Practice Notes: Questions Remain on King's Status

It’s been a roller-coaster ride for tailback Caleb King the past few days, and that’s probably been the most painful part of his month-long hiatus from football.

On Saturday, he watched Georgia play Oklahoma State, sitting alone in his room. Sunday, he returned to practice and for the first time in weeks, he felt pretty good. By Tuesday, however, his practice was cut short once again, and his prospects for playing against South Carolina this Saturday took a hit.

“We saw him Sunday and for what we asked him to do that day, he ran around well,” head coach Mark Richt said. “Then we got into a full pads day and added more periods, the hamstring fatigued faster than it normally would, and we pulled him out. I would say it’s not a slam dunk at this point.”

King did some light work during individual workouts Wednesday and practiced during scout-team work, but he said he’s still not sure whether he has any chance of playing in Georgia’s home opener Saturday.

“I honestly don’t know,” King said. “If they don’t think I’m 110 percent, I know they’re not going to play me at all. So if I don’t, I’m not going to play at all, and if I do, I’ll play a lot.”

King said his hamstring is feeling much better, but the muscle fatigues much faster than normal due to his extended absence from the playing field and said coaches could decide to rest him another week to allow him time to build up the strength again.

That’s OK with him, King said, but he would just like to know an answer one way or the other.

“It’s frustrating, but it’s more frustrating because I don’t know what they’re going to do with me,” he said. “But it’s all right. I’ll play if I have to play, but if I don’t, I’ll sit down and wait ‘til next week.”

Richt said it will likely be after today’s practice that coaches will make a final decision on King’s availability.

DON’T BLAME THE FRESHMAN

Freshman kick returner Branden Smith took some heat from fans for twice deciding to return kicks from deep in his own end zone, but Tony Ball said it wasn’t Smith’s decision.

“It’s on (Shaun) Chapas,” Ball said. “The returner can sometimes get disoriented trying to field that type of kick, especially a young player like Branden. And I told (Chapas) if you have to, you go in the end zone and grab him and don’t let him come out. Those are the trials and tribulations, but they’re not issues that can’t be fixed.”

Chapas, who works as the upback, was told to make the decision on whether to return the kick or take a knee in the end zone for a touchback, but the angle of the kick made the choice difficult.

“My initial thought was Chapas should have kept him in the end zone,” Ball said. “After asking Chapas about it, he felt like it being a line-drive kick, that threw things off. There was some dynamics there where he had to make some decisions, but Chapas has done it for a couple of years, so I trust him.

NEW LOOK ON O LINE

Georgia’s offensive line will have a different look to it in the Bulldogs’ second outing of the season, and it won’t be just because starting left tackle Trinton Sturdivant is out for the season following an ACL injury.

Justin Anderson will get the starting nod at right guard this week over incumbent Chris Davis, who Richt said lacks the size to create a favorable matchup against South Carolina’s hefty defensive front.

“The guys we’re playing are big men, and (Anderson) has just got more girth to him,” Richt said. “Chris, I’m sure, will end up playing, but you get two big guards in there when you play a team that’s mostly a four-man front, usually they cover your guards and you want to get some big men in there to hold up against them.”

Senior Vince Vance will step in at left tackle for Sturdivant, who tore his ACL for the second time in as many years during the second half of Georgia’s opener against Oklahoma State.

Vance filled in for about 25 snaps against the Cowboys, and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said he turned in a strong performance.

“He did good,” Bobo said. “He played with energy and didn’t have hardly any missed assignments which is what we expect from Vince.”

NO HARM DONE

Both Richt and Bobo offered some minor criticisms of the offensive line’s performance against Oklahoma State, but Richt said he didn’t think any problems were a result of ankle injuries suffered by Davis and center Ben Jones late in preseason practice.

“I can’t say they feel great, but they weren’t limping around as they prepared in practice,” Richt said. “They did miss some work, some of those opportunities to just kind of get in the groove, but I don’t think the pain from the injuries caused any change of their ability to do their job.”

EALEY STILL IN THE MIX

With King potentially missing another week of action, Richt said he hasn’t ruled out using freshman tailback Washaun Ealey – both at running back and on special teams.

The problem, Richt said, is that due to an early elbow injury during fall camp, Ealey is still behind in terms of how much progress the coaching staff had hoped to see.

“If you have some cumulative reps and you miss some time, that’s one thing,” Richt said. “But if you’re not there to learn it from scratch, it’s hard to throw them into the middle of a game plan and say, ‘Go do it,’ when he doesn’t even have the basics down.”

Despite being a bit behind on the learning curve, however, Richt said Ealey has remained in the mix during practice and could still see action – if not against South Carolina, potentially down the road.

“We are still trying to incorporate him in those areas, and we’re still getting him reps to try to keep him greased up and keep his mind in it,” Richt said.

DURHAM BACK AT WORK

Senior receiver Kris Durham, who underwent season-ending shoulder surgery during the offseason, returned to receiving drills Wednesday for the first time.

Durham was kept out of any competitive situations, Richt said, but he got work in catching passes, which was an important benchmark.

“It’s encouraging and certainly he’s excited about it,” Ball said. “And it’s always good to have Kris around.”

CLOSER INSPECTION

After watching the film, Joe Cox said it was obvious he held the ball too long on too many snaps against Oklahoma State, a problem that led to a number of incompletions.

The problem, he said, was he started overthinking the situation, but when he takes the field against South Carolina, he’s promising a back-to-basics approach to making his reads.

“When you start looking around, you start getting your eyes in the wrong spot, you start worrying about too much,” Cox said. “It’s almost over-analyzing what’s going on. So that’s what I felt was happening with me, but it’s something where you just go back to your basic reads and fundamentals and work on timing.”

