Athens – When last everybody met Georgia was dancing in the confetti falling from the rafters of the Super Dome. Hawaii's Colt Brennan was searching for his spleen. Georgia's Knowshon Moreno was trampling toward the second best freshman rushing season ever (1,334 yards). The Bulldogs were No. 2 in the country.

Now they are together again.

"It came around quick," Georgia coach Mark Richt said.

Spring practice is here. It starts Monday and will culminate in the G-Day game April 5 in Sanford Stadium. The expectations are here too. Georgia is expected to be ranked in the top five nationally.

"One, two, three, four or five it's all good," quarterback Matthew Stafford said.

The key word there is good. That is what is expected of a team that is very nearly the same as when it last stepped off the field Jan. 1. Only five starters were lost.

Here are five things to look for this spring as Georgia starts down the path to a potential national title.

Big plays

Stafford had 20 pass plays of 25 yards or more in 2007 as opposed to eight in 2006. In 2008, the Bulldogs have a potential wide receiving corps, if they put three on the field, of Kris Durham (6-foo-5), A.J. Green (6-4) and Mohamed Massaquoi (6-2). Then there is Walter Hill (6-4), a redshirt freshman who is coming on strong.

Now, with the help of all the height, Stafford could be poised to build on those big-play numbers.

"As far as size out there we can pretty big across the board and then Tripp (Chandler) is a big guy too and Bruce (Figgins) as well, so I an definitely going to have some options that I am excited about," Stafford said.

Running backs

Moreno, like it or not, is not going to participate in too many of the spring drills. And most likely he is not going to like that, according to teammates.

Moreno is a player who he wants to prove himself on every play in practice.

"We already know what he can do," Richt said.

The player with more question marks is redshirt freshman Caleb King. King came to Georgia out of Greater Atlanta Christian with more hype than Moreno.

Now is King's chance to prove he is worthy of carries.

"I am more concerned to see what Caleb can do," Richt said.

So King, with true freshmen Richard Samuel and Dontavius Jackson, will get more work than Moreno.

Leadership

Five seniors are gone from the offensive and defensive units. Two, safety Kelin Johnson and center Fernando Velasco, were the leaders on their sides of the ball. Now Georgia has to find some new seniors to step up.

"When you talk about leadership the senior year starts when the bowl game strikes zero," Richt said. "I have had a good talk with those guys during our character education time. ... We not only want to talk about theory of leadership but lets put it into action."

On offense one player to watch as a potential emerging leader is fullback Brannan Southerland. On defense linebacker Dannell Ellerbe could emerge as the leader.

Offensive line

After two years of questions and a lack of bodies on the offensive line, Georgia appears to have an embarrassment of riches. Two starters, Chester Adams and Fernando Velasco, are gone. But several young players, Justin Anderson, Josh Davis, Kiante Tripp among them, have matured.

Richt said this year's offensive linemen have proven themselves to be the most athletic Georgia has had in his years at the school.

"It does your heart good as a coach to watch the linemen doing mat drills," Richt said.

It does Stafford's heart some good to know he has plenty of linemen, many of whom are experienced, to work with in the spring.

"Our spring offensive line last year was way different than what we ended the year at," Stafford said. "It is more about those guys just getting work and if we can gel and get something going right now, great."

Unfamiliar faces

There could very well be several players who emerge this spring and top among them could be Hill, the wide receiver.

"Walter is different," cornerback Asher Allen said. "You have the tall, skinny guy, but he is a tall, big guy. He really understands positioning his body. I really think the way he was practicing last year, his attitude and he is a hard worker, scouts are going to be looking for him, most definitely."

Hill has a basketball background and at 6-4 has the ability to jump over or muscle past cornerbacks. Then there is his speed.

"I have seen signs of Walter hill in the offseason with much more quickness, a quick twitch which he needed," Richt needed.

Hill is buried on the depth chart but will be given the chance to prove himself this spring.