practice figured to be rough at the position. Instead, Richt said the defensive ends have been among the most impressive groups in camp.

"(Demarcus) Dobbs is in great shape, (Rod) Battle's in great shape, Cornelius Washington, we're getting a chance to see him do some things," Richt said. "I see a lot of good."

BACK AND FORTH

Sophomore Nick Williams arrived as a safety, moved to linebacker midway through the season last year, then was switched back to safety this offseason when John Knox transferred. The changes didn't end there, however, and Williams is back to weakside linebacker yet again.

The change during the offseason was made to strengthen the numbers among the safeties, but now that Georgia's freshmen have arrived on campus, Richt said the coaches made the decision to move Williams where they thought he would have the biggest impact.

"You want as much speed on the field as you possibly can," Richt said. "We feel like he's one of the guys that's going to make an impact for us, and right now we're trying to find where he's best going to be able to do that. I don't want to give away too much of the game plan, but we think he can help us there."

MOVIN' ON UP

Richt wasn't sure how much Chris Davis would be able to practice before the team took the field for its first practice Tuesday afternoon, but by the end of the day, the junior offensive lineman was back with the first team.

Davis started all 13 games last year, but underwent hip surgery during the offseason and was slow to recover. After three days of practice, however, Richt said Davis is doing much better.

"I don't think it feels great, but he played with it last year, and he says its better than it was a year ago," Richt said. "He's fighting through it, and it doesn't seem to be slowing him down."

Davis joins Trinton Sturdivant, Ben Jones, Cordy Glenn and Clint Boling with the first-team offensive line, bumping senior Vince Vance to the second team. Vance is coming off ACL surgery, and while his knee is close to 100 percent, Richt said he still has a ways to go in terms of conditioning and mentally preparing for the grueling pace line coach Stacy Searels insists upon.

"Coach Searels has a way of getting guys to practice a certain way, and it takes a while to get there," Richt said. "I think he was at that point before he got hurt, but he was away from it a while, and now he's got to get back into that mode."

ODDS AND ENDS

-- Darryl Gamble recovered a fumble Thursday, marking the third straight practice in which he has come up with a turnover. "He's just making plays," Richt said.

-- The buzzword all offseason has been leadership, and while that has come naturally to a lot of Georgia's veterans, Richt has been particularly pleased with one senior who has had to work a bit harder at become a vocal leader. "Prince Miller has probably done one of the best jobs of getting out of his comfort zone and becoming more of a vocal leader."

-- Richt on who has impressed so far:

"It's so great to have Geno (Atkins), Jeffrey (Owens) and Kade (Weston) inside. Those three seniors know the ropes and they're doing a great job."

"A.J. Green, he just makes plays every day. A.J. is practicing very well."

"I do like how our running backs seem to be very focused and are competing very hard. I think they truly believe it is a wide-open competition, which it is."

-- Freshman tight end Arthur Lynch has been working as the long snapper on special teams for the past three days. Richt said Lynch is likely the third man on the depth chart at the position. Ty Frix is considered the front-runner for the job.

-- Logan Gray got another vote of confidence from his head coach, but Richt isn't setting anything regarding the No. 2 QB job in stone just yet. "I like how Logan's practicing. Today, in my opinion, he's still a very solid No. 2, but we'll continue to rep everybody and see."

Seniors Lead, Freshmen Impress

Georgia wide receiver Michael Moore made a point to do a little bragging with head coach Mark Richt on Wednesday.

Moore wasn't sharing praise of his own play, but instead he wanted Richt to know how impressed he was with Georgia's true freshmen, 16 of which made their Bulldogs debut at Tuesday's first fall practice session. Moore said Georgia's seniors made sure the freshmen knew the ropes this summer – an advantage Moore's fellow veterans didn't get when they first arrived on campus.

"He was halfway bragging on himself because the veterans did a good job (preparing the freshmen)," Richt said. "He said, "We did a much better job teaching these guys than those guys did teaching us."

While the players have yet to practice in anything more than shorts, Richt agrees with Moore's assessment, saying the freshmen have been well ahead of the game in the early workouts.

"We're putting in second-day installation and they don't seem lost. But I see it on the sideline all the time – whatever it is the guys are doing a great job of instructing the young players."

And it's not just the veterans on the team, Richt said. Even the sophomores and redshirt freshmen are chipping in with advice.

"Marcus Dowtin's a second-year guy and I saw him talking to (Chase) Vasser today about how crucial it is to find the ball and go pursue it, even if you made a mistake," Richt said. "So it doesn't have to be a senior."

So... what does Richt think of some of the freshmen in particular? Here are some quotes....

On Marlon Brown: "I saw Marlon Brown going up strong for a catch. Guys were trying to rake the ball out of there and couldn't do it because he's got such strong hands."