WHO’S TO BLAME?

When Richt addressed the media on Tuesday, his analysis of Georgia’s shortcomings against Oklahoma State was a fairly harsh critique of his offense. In short, he said the intensity was lacking.

“We didn’t play with speed and finish blocks like we should,” he said. “We just need that little extra effort on each play to block a little bit longer or create a little bit more space, and that can make all the difference in the world between a guy getting tripped up and a guy going to the house. I don’t want to cause any kind of panic, because it’s not that at all, but we want to see a little more fire coming out of them.”

Upon further review, however, Richt decided his comments might have been a bit too severe.

He said he watched the game film once more Tuesday evening and came to the conclusion that the shortcomings weren’t quite as problematic as they appeared at first blush.

“It really wasn’t so much up front, it was some perimeter blocking issues, some backs needing to continue running their feet or place their hat in a better spot,” Richt said. “We ran some outside plays and were getting hats on everybody and fit up on them pretty good, but just didn’t sustain long enough.”

TO PLAY OR NOT TO PLAY

Logan Gray figured to see some action against Oklahoma State, but as it turned out he was in on just one offensive play – a designed run for a short gain.

After the offense struggled to just 10 points, however, a vocal contingent of fans was hoping to see a bit more of the backup quarterback in Georgia’s next game.

That could be the case, Richt said, but nothing’s guaranteed.

“He can run our system, and we had planned to get him in the game mostly in the red-zone area,” Richt said. “We did get him in there one time, but unfortunately we didn’t get in the red zone very often. Right now, Joe’s definitely the No. 1 guy, and we’ll see if and when Logan will get in there.”

ONGOING BATTLE

Brandon Bogotay was brought in this offseason to provide competition on kickoffs for sophomore Blair Walsh, but it was the incumbent who earned the job again.

Richt said Walsh's consistency, hangtime and accuracy landed him the job, but he hasn't ruled out the possibility that Bogotay could still win the job down the road.

“It was very, very close," Richt said of the competition. "It wasn’t like Bogotay did poorly. In my opinion, they both kicked it good enough to win the job, and Bogotay’s not done by any stretch.”

IT’S NO BEAUTY PAGEANT

The history of the Georgia-South Carolina series suggests there won’t be many points scored Saturday. So despite his offense struggling badly in its first game of the season, Richt said a low-scoring affair wouldn’t be more cause for concern.

“All I’m worried about is winning the game,” Richt said. “I appreciate the victory and not the style points.”

NOTABLE QUOTABLE

From Georgia receiver A.J. Green on what this week’s game means: “Losing that last one last week, I just want a victory to get this feeling out of my stomach and get a victory under my belt.”

Practice Notes: Week 1 Unlikely For King

Tailback Caleb King did some minor workouts with the team during Monday's practice, but his prognosis for playing time at Oklahoma State continues to look grim.

Head coach Mark Richt said King would likely need to practice by Wednesday to have a shot at playing, and another source close to the situation said King would not make the trip.

For his part, King said the final decision would not be his.

"If I could play, I'd play right now, but it's on the team doctor, so I don't have anything to say on how I'm feeling or when I come back," King said.

King has been sidelined with a sore hamstring since Aug. 12 and has watched his spot on the depth chart slowly slide ever since.

While the sophomore tailback said he has been anxious to get back to work, Richt said the team is being cautious with King's recovery.

"We don't want to make him play if he's not ready," Richt said. "And if he can't, it's a long season. We want him back healthy, that's the main thing."

For King, missing the opening game won't be nearly as difficult as missing the past three weeks of practice.

At the start of the preseason, King, sophomore Richard Samuel and redshirt freshman Carlton Thomas were among five tailbacks battling for the starting job. Samuel has moved to the top of the depth chart in King's absence after two strong scrimmages, and Thomas is the current No. 2, Richt said.

"The hardest part has been me working so hard in the summer and preseason, and then getting hurt in the first scrimmage," King said. "But it's a long season, and I know I'm going to bounce back and be 100 percent, so I'm not going to worry about it."

If King can return, he would be the third tailback option against Oklahoma State. If not, Richt said Kalvin Daniels would be next off the bench, with fullback Fred Munzenmaier also serving as an option at tailback.

King said he has been getting in two rehab sessions per day since the injury, but won't force his return. When he does get back in action, however, he said he expects to again compete for a starting job.

"I believe that's not just at the running backs position," King said. "You're always going to compete. That's football. Whenever I come back, we're going to compete still."

BACK TO WORK

Offensive linemen Ben Jones and Chris Davis both returned to practice Monday after missing time with ankle sprains last week.

Jones, Georgia's starting center, missed nearly all of last week with the injury, while Davis was in a protective boot through the weekend. Both got work against the scout team Monday, however, and Richt said he's confident that both will be ready for Oklahoma State.

"I'm glad they're getting (Monday), (Tuesday) and the next two days together," Richt said. "I don't think the time Ben and Chris missed will hurt us."

The return of the two linemen was a big relief for quarterback Joe Cox, too. After Georgia was forced to swap linemen in and out of the starting lineup throughout the 2008 season, Cox said it's crucial to have the team's veteran linemen healthy for Oklahoma State.

"Chris is the most experienced lineman we have and Ben is an awesome center who knows what to do and brings a lot of life to our offensive line," Cox said. "So it was good to have them back in the huddle and be able to do some stuff. We're excited about their progress."

Also on the injury front, linebacker Akeem Dent returned to full practice Monday after missing last week with a sore hamstring.

