GEORGIA REPORT: Richt will find out about blogging in a big hurry

Athens —- Georgia coach Mark Richt plans to blog Sunday. Sometime between now and then he’ll have to figure out exactly what that is.

“I don’t even know what a blog is, to be honest with you,” Richt said with a laugh Thursday afternoon.

Earlier in the day, the Georgia Athletic Association launched its new Web site, MarkRicht.com. With it, Richt now joins the ranks of most college football head coaches in that he has his own Web site.

What exactly he’s supposed to do with it, Richt said he doesn’t really know.

It’s a slickly produced Web page with a lot of music and video. But the Web site focuses much more on Georgia than it does on Richt. Its thinly veiled purpose is as a recruiting tool, Richt acknowledged.

“We hope recruits and their families look at it,” Richt said Thursday. “We want to keep it fresh and updated. We hope our fans look at it, too. And maybe anybody that’s not a fan and might want to be a fan of Georgia football.

“It’s called MarkRicht.com, but it’s obviously an awful lot about Georgia football.”

The Web site was designed by a company called Bluechip Athletics Productions with input from Josh Brooks, Georgia’s assistant director of football operations.

“I hear that the more you blog and keep it fresh weekly, more people may be inclined to keep up with it,” Richt said. “So we’re going to try that.”

South Carolina will get more time to prepare

Central Michigan and South Carolina, next’s week opponent, will have played Thursday games the week before they played Georgia. That gives them a strategic advantage, Richt said.

“It does matter,” he said. “It’s more time to prepare for us than we have to prepare for them. I don’t like it, but I think it’s good for them. I’m not mad at them. I think they’re smart.

“I think there’s an advantage to it, no doubt.”

UGA policy expressly forbids the Bulldogs to play Thursday night games at home or on the road. Richt said he would never consider playing a home game on Thursday night, but he wouldn’t mind seeing athletics director Damon Evans soften his stance on away games.

“It wouldn’t hurt my feelings if we opened the season with, like, an Oklahoma State game at their place on a Thursday,” said Richt, referring to next year’s season opener on the road against the Cowboys.

Banks, Southerland may play against Tide

Safety Quintin Banks (knee) and fullback Brannan Southerland (foot) could return quicker than the Bulldogs last reported.

Richt said Thursday both could return for the Sept. 27 home game against Alabama. Last week he said it would be the following game, against Tennessee on Nov. 11, before either player returned to action.

“We’re thinking Banks has got a really good shot at Alabama,” Richt said. “There’s an outside chance that Southerland could play the personal protector on the punt team.”

Tickets available

A limited number of tickets for Saturday’s Central Michigan game will go on sale at 9 a.m. today. They became available after the Chippewas returned some of their allotment. Tickets can be bought by going to the Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall on campus or by calling the ticket office at 877-542-1231. Cost is $45 apiece, and there is no limit.