Gamecocks can expect heavy dose of Moreno

Athens — When asked if Knowshon Moreno should get the ball more against South Carolina on Saturday than he did against them last season, Georgia coach Mark Richt wondered how many times the tailback got it last season.

“Fourteen,” he was told.

“Ugh,” Richt sighed. “Yeah. That’s not good,”

Actually, Moreno had 16 touches in last year’s 16-12 loss to the Gamecocks at Sanford Stadium. He rushed 14 times for 104 yards and had two catches for another 14 yards. That works out to an average of 7.38 yards — or almost three-quarters of the way to a first down — every time he got the ball.

You can bet the Bulldogs won’t make such a mistake this year.

“I was wish we would’ve given it to him more,” Richt said. “I think I was partially responsible for that not happening, too, so I’m not throwing [offensive coordinator Mike] Bobo under the bus. I think we all can go back and say we should have handed him the ball more.”

They certainly don’t have to worry about Moreno being overworked. Cramping sidelined him after two quarters against Georgia Southern and he played barely three in the blowout victory over Central Michigan. He averaged 13 rushes and 2.5 receptions in the two games.

Nonetheless, the sophomore Heisman Trophy candidate gained 310 yards and scored six touchdowns in those contests. That works out to a 10 yards per touch and a touchdown about every fifth time he got the ball in his hands.

Suffice it to say, Moreno will get the call more at South Carolina.

“I think our running backs are going to touch it 30-35 times a game,” Richt said. “Forty percent to 50 percent of the touches we’re going to run our tailback or he’d be the receiver. If Richard Samuel or Caleb King is running well, I don’t know if there’s a need to give Knowshon more than somewhere around 18 to 25 [touches]. That’s probably a pretty good range for a guy game in and game out.”

Moreno averaged 23 touches after becoming the starter last season, including a season-high 35 against Florida. Georgia won all seven games.

Etc.

DE Rod Battle (neck) and WR Kenneth Harris (ankle) “have to be considered questionable to doubtful” for Saturday’s game, according to Richt. … Richt would not say for sure the freshman walk-on Jamie Lindley will handle kickoffs Saturday but that he’s “making the trip. That ought to tell you something.” … The Bulldogs are having hard time whittling their travel roster down to 70 because they have so many freshmen and backup players filling roles on special teams. “There has been a lot of weeping and gnashing of teeth,” Richt said.