ATHENS — They call it “The Chute.” It’s one of the drills Georgia running backs must negotiate early every practice, and Bruce Figgins dreads it like a daily root canal.
The object is to zigzag as fast as possible through a series of metal gates while stepping over dummies and holding the football “high and tight.” This is not much of a challenge for 5-foot-7 tailback Carlton Thomas or even the 5-foot-11 Isaiah Crowell. But the process includes slipping under a metal bar that is maybe four feet from the ground, and for the 6-foot-4, 274-pound Figgins, that can be problematic.
“I don’t know how high they are, but ‘CT’ can almost stand straight up to them. They come up to his nose,” said Figgins, a senior fullback.” You can imagine how hard it is for me to get under them. Me and Richard [Samuel] have the toughest time. Our heads are always clinking it.”
Trouble is, if you “clink it,” you have to repeat the drill. Often running-backs coach Bryan McClendon yells at Figgins, “run it again!”
“I’ll be looking at Coach Mac and he’s like, ‘Don’t be looking at me like that. Get under the chute!’,” Figgins said with a laugh.
It is a bit of an oddity to have a guy Figgins’ size in the backfield. But short on depth at fullback, the Bulldogs saw the versatile fifth-year senior as the answer to their problems.
“The tight end and the fullback position, a lot of their assignments actually carry over,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said. “He’s almost the same guy in a lot of formations we run. ... Bruce is a big fullback who’s athletic enough to re-direct when he’s got to block a certain person. He fits into all the things we need there. He’s got to get used to blocking moving targets in more space, and that takes time.”
A tight end his first four seasons, including a redshirt season, Figgins shares fullback duties with Zander Ogletree (5-10, 224 pounds). Figgins entered camp as the No. 1 guy and, by all accounts, will line up first when the Bulldogs play Boise State on Sept. 3.
“I’m getting more comfortable with the position, with the position, more comfortable with the others guys now,” Figgins said. “I’m still learning and working on getting my pad level down, staying low, knee bend. That’s the biggest thing.”
Swann excelling
Richt lauded cornerback Branden Smith on Friday, when he recorded an uncanny five interceptions during practice. That overshadowed what Richt said was some exemplary work the previous three days by freshman defensive back Damian Swann.
“I didn’t mention Swann yesterday, but after I looked at the film I thought he made a couple of really outstanding plays [Friday], and he made a couple of very nice plays again [Saturday],” Richt said. “He’s competing extremely well.”
Swann is a 2010 AJC Super 11 player out of Grady High School. Virtually every player asked about the defensive backfield so far has mentioned Swann as being a standout.
Other players singled out by Richt for their good work Saturday were wide receiver Tavarres King, linebacker Michael Gilliard, safety Shawn Williams, tight ends Orson Charles and Aron White and Samuel.
Injury report
Defensive backs Brandon Boykin and Jakar Hamilton were out with hamstring injuries, and Derek Owens was sidelined with an unknown Richt said was not serious. Outside linebacker Cornelius Washington (hamstring) and defensive end Derrick Lott (leg laceration) remained sidelined. ... Tailback Ken Malcome continues to practice, but is limping noticeably from a groin injury that has plagued him since spring practice.
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