ATHENS — There are many good reasons to attend Georgia’s G-Day game Saturday, but two of the better ones no longer apply.
The Bulldogs hoped to debut freshman tailback Keith Marshall and newly minted cornerback Malcolm Mitchell during their annual spring football scrimmage at Sanford Stadium. But thanks to two words all skill players so dread to hear — “hamstring pull” — neither will be available when the scrimmage commences at 3 p.m.
Marshall suffered his injury during the first scrimmage of the spring practice session March 31. Until then Georgia had seen enough to know that Marshall is capable of living up to his billing as the No. 1 running back prospect in America.
“It would’ve been nice to see Keith,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said this week. “It was good to see the little bit we got to see. He’s definitely a guy we feel like we did a good job with when it comes to recruiting.”
Mitchell moved to cornerback from wide receiver this spring in order to shore Georgia’s depth issues in the secondary. Mitchell also worked some on offense, where he starred as a big-play specialist last season. He suffered a hamstring pull in the April 7 scrimmage.
There are no celebrity coaches this year, and the teams aren’t even playing for the traditional winning meal of steak-and-lobster versus beanie-weenies.
“Half the kids liked the beanie-weenies better anyway,” Richt said. “We’re just going to play ball for the love of the game, for the love of playing between the hedges in front of family, friends and the fans, for TV.”
Here’s five reasons to go:
Revamped O-line
The Bulldogs lost three starters off last season’s offensive line, including left tackle Cordy Glenn, who many expect to be selected in the first round of the coming NFL draft. After an intense competition this spring, offensive coordinator Mike Bobo and line coach Will Friend have settled on group that will start this way: Kenarious Gates at left tackle, Dallas Lee at left guard, David Andrews at center, Chris Burnette at right guard and Kolton Houston at right tackle. But there will be a lot of switching throughout as the line situation is far from settled.
Re-dedicated backs
Marshall won’t be available, and there’s a chance Richard Samuel (concussion) won’t be either, but Isaiah Crowell and Ken Malcome will. This time a year ago folks would have paid top dollar for a chance to see that. Georgia’s coaches have spoken glowingly about the job both players have done during spring practice.
“Isaiah has practiced well every day, has continued to get better and has become more consistent and more dependable,” Bobo said. “... Ken Malcome has had a great spring. I’ve seen a really big improvement in that football player.”
Full-strength defense
The Bulldogs return 10 starters from a unit that finished fifth in the nation in total defense last season, so it’s expected to be a strength in 2012. The trouble is, no one will see the group assembled at full strength until the fifth game of the season except for Saturday. Senior cornerback Sanders Commings will miss the first two games as part of his punishment for a domestic-violence arrest in January. Fellow starting corner Branden Smith is expected to miss at least one game after his March arrest for marijuana possession. All-American free safety Bacarri Rambo told his high school coach he has been suspended for the first four games because of his second violation of UGA’s code regarding marijuana use. Linebacker Alec Ogletree is expected to miss games for a similar transgression. All will be in action Saturday.
Homage to Russ
Sonny Seiler, who oversees Georgia’s legacy of white English bulldog mascots, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Friday that his search for Uga IX is down to three pups. He said the plan is to announce Uga VIII’s successor at picture day in August, then unveil the mascot at the Bulldogs’ season opener against Buffalo on Sept. 1. What that means is that Saturday’s scrimmage likely will be the last time for the fill-in Russ to patrol the sidelines.
Good causes galore
UGA takes the opportunity to help others with its annual spring game. For admission, the Bulldogs are asking fans to bring canned goods to donate to the Foodbank of Northeast Georgia, which will have bins at the gates to enter Sanford Stadium. Also, the UGA Football Coaches Wives, in conjunction with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, are selling special autographed footballs in a tailgate at Legion Field before the game. The 250 footballs, to be sold for $200 each, will be signed by Boss and Champ Bailey, Drew and Kevin Butler and Jon and Matt Stinchcomb. The money raised at the tailgate will benefit the “Kasyn Cares Fund” for pediatric cancer research at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Kasyn Olivadotti, the 4-year-old daughter of Georgia linebackers coach Kirk Olivadotti, has been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
