ATHENS — The Georgia Bulldogs are set to begin spring practice Tuesday. The Bulldogs will get 15 practice opportunities — including the G-Day game on April 14 at Sanford Stadium — in which to shore up areas that might help them improve on this past season’s 10-4 record.
Here are five things they’ll look to address:
Identify defensive backs
The Bulldogs have encountered more attrition in the secondary than they have any other position. In addition to the graduation of Paul Hornung Award winner Brandon Boykin, projected starting cornerbacks Sanders Commings (domestic violence) and Branden Smith (marijuana possession) are facing suspensions after misdemeanor arrests since the end of the season. Their incidents followed the in-season transfers of Derek Owens and Jakar Hamilton and the January dismissals of freshmen Nick Marshall and Chris Sanders for team rules violations.
Georgia coach Mark Richt overruled the objections of offensive coordinator Mike Bobo and receivers coach Tony Ball and decided to move rising sophomore split end Malcolm Mitchell to cornerback for spring practice. Richt is unsure whether Mitchell, who was arguably Georgia’s most explosive wideout last season, will move permanently to defense or just play there occasionally.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen in the fall whether he’ll go exclusively defensive back or not yet, but you can’t be in both meetings at the same time,” Richt said. “Early on, we’re going to have to have him help at corner.”
Establish tailback rotation
Injuries and suspensions decimated the Bulldogs at tailback last season and figured prominently into them losing the final two games. Now Georgia is flush with talent at its marquee position, and it will be important to establish a rotation.
Not including walk-ons, the Bulldogs will have seven players who could play tailback next season, all but one of which will participate in spring practice. Isaiah Crowell rushed for more than 800 yards despite missing all or parts of five games because of injuries and suspensions. The Bulldogs hope that bringing in freshmen Keith Marshall and T.J. Gurley to compete with him, along with returnees Richard Samuel, Carlton Thomas, Ken Malcome and Brandon Harton, will insure that the position depth is a strength next season.
“Last year was a little frustrating at times,” said Samuel, who will be a senior. “There were a whole bunch of different situations going on with the roster as far as who we were going to play. It seems like we have a whole bunch of guys now that won’t have to learn and get ready.”
Determine offensive line starters
The Bulldogs have some major holes to fill on the line of scrimmage. Starters Ben Jones, Cordy Glenn and Justin Anderson have moved on to the NFL, so the Bulldogs will hold auditions at center and left and right tackle, respectively.
For starters, it seems logical that left guard Kenarious Gates will move to tackle on that side of the line. The Bulldogs brought in Mark Beard from junior college to compete with sophomore Watts Dantzler for that spot. Sophomore David Andrews appears to be the heir apparent at center, but guard Chris Burnette will cross-train and could fit line coach Will Friend’s bill to “play the best five.” Oft-injured Austin Long and several other young players will get looks across the board. In August, five-star signee John Theus will join the competition and could contend at left tackle.
Shore up special teams
The Bulldogs lost All-America punter Drew Butler and place-kicker Blair Walsh to graduation. There will be little they can do about that during the spring because there is no scholarship replacement on campus (kicker Marshall Morgan and punter Collin Barber arrive this summer). But Richt believes there is much Georgia can work on in the interim.
The Bulldogs have consulted with NFL and college coaches about their special-teams deficiencies since the end of the season, and Richt said every starter will be considered for every unit.
Solidify backup quarterback
Fourth-year junior Aaron Murray (6,198 yards, 59 touchdowns) is essentially unchallenged as Georgia’s starting quarterback, but the hierarchy behind is undefined.
Junior Hutson Mason, who has proved to be highly effective in practice and limited work during games, wants to redshirt in order to separate himself from Murray and possibly have a year to man the position himself as a starter. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs have only redshirt freshman Christian LeMay and freshman Faton Bauta waiting in the wings, neither of whom have taken a live snap.
Georgia’s coaches have agreed to grant Mason his wish, but only if Murray stays healthy and it doesn’t compromise the Bulldogs at the position.
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