On Rantavious Wooten: "I saw Rantavious Wooten running routes looking like he's been doing it for quite a while, and he's got outstanding hands."

On the tight ends: "Orson Charles made some nice catches. He needs to be much more precise in his route running, but he just got here. He's getting a good feel of what to do, but he's got to refine his route running. Artie Lynch actually made a couple of plays in our skeleton drills."

On Washaun Ealey: "I like how Washaun looks. He's a good-looking guy and runs with a great center of gravity. He looks like he's not going to get knocked off his feet very easily. He looks like a running back."

On the O linemen and linebackers: "It's hard to say much about the linemen other than they're all athletic. Linebackers are learning, but there's so much to learn. They're good-looking kids."

On Shawn Williams: "If nothing else I see the guy practicing hard, still learning what to do. You could tell that maybe he's a little behind getting here in the middle of the summer instead of the beginning because those veterans did a very good job of teaching the young guys."

On Montez Robinson: "Montez has tremendous size and athleticism, but you could tell for him, for all those D linemen, they're just trying to figure it out. They're not getting a ton of reps, but when you're in shorts it's hard to gauge. But does have the ability we thought he did and more? Probably yes."

Freshmen Sensations

Mark Richt has repeatedly said that everyone on Georgia's roster will be needed in 2009, but that's certainly a bit of an overstatement. Yes, the Bulldogs have a solid freshman class ready to get its first taste of life in the SEC this season, but it's a lot to expect all of them to play.

Even amid all the injuries last season, the majority of Georgia's freshman spent the year on the sideline. Of the 21-player class, 12 took redshirts (although Tavarres King did get some playing time before an injury) and only four (five if you count Richard Samuel) earned significant playing time.

While there may be more of a reliance on youth in 2009, the odds are that most of this year's class won't see the field for another year and just a few -- six or seven, perhaps -- will make any real impact this season.

So who will be the star freshmen of 2009 and who will ride the pine all year? It's hard to say with too much certainty before fall practice even begins, but given what we know about the depth chart and what I've heard from coaches and players, here's my best guesses as to which of the kids will be making a name for themselves between the hedges this fall...

THE (ALMOST) SURE THINGS

Nothing's definite, and obviously injuries can set a player back, but these are the guys who are nearly guaranteed to see the field early and often in 2009.

Marlon Brown (WR)

Brown was a stud in high school and is drawing immediate comparisons to last year's freshman sensation, A.J. Green. Brown didn't exactly play the top competition as a prep star, however, and it remains to be seen if he can make as quick a transition to the SEC as Green did. Still, Georgia's lack of depth at receiver means Brown is as safe a bet as anyone to get some instant playing time and possibly a starting job. Chances of playing time: 99 percent.

Arthur Lynch (TE)

Unlike the athletic Charles, Lynch comes closer to filling the prototypical tight end role, and that's exactly why he's so likely to be an integral part of the Georgia offense right away. With Bruce Figgins suspended for the first six games of the year, Lynch looks to be the Bulldogs only true blocking tight end, which while not particularly glamorous, it makes the freshman virtually indispensable. Chances of playing time: 95 percent.

Orson Charles (TE)

The hybrid tight end has made a great first impression among his new teammates with his enthusiasm and work ethic. More importantly, however, he looks to be a mismatch as a receiving threat at tight end, something Georgia sorely lacked last season and will need even more this year with the departure of so many offensive stars. Chances of playing time: 90 percent.

Branden Smith (CB)

Smith is as talented an athlete as anyone on the roster, and with the departure of Asher Allen, he appeared to have the inside track on earning a starting job after signing day. That could still be the case, but Brandon Boykin came on strong in spring practice, and Sanders Commings, Nick Williams and Makiri Pugh are all fighting for spots at the nickel position, too. Still, Smith offers so much in so many places -- including kick returns and potentially on offense -- that it would be nearly impossible to keep him off the field. Chances of playing time: 90 percent.

Rantavious Wooten (WR)

In most seasons, Wooten would be an ideal redshirt candidate, but in 2009, Georgia doesn't have the luxury of waiting for its receivers to develop. Everyone will be learning on the job. Wooten is undersized and doesn't have quite the pedigree of Brown, but senior wideout Michael Moore said Wooten already runs some of the best routes on the team and expects offensive coordinator Mike Bobo to find ways to get the ball into his hands. Chances of playing time: 85 percent.

WORK TO DO

With so few early enrollees, a lot of who plays and who sits this year will be determined by how the freshman perform in fall practice. These are the players with the most potential to win jobs.

