GEORGIA: What we learned from spring camp
Progress was made during spring football, but questions remain for the Georgia football team. Following are the pros and cons:
Offensive line remains an issue
Once again the Bulldogs find themselves with some question marks on the offensive front. They were settled at left tackle until Trinton Sturdivant went down with the third major knee injury of his career. The good news is first-year line coach Will Friend had alternated Sturdivant with right tackle Cordy Glenn, who is now solidified at left tackle. Justin Anderson and A.J. Harmon split reps at right tackle. Center Ben Jones and guards Kenarious Gates and Chris Burnette are solid in the middle.
Big Kwame made his mark
The biggest surprise of the spring easily was the play of sophomore nose guard Kwame Geathers. The 6-foot-6, 341-pound sophomore was named defensive MVP of the spring by Georgia’s coaches and continued his dominating play in the G-Day Game. Geathers’ solid showing allowed the Bulldogs to keep DeAngelo Tyson at end, where he “made drastic improvement,” according to defensive line coach Rodney Garner. Also, defensive coordinator Todd Grantham is now mulling ways to get both Geathers and junior-college transfer John Jenkins (6-4, 350) on the field at the same time this fall.
Tailback competition extends into fall
Coach Mark Richt had hoped one of the returning tailbacks would distinguish himself as the clear No. 1 before five-star signee Isaiah Crowell of Carver-Columbus joins the competition this fall. That didn’t happen. Heir apparent Washaun Ealey missed all but the first four spring practices because of a hamstring pull and Caleb King was solid but unspectacular. Ken Malcome and Carlton Thomas also had moments, according to Richt, but didn’t gain a foothold. “Overall those guys ran the ball pretty well, but it was nothing to shake the world,” Richt said after the G-Day Game. “I’m not sitting here saying, ‘That guy is the starting tailback.’ We’ll definitely have a competition in the fall.”
Ogletree, Jones moves justified
Grantham surprised many with his pre-spring decision to move promising sophomore Alec Ogletree from safety to inside linebacker and inside linebacker Jarvis Jones to outside linebacker. After spring practice concluded, Grantham called the moves a success. “Those two moves were definitely the right thing to do,” Grantham said. “There’s no question in my mind Alec is going to be an outstanding linebacker. You knew that just the way he ran and struck guys. It was a no-brainer. Jarvis is a guy that has great upside outside. By moving him there, it gets us more linebacker-type guys on the field and, in a 3-4, those guys make plays for you.” Ogletree looked like a future star at inside linebacker during the G-Day Game.
Safety concerns
The position Ogletree left behind remains a concern. Starting strong safety Bacarri Rambo missed most of spring with a sprained knee and free safety Jakar Hamilton missed half of the spring with a concussion. Georgia moved Sanders Commings back to safety from cornerback, but he also was injured. Commings and Shawn Williams did nothing to distinguish themselves, according to secondary coach Scott Lakatos. The competition for the safety spot opposite Rambo will continue into the fall. The good news is cornerback appears to be a position of strength.
Still unclear who replaces A.J. Green?
On paper, junior Tavarres King moves into A.J. Green’s spot on the depth chart at starting flanker. Whether King or any other wideout can become an explosive big-play threat similar to Green remains unclear. King has shown glimpses in games and spring practice of doing it. Marlon Brown and Michael Bennett were often lauded for their improved play in spring. Yet quarterback Aaron Murray needs a reliable go-to receiver. A likely candidate for that role is tight end Orson Charles, who Richt called “the overall MVP of the spring, in my opinion.”
Better-behaved Bulldogs, so far
The most notable number for Georgia coming out of spring practice is zero -- as in no player arrests so far this year. The Bulldogs were criticized and ridiculed last year when player arrests totaled 12. Richt was asked following the spring game what was being done to prevent off-season trouble. “We mention that every day,” he said. “We mention it every single day, or text it or something. We tell them to be sure to ‘take care of business.’” At this time last year Georgia had only one player arrested: former quarterback Zach Mettenberger.
