Richt: O-line matchup ‘pretty scary’

Athens —- Every week seems to bring a new question about Georgia’s offensive line. This week’s: How will the young, injury-depleted unit hold up against LSU’s much more experienced defensive front?

“When you look at it on paper,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said Tuesday, “it is pretty scary, to say the least.”

Richt noted that LSU has five seniors, two juniors and one sophomore among its top eight defensive linemen, while Georgia starts three freshmen and two sophomores on its offensive line.

“Their youngest guy matches our oldest when it’s their D-line vs. our O-line,” Richt said.

Richt and others have praised the line’s recent progress. But the challenge the group faces from LSU will be “very similar,” Richt said, to that posed by Alabama in Georgia’s lone loss.

“Every week is a challenge for those guys, really and truly,” Richt said. “They’re still feeling their way around a little bit.

“But I like the way they’ve been playing. I don’t think they feel like they’re rookies anymore.”

Georgia plans to start the same group as last week: sophomore Clint Boling at left tackle, freshman Cordy Glenn at left guard, freshman Ben Jones at center, redshirt sophomore Chris Davis at right guard and redshirt freshman Justin Anderson at right tackle. None of the offensive linemen was available for comment Tuesday.

Injury report

As has been the case the past two weeks, the status of Georgia middle linebacker Dannell Ellerbe is iffy for the game against LSU.

Richt, who expressed optimism Sunday that Ellerbe would return to action after missing two-plus games with a sprained knee, was “a little less optimistic” by Tuesday.

“Ellerbe didn’t look quite as agile as we hoped,” Richt said. “But there’s still a few more days.”

Tight end Tripp Chandler, who has missed the past two games with an injured shoulder, also is questionable after not faring as well as hoped in Monday’s practice.

“Tripp’s in the same category as Dannell,” Richt said.

Faith in Walsh

Freshman kicker Blair Walsh missed field goals from 37 and 40 yards last week —- his only misses of the season from less than 50 —- but teammates don’t seem worried.

“I think that guy is a really good kicker,” quarterback Matthew Stafford said. “I think he’s got a good head on his shoulders, especially for a kicker. Those guys —- a lot of times they are head cases.”

Return game

After taking a look at freshman Richard Samuel in the role, Georgia plans to stick with senior Ramarcus Brown returning kickoffs, Richt said.

Brown is averaging 24.9 yards on 16 kickoff returns, fifth-best in the SEC.

On punt returns, Richt said Georgia has settled on junior Prince Miller as “the main guy,” with redshirt freshman Logan Gray to be used mostly in field-position situations that tend to result in fair catches or letting the ball go.