Brandon Bogotay (K)

Head coach Mark Richt went out of his way to bring in Bogotay, a junior college transfer from San Diego, after Blair Walsh struggled mightily on kickoffs last season. Bogotay certainly has the leg to remedy that weakness in 2009, but he's only been playing football for a little more than a year, and the transition to the big time could prove a difficult one. Chances of playing time: 80 percent.

Montez Robinson (DE)

Robinson was called the best prep prospect in the state of Indiana by Rodney Garner, and Georgia has to hope he can step in and make a quick impact in the SEC, too. With the pass rush off the edge abysmal last season and likely to get off to a slow start this season with Justin Houston's suspension, Robinson will be given every opportunity to show what he can do and earn a spot in the lineup. Chances of playing time: 75 percent.

Abry Jones (DL)

Jones is sort of a tweener, in that he can contribute at tackle or end. There won't be a ton of reps at tackle to go around with the stellar trio of Geno Atkins, Jeff Owens and Kade Weston carrying the load, but if Jones can prove he's ready to handle a more versatile role in 2009, he could add a big boost to the pass rush. He's a high energy guy who is tough to block and has the potential to be the surprise star of the fall the way Cordy Glenn was on the other side of the ball a year ago. Chances of playing time: 75 percent.

Jordan Love (CB)

Love has the size to play safety but has been told by coaches he'll stay at corner. If that remains the case, he could find his path to playing time blocked by Boykin, Smith and Prince Miller. If, however, he can play some safety as well, the departure of John Knox for academic reasons could open up some playing time. Love has tons of athleticism and could be a significant special teams contributor, even if he doesn't get a lot of defensive reps, similar to the role Nick Williams played last season. Chances of playing time: 65 percent.

Aaron Murray (QB)

Murray had a tremendous spring considering he was coming off a broken leg and was on campus a semester early. He threw Georgia's longest TD pass in each of its scrimmages, including the G-Day game, and showed why he was the most coveted quarterback recruit in the country. In an ideal world, he won't be needed in 2009, and senior Joe Cox will handle the gig without any problems. But if Murray can prove he's the top option for 2010, Richt will be sure to find him some playing time this year to get him ready. Chances of playing time: 60 percent.

Chris Burnette (OL)

Georgia has plenty of depth at offensive line, which might seem to be an indication that Burnette is headed for a redshirt, but coach Stacy Searels isn't one to worry too much about class designations (as he showed last year with Glenn and Ben Jones), and Burnette is as quick a study as anyone on the Bulldogs' roster. More over, with the season-ending injury to Tanner Strickland and the expected late return of Josh Davis from two offseason shoulder surgeries, there could be more playing time available than there appears. Chances of playing time: 50 percent.

Shawn Williams (S)

With Knox's departure and Quintin Banks' ongoing recovery from various injuries, the door is open for Williams to see the field in 2009. The safety from Early County loves to play physical and is in a similar mold to Kelin Johnson. He'll have to prove he's ready by turning some heads in August, but the potential for playing time is there if he can earn it. Chances of playing time: 50 percent.

THE LONG SHOTS

Chase Vasser and Michael Gilliard (LBs)

Both have plenty of talent but are victims of a logjam at the linebacker position. Georgia has a ton of depth across the board, and only Darius Dewberry and Marcus Washington figure to be gone after 2009. It makes little sense for the coaching staff to burn a year of eligibility for either of these players unless there's a rash of injuries ahead of them on the depth chart. Chances of playing time: 30 percent.

Kwame Geathers (DL)

Geathers is a beast and has loads of potential, but he comes in with a package similar to what A.J. Harmon brought last year. He probably needs to lose a few pounds and refine his skill set a bit, and even then, there may not be much playing time available. With three seniors graduating at the position, however, he'll clearly be being groomed for a key role in 2010. Chances of playing time: 25 percent.

Derrick Lott (DT)

Lott is essentially in the same situation as Geathers and will have to force his way on to the field if he wants playing time this season. He'll be a crucial ingredient down the road. Chances of playing time: 20 percent.

Zach Mettenberger (QB)

Georgia's other freshman quarterback didn't have as impressive a spring as Murray, but he does have a cannon for an arm and a lot of potential. There are some fundamentals -- particularly in his footwork -- that he needs to work on before he's ready to play, and if one of the two freshman QBs is going to redshirt, the smart money is probably on Mettenberger. Still, stranger things have happened. Chances of playing time: 15 percent.

Dallas Lee (OL)

Lee has the advantage of enrolling early, but an injury late in the spring underscored what was a difficult transition. He's got talent, but with the logjam of experienced vets ahead of him on the depth chart, it'll be difficult for him to find any action this season. Chances of playing time: 10 percent.

Austin Long (OL)

A back injury will cost Long the season. The coaching staff hopes he'll be back to full practices by November or December. Chances of playing time: None.