SHADES OF GRAY

Cox is just days away from his first start in nearly three years, but Richt said fans can expect to see a bit of Georgia's backup quarterback, too.

Logan Gray has been mentioned as a potential change-of-pace quarterback due to his speed and athleticism, but Richt wouldn't rule out giving Gray a series or two to show what he could do with the offense as well.

"There might be some situations we'll put him in," Richt said. "We may give him a series. I don't know if we'll do that or not, but it wouldn't surprise me. But there are some situations we'll get him in the game."

For his part, Gray said he's ready for action. After two years with minimal playing time, he said he feels more confident and comfortable this preseason than ever before.

As to what his role might be, Gray isn't letting any secrets slip in advance of the game. One thing he does promise, however, is that the Bulldogs aren't leaving many stones unturned.

"We've talked about doing different things for this game," Gray said. "I don't want to tell everybody what we're planning on doing, but our coaches know what they want to do, and I think we're trying to get the ball in different people's hands and attack a defense in as many ways as we possibly can."

THE MISSING LINK

If King is unable to play Saturday, Richt said he's not sure who the fourth tailback on the depth chart would be, but he hasn't ruled out Dontavius Jackson from his plans.

At the end of spring practice, Jackson appeared to be right in the middle of the competition for carries, but after missing much of last season with injuries, the redshirt freshman has been sidelined with lingering injuries throughout this preseason, too.

"I don't know if he's been practicing half the time he's been here, maybe," Richt said. "He's been more like a true freshman in some areas. But he'll get his day, I'm sure."

Whether that day could come as soon as Saturday remains to be seen, but Richt said he spoke with Jackson and freshman Washaun Ealey and told them to be ready.

"We haven't totally counted those guys out of the picture by any stretch," Richt said.

UNCHARTED TERRITORY

Cox's lone start came against Mississippi three seasons ago, which means Saturday's contest won't officially be uncharted waters for him. Looking back, however, Cox said he can't take too much from his previous experience that will help him this time around.

"That was a totally different situation," Cox said. "That was three years ago, and there were a lot of things I still didn't know or wasn't sure about. It's a totally different confidence level amongst our team and especially for me."

Cox said the start in 2006 seems like another lifetime, and he has only thrown 28 passes since. That makes this season a bit of an unknown for him, which may be an advantage against Oklahoma State.

"I'm sure they've watched some (film) of me, but they've probably just watched a lot of our offense, too," Cox said. "I doubt that they've dug into the archives to try to find my couple of throws."

ALL IN THE FAMILY

Richt took in his first game of the season Saturday when he traveled to see his son Jon play for Mars Hill.

Jon Richt transferred to the Division II school from Clemson this year and he saw his first college action Saturday, completing 5-of-14 passes for 116 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in a 28-0 win over North Greenville.

Richt's first touchdown pass was a 61-yarder in the second quarter, and his dad admits it got him a little choked up.

"When Jon threw his first touchdown pass, it was pretty emotional for me and Kathryn," Mark Richt said. "We got to enjoy the moment, and that was nice."

NO MORE TACKLING

Georgia wrapped up its final practice in full pads Monday, and head coach Mark Richt said the day's work was particularly encouraging.

"It's our last day in full pads, last day doing any kind of tackling drills," Richt said. "I think the guys are beginning to really sense it's here. I feel a little more excitement and animation from the guys in practice, and I'm excited about that. Tomorrow in shells and two days in shorts, get a little crowd noise, and we'll be ready to go."

Cox said the team looked sharp and the energy level was high as the Bulldogs get set for their final three days of work before starting the season.

"You can tell it's getting close, and it'll only get better as the week goes on," Cox said. "Wednesday we'll go in shorts, and that's the first time we've gone in shorts, and that'll be the first time we've gone in shorts in a long time. But everybody's excited about it. We had a lot of energy today, and it's just going to keep getting better until the game."

Practice Notes: No Limitations for Dawgs' Offense

With all the new faces on offense this year, head coach Mark Richt might like to have a little time to break in the rookies and get a feel for how the unit functions before taking off the training wheels.

With high-powered Oklahoma State looming in Georgia’s first game of the season, however, that’s a luxury Richt said Georgia can’t afford.

“We’ve got to turn it loose,” Richt said. “We can’t sit there and think too much. We’ve got to let them all play, put them in a position to make plays, and hopefully they will.”

The combination of Oklahoma State’s quick-strike ability and potentially sizzling temperatures in Stillwater for the game, Richt said he’ll have little choice but to put his young players on the field and give them a chance to make an impact.

That list of new faces includes first-year starting tailback Richard Samuel, two freshmen tight ends in Orson Charles and Arthur Lynch, and freshmen receivers Marlon Brown and Rantavious Wooten, along with first-year starting quarterback Joe Cox. With so many inexperienced players on the field, there are plenty of questions for Richt and his staff, but he said the Bulldogs aren’t planning to wait long to find out who’s ready for the job.

“If you’re not quite sure of all your personnel, you’re more apt to make sure the right guys are getting the ball, which is not as much fun as a coordinator,” Richt said. “When you’re sitting there going, ‘Well, so-and-so is in the game, so I’ve got to do this or that,’ I hope that we don’t have to do that. We’re not going into this game saying that’s what we’re going to do because we feel like we’ve got to let these guys go out there and make plays.”

If there’s an upside, however, it’s that so much transition can affect both sides of the ball.

While all the changes on offense make game planning for the opener a tricky task for Georgia’s play callers, it also complicates the job for Oklahoma State’s defense, Richt said.

“I’m sure they’re sitting there not sure who’s going to be where or who’s going to make plays or who we’re going to put in position to make plays,” Richt said. “The only thing they probably know for sure is A.J. Green. Other than that, they’re probably guessing a little bit.”

