Georgia offensive line so far in preseason camp: ‘Fourth-and-1 every day’

ATHENS — As hard as it might be to believe, the Georgia offensive line might actually be in a good place entering the 2025 season.

It’s a noticeable turnaround from where things ended last season, as the Notre Dame game was a low point not just for the 2024 season but maybe even in Kirby Smart’s time at Georgia.

Especially when you factor in that Georgia must replace four starters from the College Football Playoff game against Notre Dame. Tate Ratledge, Jared Wilson and Dylan Fairchild were top 100 picks in the most recent NFL draft, while Xavier Truss signed as a free agent.

“I feel like we have an experienced group, as crazy as it sounds,” offensive tackle Earnest Greene III said Thursday. “It might not look as such. But a lot of the guys in the (group) got a lot of snaps last year when you look at it. So I just feel like, like I said earlier, it’s just more about just coming together and molding as one.”

Injuries prevented the group from gelling last season, as Georgia put together a mash unit at the position. Truss and Fairchild were the only two offensive linemen to start every game for the Bulldogs.

But last season’s misfortune might greatly help the 2025 group. Micah Morris and Drew Bobo made the first starts of their career because of Wilson and Ratledge missing time in the middle of the season.

Morris and Bobo are widely expected to be Georgia’s starting left guard and center this season.

“It helped prepare me a lot because, to be honest, before I first started, even before I would play some games that we were ahead of a lot, I’d get a little nervous and be anxious about going in,” Bobo said. “But I think that kind of calmed my nerves, especially after the first game that I started. I realized that I’ve been there before, I’ve played in these games, and I’m really excited to be able to play in all of them this season.”

Greene dealt with an upper-body injury that cleared a path for Monroe Freeling to step in at left tackle. Freeling will start the season in that position, with Greene kicking over to the right side of the offensive line.

To prevent against injury in 2025, Greene did a lot of “prehab” work this summer to make sure his body could sustain the punishment of an SEC schedule. Greene missed much of the 2022 season after he had back surgery.

But Greene did still gain valuable experience in his first year in Athens, as he saw what a championship-winning offensive line looked like. He hopes to be a big reason Georgia has one of those again in 2025.

As for what is left with this group, Georgia does need to figure out the right guard position. Daniel Calhoun and Michael Uini entered preseason camp in a position battle for the spot, but freshman Juan Gaston has forced himself into the conversation.

With its first two games against Marshall and Austin Peay, Georgia will focus on building depth in the event injuries arise once again.

“I want to continue to see an identity,” Smart said of the offensive line. “An identity of toughness, physical, setting edges, delivering the run game, denting the defense. And it’s what we have to be, and we need to have a great run game to, number one, help our quarterback, relieve third and longs, feature backs, and then utilize play-action. So those guys are working really hard.”

Bobo, Greene and Smart all felt confident about the offensive line coming out of the team’s first scrimmage. Georgia will have another this weekend, which should provide further clarity on Georgia’s most criticized position this offseason.

On the whole, the offensive line has come firing out of its stance. But a strong first step is only part of what makes a great offensive lineman.