THE WILD CARD

Washaun Ealey (RB)

Richt has talked repeatedly about regretting redshirting Knowshon Moreno in 2006 and Ealey could force the coach to make yet another tough decision about a freshman tailback. With Moreno's early departure to the NFL, Georgia will have five tailbacks at its disposal this spring (including Ealey) with Caleb King and Richard Samuel the only two with any playing experience. That would seem to make it a fairly level playing field as the runners compete for carries, but Ealey was a late qualifier and will have some serious work to do to pass the four more experienced players ahead of him. He has the talent to do just that, but it's nearly impossible at this point to guess how quickly he can force his way onto the field. Chances of playing time: ????

So what do you think? How many of these guys do you see making an impact right away? Who are you expecting the most from in 2009? Who do you think will be a surprise?

Video Blog: Bryce Ros

Georgia tight end Bryce Ros talks about new Bulldogs Orson Charles and Arthur Lynch.

From the Mailbag: Tight End Toss-Up

So far this week I've been posting the responses from Mark Richt and Mark Fox to questions from you guys. Today's question comes from another anonymous commenter (this time, I'm assuming it's from former Atlanta Brave Pascual Perez): Do you believe that the two incoming freshman TEs are physically ready to mix it up inside early in the season, or should we expect to see a good amount of Bryce Ros on running downs and two TE sets until Figgins returns from suspension?

This really is the big question when it comes to the tight ends. There's no doubt that between Arthur Lynch, Orson Charles and Aron White, Georgia has some serious talent in the passing game. But who blocks?

First, let's dispense with the Bryce Ros talk. Ros has made a little progress, but that's about it so far. He's picking up on the details, but he has yet to prove he can take that knowledge and turn it into success on the field. That may happen at some point this season, but he's still a bit of a mystery.

"Bryce is getting his first real chance – even in the preseason last year and bowl practice, he would get some reps but as far as really having a chance to show what he can do and to learn," tight ends coach John Lilly said. "His answers to questions and those things are starting to come together. Now can he take what he knows and take it on to the field."

Of course, it's not an in-depth knowledge of the playbook and an ability to dodge defenders that is the main concern this year. It's blocking. UGA's offensive line should be improved, but with Bruce Figgins -- the Bulldogs' top blocking tight end -- out for the first six games, and a group of inexperienced tailbacks, all of whom have had problems in the blocking game in the past, in the backfield, that O line might not be getting much help.

The first option, ideally, will be Aron White, who got some nice experience down the stretch last season and was the only tight end to play significantly in spring practice.

"He really had a fine spring," Mark Richt said of White. "He runs good routes, he's got good hands, he's playing with energy. There's no question in my mind he'll be productive for us this year. We're going to let everybody compete. But he's shown me enough as a route runner and a ball catcher and a guy who is smart and serious about getting better."

Those things are great, but what about the blocking? That's been the knock on White since he arrived, mostly due to his size. At just 6-foot-4, 235, White is big -- just not that big. So while he's technically sound in the blocking game, he simply doesn't have the brawn to win every battle.

"He has his moments where he does great, but most of the time, he's just battling his tail off," Richt said. "But that's OK because if you're tenacious enough and you put your hat in the right spot and you're good fundamentally, you can be a good blocker. You don't have to just lift them up and roll them. He's ready to play Southeastern Conference football right now."

But what about the two fresh faces? Are they ready for SEC football?

Arthur Lynch looks to be the obvious answer in the blocking game, as he looks the part of the prototypical tight end more than anyone else on the roster. At 6-foot-5, 245, Lynch played in a more traditional tight end formation more often in high school and coaches have complimented his blocking skills even before he has practiced at Georgia. But there's a big difference between stopping rushers in high school and doing it in the SEC.

Orson Charles looks like he could be one of Georgia's most impactful freshmen, but most outside observers are expecting far more production in the passing game -- where Charles dominated in high school as a hybrid tight end, often lining up in the slot -- rather than establishing himself as a top blocker. Lilly isn't necessarily convinced that's the case.

"The big thing with him, it's like people look at Bruce is a blocker and Aron's a receiver, and they look at Artie and Orson the same way," Lilly said. "But Orson's a better blocker than people give him credit for and I think Artie's probably a better pass receiver than people give him credit for."

The bottom line, however, is that someone -- and possibly several someones -- will have to step up and handle those blocking duties, and at this point, even the coaches don't know who it will be. But, Richt said, he's happy he at least has a couple strong candidates to choose from.

"It's doubtful right now in my mind that either one of (Charles or Lynch) would redshirt," Richt said. "Not that we're predicting anyone will, but I would think both those guys have a great opportunity to play this year."