MUCH IMPROVED

Saturday’s practice marked the official end of the preseason, with the focus Monday shifting entirely to Oklahoma State as Georgia begins its usual practice routine leading up to a game.

While not every question the coaches had entering fall practice has been answered, Richt said there’s no mistaking the improvements he has seen in the preparation his team has gotten this preseason.

“By a long shot, we were able to prepare the way we normally like to in terms of the number of days we scrimmage and tackle to the ground and every single day in inside drill was live tackling,” Richt said.

The biggest different, Richt said, has been a reduced number of injuries. While a number of players missed some action with minor hamstring injuries, there haven’t been any catastrophic injuries similar to what occurred last preseason.

The result has been an increased focus on the fundamentals – particularly tackling. Richt said in addition to the tackling during scrimmages and inside drills, the team added tackle work to perimeter drills as well – a new addition from past seasons.

“It’s a world of difference when you look at how many times we were in pads and tackled to the ground,” Richt said.

STILL WAITING ON O LINE

Offensive linemen Ben Jones and Chris Davis both missed practice again Saturday, each recovering from ankle sprains that Richt said shouldn’t cost them any playing time.

“I expect Ben to be practicing Monday, and Chris I’m not certain,” Richt said. “Ben might do everything, but my guess would be just scout work. Chris may be ready for scout work, too, I’m just not sure.”

For the second straight day, Kevin Perez handled the first-team snaps at center, and while the 265-pound junior might be a bit overmatched in size, Richt said he’s confident that Perez can get the job done if called upon.

“Perez knows what to do, his body just didn’t get as big as he would hope and we would hope it would,” Richt said. “But he’s very smart, he’s been tremendous in our meeting rooms, and now that he’s had this opportunity to play, he’s done a very admirable job. We could certainly function with him.”

SECONDARY THOUGHTS

Defensive coordinator Willie Martinez said the depth chart in his secondary has taken shape, and it’s not exactly what Richt had discussed earlier this week.

Bryan Evans and Reshad Jones will be the starting safeties, with Brandon Boykin and Prince Miller the starting corners. Behind them, Sanders Commings, Baccari Rambo and Makiri Pugh will handle reserve duties at safety, with Branden Smith and Vance Cuff the first two corners off the bench.

Richt had suggested that Pugh and linebacker Nick Williams might handle the bulk of the work at nickelback, but Martinez indicated that role would actually belong to Miller, with either Cuff or Smith filling in at corner.

Smith’s emergence this preseason has been particularly impressive, Martinez said, given his mix of immense athletic ability and strong work ethic.

“He’s a very competitive player,” Martinez said of the freshman cornerback. “He’s a worker. He’s a fast learner. He’s always trying to do his best. He’s got a great attitude and with his ability, he’s coming on. He’s getting better.”

As to Georgia’s other two freshmen defensive backs, the news is a bit more tepid.

Cornerback Jordan Love has been limited in practice for the past week due to a toe injury, and the reduced reps have been a setback.

Safety Shawn Williams, on the other hand, has gotten more looks than expected due to some other injuries at his position, but Martinez said Williams still isn’t close to being where he needs to be to earn significant playing time on game day.

“We like him, but how much he’ll play this year, right now, that’s undetermined,” Martinez said. “He’s got a ways to go. But that’s expected for a young kid, particularly at safety, which is pretty difficult.”

PASS RUSH PROJECTIONS

With Justin Houston suspended for the first two games of the season, Martinez pronounced Demarcus Dobbs and Rod Battle the starters for Oklahoma State – a move that hardly comes as a surprise given the lack of experience further down the depth chart.

Martinez said Dobbs and Battle have both looked good, but the challenge now will be finding players who can fill in as backups consistently.

“Those are the two guys with a tremendous amount of experience, and they’ve been doing a good job,” Martinez said. “The other group of guys are just mixing in there trying to develop the depth. Some guys are getting better.”

FAST AND FURIOUS

Georgia ran through a final scrimmage against the scout teams Saturday, albeit a particularly regimented one.

Richt said the Bulldogs’ first-team offense and defense each ran 20 scripted plays against the scout team, and each of the six kicking units took three reps apiece. Some goal-line and short-yardage work involved tackling, but the majority of the practice was thud drills.

While the workout was brief, Richt said the team got what it needed from the practice.

“We had what I hoped we’d have today – a situation scrimmage that was thud the majority of the plays where we got good tempo, the sense of a game where you have to substitute,” Richt said. “It was good energy. We had 20 plays on each side of the ball. It was spirited, it was organized.”

Georgia returns to practice Monday, and will spend the first two days of the week in full pads. The Bulldogs will go to shorts and shoulder pads Wednesday and Thursday, then have an off day Friday before the game.

NOTABLE TWEET

According to Jeff Owens' Twitter feed, he found a nice note in his locker after coming off the practice field Saturday. It was an invitation to the East-West Shrine Game. Next up, according to Owens, is a similar invite to the Senior Bowl.

Practice Notes: King Questionable For Week 1

When it happened, Mark Richt called it a 7-to-10-day injury, but 17 days after his last practice, Caleb King still isn't close to returning to work and could be in danger of missing Georgia's first game of the season against Oklahoma State.

Richt said he watched King run the sidelines during practice Friday, but couldn't speculate as to when the sophomore tailback might be healthy enough to return from a sore hamstring that has sidelined him for the majority of the preseason and kept him out of the competition for the starting tailback job that now appears to belong to Richard Samuel.

