Georgia receiver King sidelined

By Tim Tucker

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

ATHENS –- Georgia probably will be without wide receiver Tavarres King for Saturday's game at Tennessee, further thinning an already-thin position.

UGA coach Mark Richt said Wednesday "it's very unlikely [King] will travel" to Knoxville after suffering a concussion in last week's loss to LSU. King, a redshirt freshman, has not practiced this week.

He has started three of Georgia's first five games, catching 10 passes for 170 yards and one touchdown. He ranks third on the team in receptions (behind A.J. Green and Michael Moore) and second in receiving yards (behind Green).

Richt said he wasn't sure when in last week's game King suffered the concussion. He caught a key 46-yard pass on a scoring drive in the game's final two minutes.

King's status leaves Georgia with just five healthy scholarship receivers –- Green, Moore, Rantavious Wooten, Israel Troupe and Marlon Brown. Troupe and Brown have appeared in three and one games this season, respectively, but neither has caught a pass.

"All hands will be on deck [Saturday]," Richt said.

Could that mean a breakout opportunity for Brown, the highly touted freshman from Memphis, as he returns to his home state?

"He's one step closer than he was before Tavarres got hurt," Richt said. "And he's also been improving all along -– not a whole lot different maybe than what was happening with [freshman tailback] Washaun Ealey," who made his debut last week.

Two linebackers out

Georgia will be without two linebackers Saturday –- Marcus Dowtin, who tore a ligament in his left ring finger last week, and Akeem Dent, who will miss his fourth consecutive game  with a pulled hamstring.

Richt said neither will make the trip to Knoxville.

Dowtin had surgery on the finger Sunday.

Richt also said tailback Caleb King, who suffered a concussion and broken jaw against LSU,  "more than likely will not travel" to Tennessee.

Pay-per-view game

Georgia's Nov. 7 home game against Tennessee Tech will start at 1 p.m. and be televised on pay-per-view, UGA said Wednesday.

Cable and satellite systems in Georgia and Tennessee will offer the telecast for $29.95. The game also will be shown on the Internet at georgiadogs.com for $19.95 or, for GXtra subscribers, $14.95.

Under the SEC's new television deal, each school gets one game per season for pay-per-view.

Etc.

Richt said he still expects Richard Samuel to start at tailback ahead of Ealey this week. ... Although he has expressed concern about the height and placement of some of Blair Walsh's kickoffs, Richt indicated no plans to use Brandon Bogotay in the role. ... Georgia will go 35 days between home games, not playing again at Sanford Stadium until Nov. 7.