Yellow Jackets O-line hit by injuries

Starting left tackle Nick Claytor underwent surgery Wednesday for a bulging disc in his back.

Coach Paul Johnson said Claytor will rehab for three months and should be ready for preseason practice in August.

A redshirt freshman who started the last five games in 2008, Claytor is one of two starters missing all of spring practice. Junior center Dan Voss had surgery in January to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder.

During Friday’s practice, walk-on offensive tackle Mike Johnson was carted off with a shoulder injury. Tackle Clyde Yandell also remains sidelined.

“It’s just hard to play when you don’t have linemen,” Paul Johnson said. Speaking of Saturday’s live-hitting practice, the coach said the remaining offensive linemen will “just have to play a few more reps than everybody else probably.”

In the absence of Claytor and Voss, left tackle Brad Sellers and center Sean Bedford are playing on the first unit. They join guards Cord Howard and Joseph Gilbert, and right tackle Austin Barrick.

Howard, a second-team All-ACC selection in 2008, saw an upside to the situation.

“Everybody’s just getting a chance to see what the other guys can do, and as far as Dan and Nick, they’re pretty much vets,” he said. “When they get back, I think we should pretty much jell since we have all the starters from last year. … And then we’ll know what we’ve got as far as backups, people who can rotate in. It may actually play out for the best.”

Saturday practice open to the public

Saturday’s 9 a.m. practice will take place in Bobby Dodd Stadium and is open to the public.

Coach Paul Johnson said he would like to see “some of the young guys grow a little bit, do better than they did the last time, especially up front.”

Backup quarterbacks Jaybo Shaw and Tevin Washington will get plenty of snaps, and plenty of scrutiny.

“Jaybo needs to be consistent,” Johnson said. “He needs to take better care of the ball than he did a week ago.”

Ex-Jacket still pondering transfer destination

Former Tech A-back Greg Smith has not decided where he will transfer, according to the school. Smith is believed to be interested in Jacksonville State and Portland State.

Smith, who led Tech in receiving in 2007, saw his playing time decrease over the course of last season. He has one season of eligibility remaining. Jacksonville State would be a notable destination, as the Jackets open the season against the Gamecocks on Sept. 5.

Etc.

Former Tech quarterback Calvin Booker was among the many watching practice Friday. Booker said he recently worked out for a Canadian Football League team, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and that he has workouts scheduled with the Falcons and possibly the Minnesota Vikings and Buffalo Bills. … Perhaps 300 high school coaches watched Friday’s practice. They were there for a clinic given by the Tech coaching staff following the practice.