LeMay joins Bulldogs for practices

By Andy Johnston

For the AJC

ATHENS – Quarterback recruit Christian LeMay, who didn’t play his senior season at Butler High School in Matthews, N.C., was at practice the past three days, Georgia coach Mark Richt said Tuesday.

LeMay was home-schooled this fall after he was suspended from school for 30 days for an undisclosed violation of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools code of conduct. He has planned to enroll early at Georgia, but will not make the trip to Memphis for the Liberty Bowl, Richt said.

LeMay, who is 6 feet 2, 190 pounds, threw for 3,296 yards and 44 touchdowns with two interceptions to lead Butler to a 15-0 record and the state championship as a junior in 2009.

Butler won the state title again this season without LeMay.

He is the No. 3 rated quarterback according to Rivals.com and No. 8 according to Scout.com.

Starter Aaron Murray, who threw for 2,851 yards and 24 touchdown passes this season, and backup Hutson Mason will both be sophomores next season. Georgia also has a commitment from Wilcox County’s Nick Marshall, who threw 41 TD passes this year and set the state’s career mark with 103.

Linebackers look to future

As seniors, inside linebacker Akeem Dent, Georgia’s leading tackler with 122, and outside linebacker Darryl Gamble are gone after this season.

Outside linebacker Justin Houston, who led the SEC with 10 sacks, is a junior who is expected to turn pro.

Houston and Dent started all 12 games and Gamble started seven, meaning linebacker might be the hardest hit position for Georgia.

“Somebody is going to have to step up and be that Akeem Dent kind of guy and make those plays and make that many tackles,” said sophomore outside linebacker Cornelius Washington, who hopes to inherit Houston’s role as designated pass rusher, if he leaves. “I feel like we’re going to do really well. We have the people on the field who are going to be able to make those astonishing plays and get 10 sacks one way or another. I think we’ll be all right.”

Washington and inside linebackers Christian Robinson, a sophomore, and Marcus Dowtin, a junior, combined for 19 starts, giving the Bulldogs a strong core of experienced players. Robinson said sophomore Michael Gilliard has played well during bowl practices. Richard Samuel and Jarvis Jones, who are both redshirting, are expected to provide depth at both positions next year.

“Richard is a monster inside and Jarvis is learning how to play both, so he’s really going to be an asset to both individual positions,” Washington said. “I definitely feel like we’re going to have a whole lot of depth at both positions.”

Robinson said he hopes he can become the next Dent and lead Georgia in tackles next year. Dowtin has 57 tackles, Robinson has 41 and Washington has 24 tackles and 13 quarterback pressures.

“I think those guys are going to be in a great position to have a great defense next year,” Dent said. “A lot of those guys are still young and they’ll be able to stick around another two, three, four years and just grasp the whole system. This is the first year we ran the new scheme, so once you get used to running it and get comfortable in it, it’s not hard. The guys will be able to go out and make plays.”

Dobbs playing through pain

Defensive end Demarcus Dobbs isn’t going to let an arm injury slow him down.

To him, it’s just another in a long list of injuries he’s battled through this year to play in all 12 games this season. He’s played through his senior year with thumb, ankle and neck sprains.

Dobbs’ latest injury occurred in the first half of Georgia’s victory over Georgia Tech on Nov. 27. His arm was caught between two players and popped, tearing a tendon in his forearm and hyperextending his elbow.

“I should be good by the bowl game,” Dobbs said. “It was minor. It was a minor tear, so it wasn’t anything too serious. It didn’t require surgery.”

Richt said he expects Dobbs to play in the Liberty Bowl.

Etc.

Richt said he’ll receive final word on fall semester grades today and wouldn’t comment if any players will be academically ineligible for the Liberty Bowl. ... Senior DE Brandon Wood (shoulder) will not play in the bowl, ending his career. WR Rantavious Wooten (leg) hasn’t practiced the “last couple of days,” Richt said, who added that he should be able to play in the bowl. FB Shaun Chapas has already been ruled out after having ankle surgery. ... The Bulldogs had their final practice in Athens and will reconvene in Memphis on Dec. 26.