"You just can't predict hamstrings," Richt said. "We're hopeful that he's ready to practice early next week, but I don't know how he's going to feel."

Georgia has just three full-contact practices left before departing for Oklahoma State, which means the pressure is on for King to prove he's healthy enough to play in the game.

Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said King would likely need to fully participate in a practice no later than Tuesday if the tailback was going to be part of Georgia's game plan against the Cowboys.

"I don't have a definite timeline because you never know what's going to happen with your other guys, but Monday and Tuesday are going to be the bulk of the work days next week," Bobo said. "I'd definitely like to have him out there Monday, and Tuesday at the latest."

Georgia is likely to bring only about 70 players to Stillwater, Okla. for the game, making each seat on the plane a valuable one, Richt said. Whether one of those seats belongs to King or not will ultimately be decided by the potential impact the coaches feel he can have in the game.

"We're not taking anybody on the plane unless we think they can play in that game and help us win," Richt said. "So if we don't think he has any chance of playing, he won't go. If we think he's got a chance of playing, he'll be on the plane, and if we need him, we'll put him in."

WALK-ON MOVES UP

With King potentially out of the lineup, former Dodge County tailback Kalvin Daniels has worked his way up to the No. 3 spot on Georgia's tailback depth chart.

"Kalvin's done a really fine job," Richt said. "He had a good spring, he's had a good fall, and he's really done an outstanding job. Right now he would be our No. 3 if Caleb is not capable to go."

Samuel and redshirt freshman Carlton Thomas are likely to be Georgia's top two runners against Oklahoma State. Freshman Washaun Ealey was also in the mix for carries this preseason, but a hyperextended elbow hindered his progress, and at this point he's not in line to see much action.

"I talked to Washaun today about keep banging, keep competing," Richt said. "Sometimes kids will look at that depth chart and think you have no chance, but two weeks later, you might be it. I just wanted to remind him that, don't count yourself out because things can change in a hurry."

Despite the advice, Richt said he won't burn a potential redshirt for Ealey simply to allow the tailback to work on special teams in Week 1.

DAVIS SPRAINS ANKLE

After Ben Jones went down with a sprained ankle last week, junior Chris Davis moved over to handle reps at center for the Bulldogs' offensive line, but that plan hit a speed bump this week, too.

Davis suffered an ankle sprain, too, and was wearing a protective boot for practice Friday. Richt said Davis was day-to-day and said the lineman could return to work Monday.

"He may do scout team only Monday, but that's how we phase guys in off an injury like that," Richt said. "We think he'll be ready."

Jones didn't practice again Friday, but he was jogging the sidelines and appeared to be moving well.

Still, with two projected starters missing time, Bobo said finding continuity on the offensive line remained a concern as Georgia readies for the season opener.

"Guys have got to practice together, make calls together and be on the same page," Bobo said. "The only positive is that the guys who are out there do have experience. But getting those guys healthy and getting them ready to play in the first game is definitely a concern."

UNLIKELY APPEARANCE

Bobo isn't expecting a runaway victory for the Bulldogs in Stillwater, but even if Georgia's up big in the fourth quarter, he said fans shouldn't expect to get an early look at either of the team's freshman quarterbacks.

Zach Mettenberger and Aaron Murray were both hoping to land the No. 2 spot on the depth chart during the preseason, but that hasn't happened so far, and Bobo isn't going to risk burning a redshirt for either player to get them a few snaps in mop-up duty.

"We still have a few more days of practice before we finalize that decision," Bobo said, "but right now neither one of them would play."

FIGGINS STAYS FOCUSED

Thanks to a suspension, junior Bruce Figgins won't see the field until Week 7 against Vanderbilt at the earliest, but his coach, John Lilly, said that hasn't altered the tight end's mind-set this preseason.

"I've been really proud of Bruce," Lilly said. "I think he's worked extremely hard and tried to help the young guys along, which shows a lot of maturity on his part. I think he's responded very well at this stage, but now here comes the tough part because the games start being played, and I know that's going to be difficult for him."

Figgins earned a six-game suspension for an unnamed violation of team rules in April, but he's also working his way back from offseason shoulder surgery that held him out of spring practice. Lilly said Figgins still isn't 100 percent, and there's a chance the team could decide to redshirt the tight end for the entire season.

"We're preparing him to be ready to go when that time comes, but with some injuries and trying to rehab his shoulder and things like that, if they're not responding well, that still could become a concern down the line," Lilly said. "Right now, he's mentally preparing to play and we're trying to have him physically ready to play."

PLAYING IT COY

Joe Cox knows Georgia's offense so well, it's not hard for Bobo to forget that he hasn't started a game in nearly three years.

"Sometimes as a coach, I have to realize that he's not a fifth-year starter, he's just a fifth-year senior," Bobo said. "It seems like he's been starting forever because he knows everything."

Despite Cox's intimate understanding of the playbook, Bobo said he has tried to remain cautious with what he asks of his starting quarterback.

"As a coach, you can't take things for granted just because he knows everything in the film room but hasn't experienced it in live action," Bobo said. "So you've just got to be real diligent and make sure that we're covering everything with him. He's doing a great job of preparing extra."

For months, Richt has been pretty open that Cox would have all the same leeway to change plays at the line of scrimmage that Matthew Stafford enjoyed last season, but Bobo wasn't ready to reveal any information on Cox's job description just yet.

"You'll have to wait and see on that one," he said.

AH, MEMORIES

There's no doubt a distinction between the type of offense played in the Big XII and the SEC, but Richt said he knows a thing or two about the style he can expect from Oklahoma State when the Bulldogs open the season in Stillwater next Saturday.

"It reminds me of the style of ball we played when we had Charlie Ward at Florida State – the spread, manipulating the pace of the game, fast-slow, getting guys in space, making plays, trying to wear people out by putting points on the board rather than trying to punch you in the mouth every time," Richt said.

Big XII teams are credited with a much more wide-open offensive style based around speed and finesse, but Richt did caution that there was more to Oklahoma State than the typical spread offense.

"I will say that Oklahoma State does a really fantastic job of the balance that most coaches are looking for," Richt said. "They will run the ball – and they run it from the spread, but you can run it from the spread with a physical nature and they do that."

BAD REVIEWS

After dissecting the film from Wednesday's practice game, Richt said he was a bit more encouraged by the team's performance, but there were still too many problems for him to dub it a success.

Defensively, he said the Bulldogs looked sharp, but the scout team's offensive line was so weak it was hard to get a good gauge of the first-team defensive backs.

"Because our second unit can't protect well enough against our first defense, it's just tough to find out what our holes are on the perimeter, if in fact they're there," Richt said.

On offense, the majority of the reps looked good, but missed opportunities are under a much bigger microscope during those scrimmages, he said.

"You play a half, and you don't have a lot of opportunities, so even if you lose one drive because of a penalty, it's just disappointing, and we did have one of those," Richt said. "It was better after watching the film as I felt like coming off, but it still wasn't as sharp as I would like."

GOOD REVIEWS

The weather was a bit cooler and the rain held off, and Georgia's players responded with an encouraging day of work on the practice field Friday.

"They had a lot of energy today," Richt said. "I really like the way they practiced. I saw real good focus. They just looked good today. They gave me a good feeling."

MORE TO COME

Saturday's practice won't be an official scrimmage – Georgia has just three of those during the preseason, with the last coming this past Wednesday – but Richt said his team will go through many of the same motions as a scrimmage in order to tie up a few loose ends before taking on Oklahoma State.

"We'll do everything but tackle to the ground," Richt said. "We're going to do more team substituting, kickoff, defense, punt return and block. There will be some short-yardage, goal line, and we'll go a few plays live, but just a few."

Richt said the work will be designed mostly to iron out some flaws he saw during the team's practice game against the scout team and to get in a bit more reps on plays coaches didn't get to see enough of during the past week.

"We're actually ramping it up just a tad by scrimmaging the short-yardage and goal line plays," he said. "It'll look a lot like our practice game scrimmage, but it'll be a lot more scripted. We've scripted what we think we need to see that we haven't seen. But it's still going to be played like a game, just without the tackling."

MORE INJURY NOTES

Linebacker Akeem Dent missed another practice with a sore hamstring, but Richt said he appeared healthy and should be back at practice early next week.

"I happened to see Akeem running and changing direction," Richt said. "I saw him doing some things that made me feel he was getting close."

Marcus Dowtin and Richard Samuel both were in green, non-contact jerseys Friday, too, but each was participating in drills with their respective positions.

Safety Quintin Banks will miss the opening game with a knee injury, but Richt said that he's hopeful the rest of the Bulldogs' roster will be ready for action by next Saturday.

"We're still hopeful on everybody else other than the guys we know of with season-ending injuries," he said.

Practice Notes: Offense Moves Forward Without Jones

Ben Jones made an appearance at practice Thursday, but it was Chris Davis and Kevin Perez taking all the reps at center for Georgia.

Jones sprained his left ankle during Wednesday's practice and coaches said his return remains a day-to-day decision. Meanwhile, Georgia's offense is already moving forward without him.

"You hate to see anybody go down," quarterback Joe Cox said. "Everybody was pretty worried at first, but people get hurt in football. We've just got to move on for now, and hopefully he's back in time to play."

Asked whether that meant in time to play Oklahoma State, Cox pleaded ignorance – a refrain repeated by right tackle Clint Boling, who said Jones remained in high spirits despite the injury.

"He's a tough kid," Boling said. "It definitely hurts him not being out there, but I'm sure he'll get back out there as soon as he can, and we'll be ready to have him back, too."

Head coach Mark Richt declined comment on the injury Wednesday and skipped his normal post-practice media session Thursday in order to attend his son's football game.

While the timetable for Jones' return remains vague, Boling said the important point is that the sophomore center will be back eventually, which is a big departure from the season-ending injuries suffered by two of Georgia's starters on the line last season.

"That's the last thing anybody wants is to have anything like last year with that many guys getting hurt," Boling said.

STAYING POSITIVE

Caleb King has made a point of ducking reporters since injuring his hamstring last week, but fellow tailback Carlton Thomas said it's not because King is sulking.

Despite being forced to the sideline in the middle of an intense competition for playing time at tailback, King has kept a positive attitude throughout the process, Thomas said.

"He's been very positive in practice every day," Thomas said. "He's come in in the morning to rehab, just trying to get ready. You never see him down, even though there's probably a time when he's down because he wants to compete. But he's doing everything he can to get back and be ready for Oklahoma State."

While King is missing crucial chances to perform before a final depth chart is set for Georgia's opener, Thomas said he thinks King's attitude on the sideline has impressed coaches as much as anything he could have done on the field.

"It is a big test," Thomas said. "It's a test for anybody who has an injury this close to playing time. It's going to test you mentally, so I feel like if he overcomes it, he's going to have a lot of success."

A HELPING HAND

Adjusting to college football and memorizing a playbook is no easy task, but freshmen receivers Marlon Brown and Rantavious Wooten said the process has been made a lot smoother thanks to the leadership of their quarterback.

"He's been a great help," Brown said of Cox, a fifth-year senior. "He's been going over the playbook with me whenever we're free. It's a blessing because he knows everything."

While Wooten has worked tirelessly to grasp the intricacies of the playbook, he said he has been amazed at Cox's knowledge of the offense – not just at quarterback, but for every position.

"He'll teach me different releases, spinning, all that different kind of stuff," Wooten said. "He's a great teacher, a great leader. He's teaching me all the right things."

For his part, Cox isn't taking much credit for his receivers' development. He said he has made a point of offering tips when needed, but said Michael Moore and A.J. Green have been the real mentors for the young wideouts.

Regardless of who has done the bulk of the teaching, the lessons appear to be paying off, Cox said.

"When you come in as a freshman at any position, you get to a point where your head starts spinning, and then you start coming out of it," Cox said. "I think they're definitely out of that fog now, and they're starting to recognize things quicker and run the right routes. They're coming along nicely."

UNTIMELY VACATION

Georgia president Michael Adams announced the dates for the university's mandatory furlough days Wednesday, and the off time isn't well suited to the football staff, who are being forced to take time off along with faculty and staff.

All university employees will be forced to take off Oct. 30, Nov. 25 and Dec. 24 this year – which would mean Richt and his staff would be on vacation the day before Georgia takes on Florida and three days before the Bulldogs travel to Georgia Tech.

Georgia's sports information department confirmed that the football staff will comply with the furloughs, but there will be an appeals process available to request different days from the ones Adams announced Thursday. The caveat, as reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, is that the days must still occur during October and November, meaning coaches must take time away during the height of football season.

While the details are still being ironed out, Boling said he had his doubts that his rather intense line coach, Stacy Searels, would really be able to step away at such a crucial time.

"I wish," Boling said, "but I don't think it's going to happen."

(NOTE: You can read Tim Tucker's excellent recap of the situation HERE.)

CATCHING ON

The platitudes for freshman tight end Orson Charles have come pretty regularly from players, but the general consensus was that his skills were still fairly raw.

No doubt, the tight end still has some work to do, but Cox said the finer points aren't too far off.

"He's always been a good route runner," Cox said. "Now it's just fine-tuning certain routes, and I think he's gotten better every day. He's been working on his blocking a lot and done a good job getting better."

SOUNDS PAINFUL

Richt wasn't around to comment on today's practice, and no assistant coaches were made available. But thanks to the beauty of social networking, there is a bit of insight into today's workouts, courtesy of Jeff Owens' Twitter page.

"Today's practice was one of the hardest practices in four years," Owens wrote, then followed with, "Just stitting in the training room icying (sic) my knee. The coaches tried to kill us today."

BUT HOW ARE YOU?

Boling answered plenty of questions about Jones' injury -- OK, maybe answered is a strong term -- but he was quick to put an end to any concern about his own sore wrist.

Boling injured his wrist during a practice last week when he collided with a player's helmet. He has had the wrist wrapped since then, but he said it hasn't slowed him any.

"It's fine, it was nothing serious," Boling said. "I just kind of wrapped it up and go. It was no big deal at all."

HEALTHY AS CAN BE

Vince Vance managed to get in some work with the first team offensive line with Jones out, and Boling said the senior has looked strong in his return from an ACL injury.

Vance was the team's starting guard before moving to left tackle four games into the season. One month later, however, he tore his ACL and joined teammate Trinton Sturdivant, who suffered a similar injury last August, in the trainer's room.

"He's been fine physically," Boling said of Vance. "Trinton hurt his a little bit earlier, but they both really look the same physically. They both have been full speed in practice the whole time, and there haven't really been any setbacks."

QUIET POKES

This time it's a team Georgia's playing that is having a blackout.

Oklahoma State isn't planning to don the black uni's, but the team has instituted a media blackout, apparently due in part to coach Mike Gundy's annoyance at the constant questions about the health of his quarterback, Zac Robinson.

Tuesday was the last day Gundy or any players met with the media, and Wednesday a blanket "no comment" was issued to all reporters. Players, coaches and Gundy will all be taking a vow of silence until the Monday before the season opener.

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."

Bobo Tempers O Line Expectations

The popular notion among most pundits is that Georgia's offense will miss Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno, but a healthy and experienced offensive line will make up a good chunk of the difference. Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo isn't exactly buying into that notion just yet.

"We've got some experience coming back at O line, but we don't have five guys who have played the same position next to each other," Bobo said. "I know everybody thinks we're going to be awesome on the offensive line, but we've got to find some continuity right now."

While Georgia does return nine linemen with playing experience this season, the numbers aren't quite as impressive as they might seem at first glance.

Two potential starters -- Trinton Sturdivant and Vince Vance -- are both coming back from ACL surgery, and Sturdivant hasn't played a single down since the 2008 Suger Bowl.

Two other former starters may not see much action at all, at least early on. Josh Davis underwent two shoulder surgeries during the offseason and is not expected to participate in practices during the preseason, while Chris Davis, who started all 13 games last year, has been slow to recover from offseason hip surgery.

"We'll have to observe Chris Davis some more coming off the injury, and the same is true of Trinton and Vince, but Chris was not quite as far along," head coach Mark Richt said.

Tanner Strickland played in reserve duty last season but will miss all of 2009 with a shoulder injury he suffered while lifting weights this offseason, and Kiante Tripp, who started three games at left tackle last year, has moved to the defensive line this season.

Richt said the battle for starting jobs this fall is essentially between just six players -- Sturdivant, Vance, Ben Jones, Clint Boling, Cordy Glenn and Justin Anderson. Anderson also battled injuries down the stretch last season but appears healthy now.

That leaves just three linemen -- Boling, Jones and Glenn -- who return with both significant playing experience and no questions about health. The depth behind that group is still thin, too, Bobo said, but Richt sees a few players capable of stepping up.

"Casey Nichols is a guy who has put himself in a pretty good position to be a very reliable guy. I don't know if he'll break the starting lineup, but he could be productive," Richt said. "A.J. Harmon had a productive spring, and from what I've seen just looking at his body, he's done a really good job there. But again, he's got to learn what to do and get comfortable in that area. Then you have a bunch of young guys that are trying to prove that they're ready to play."

That group includes freshmen Dallas Lee, who enrolled early this spring but missed the G-Day game with an injury, and Chris Burnette, who Boling thinks could be ready if pressed into service.

"Chris is a really smart guy, and this summer he picked up things right away," Boling said. "I think if we had to, he could play for us right away."

So the question of the offensive line's success is really more a matter of perspective.

For Bobo, he's taking a cautious approach. There is ability, he said, but seeing is believing.

"We've still got to find five guys that we feel comfortable with in there right now on what we can do," he said. "Just because those guys have played, they haven't played together, and we've got a long way to go."

Richt, on the other hand, is a bit more optimistic. After seeing a patchwork line piece together a strong season a year ago, any sense of stability seems like a dramatic improvement.

"We're counting on the offensive line to perform well," Richt said. "We do have more maturity, more experience under our belt, so we're expecting better play. I think we progressed pretty darned well considering what we were playing with (last year), but now I think we can expect a little more. Their bodies are certainly bigger and stronger. Their knowledge is better. I really do think they'll perform better."

O Line Finally Taking Shape

If you follow me on Twitter, you got some of this information yesterday, just minutes after I spoke with Georgia left tackle Trinton Sturdivant. If you're not following me on Twitter... what are you waiting for?

Since Sturdivant first hurt his knee last August, Georgia's offensive line has been in flux. Seven different players started games on the line during the season, and since the Bulldogs' bowl game, three linemen have undergone surgery. Still, the strength projected to return in the fall is staggering, but the question has remained: What exactly will the line look like when Georgia takes the field against Oklahoma State to start the season?

While the ongoing answer throughout the offseason so far has been, "We don't have a clue," Sturdivant said the team is actually working on solidifying a starting five now.

"Right now we have a set lineup that we're going through at and we look really good," Sturdivant said. "We're just focusing on getting used to the player beside us because last year, everybody was mixed up, switching positions every week."

That lineup features Sturdivant back at left tackle where he starred as a freshman in 2007. He said he's 100 percent recovered from the severe knee injury he suffered in the second week of fall practice last year and says he injured knee actually feels stronger than the healthy one now. He has completed treatment and is a full go.

Next to Sturdivant is Vince Vance at left guard. Vance is also recovering from ACL surgery, but is getting closer to a complete recovery. Although Vance started the first six games of last season, he's never played with Sturdivant, and building that relationship has been a focus of the past few weeks of drills, Sturdivant said.

Ben Jones reprises his role as the team's center after grabbing the job as a true freshman last season. Jones underwent surgery this offseason, but is already back at full speed.

Cordy Glenn was Georgia's other true freshman starter on the offensive line last season, and while Sturdivant said Glenn prefers to work on the left side of the line -- and he has been practicing some at left tackle, too -- he's currently slotted as the right guard.

Clint Boling, last year's MVP of the line, is currently working at right tackle after holding down the job on the left side after Vance's injury midway through the year last season.

"We're just getting better with knowing each other, how our tendencies are on the field, on pass situations, run situations," Sturdivant said. "Right now, we're focusing on getting better with the lineup that we have now."

Of course, there are still a few other linemen with eyes on playing time. Josh Davis started four games last season but has undergone two shoulder surgeries this offseason and isn't a sure bet to be ready when the season starts in September.

Chris Davis played all of last season with a nagging and painful hip injury. He's been getting work at left guard and center this offseason, but Sturdivant said he still hasn't fully recovered from surgery to repair the hip injury and has been unavailable during a number of the team's drills. Whether Davis can recover completely in time to make a run at a starting job remains to be seen.

"We really don't know how he will pan out as far as the injury," Sturdivant said. "We know he's an excellent player, but we're just hoping he can get back his strength to where he was."

Justin Anderson found his place at right tackle midway through the 2008 season as well, but a foot injury limited him during the team's final three games. He still has a shot at the starting lineup in 2009, too, but for now he's been working behind Glenn at right guard.

Perhaps the most intriguing name still in the mix, however, is freshman Chris Burnette.

Burnette arrived on campus earlier this month but has already impressed his teammates with his physical skills.

"He's really quick, really fast, explosive," Sturdivant said. "He's not as strong as he wants to be right now in the weight room, but that will come. He's very explosive, has really good technique. He's going to be a really good player."

Beyond the physical tools, however, Burnette has picked up the playbook astoundingly fast. Burnette was nearly named valedictorian at Troup County High School and his academic accomplishments have been obvious on the playing field, Sturdivant said.

"He already knows all the calls and the plays and it's really amazing how fast he's caught on since he's only been here about three weeks," Sturdivant said. "But everything that we've put in front of him, he knows. We can call any call, and he just spits it out just like that. I know he had a 5.8 GPA in high school, and it's definitely transferring."

So, does Burnette really have a shot at significant playing time his freshman year? Considering the track record of offensive line coach Stacy Searels, Sturdivant thinks it's likely.

"With Coach Searels, I feel like anybody has a shot," he said. "And of course we have a lot of experienced players, and it may seem like he may not play, but if he gets on the field and puts those pads on and is showing great technique and blowing people off the ball, I don't see signs of him not playing."