Three rookies are poised to start in Georgia’s secondary when the Bulldogs open the season against Clemson on Aug. 30.
Shattle Fenteng was working with the No. 1 defense at “boundary” cornerback during a partially opened practice Tuesday at Sanford Stadium, and Dominick Sanders was taking most of the first-team reps at the “Star,” or nickel-back position. Fenteng is a transfer from Hutchinson Community College. Sanders is a freshman from Tucker. Aaron Davis, a redshirt freshman from Locust Grove, also took the majority of snaps at free safety with the first defense.
The Bulldogs made it clear Tuesday that they’re not afraid to go with youth and inexperience in the backfield.
“They’ve got a good talent base; their issue is experience,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said. “Experience and playing SEC football, which they have none. So that’s the biggest issue. They’re getting coached real hard right now because they’ve got to get ready and the clock’s ticking.”
Georgia knew it would have to replace three starters from last season’s secondary. The Bulldogs have some older, slightly more experienced players they could go with, but the coaches are electing to go with the unproven talent. First-year defensive backs J.J. Green, Malkom Parrish and Rico Johnson were getting reps with the second-string defense and occasionally subbed with the first team.
“Well, I’d like to say that these young guys will just play lights out from the very beginning,” Richt said. “But I can’t sit here and say that’s going to happen. I think they’ll do some really good things, and they’ll probably do some things that aren’t so good, like most freshmen do. But the goal is to make as many of the mistakes you can in practice and not in the game.”
Meanwhile, freshman Lorenzo Carter also was getting a lot of work with the first-team defense. But some of that was because sophomore Leonard Floyd was practicing under non-contact status.
“Either way Lorenzo is going to play,” Richt said. “He’s had a good camp.”
The rest of the starters in the secondary Tuesday were senior Damian Swann at “field” cornerback and senior Corey Moore at strong safety.
“Number 24, what’s his name, Sanders?” Georgia quarterback Hutson Mason said. “He’s really stood out to me. Maybe that’s because he has both my picks (in preseason). He’s definitely done a really good job. But these coaches have a lot of high expectations for these freshmen.”
Students in the house: Youth in the secondary was just one revelation unveiled during a rare open practice for the Bulldogs are Sanford Stadium on Tuesday. The team invited UGA students, in only their second day of classes for fall semester, to attend the practice. The Bulldogs practiced privately for about an hour as a line in a northwest corner gate formed and stretched down Sanford Drive and around the Grady College of Journalism.
The students — and media — were admitted for the last hour and 10 minutes of the practice. They were treated to a lot of 11-on-11 scrimmaging and a limited amount of special-teams work. They were also provided with pizza, water and T-shirts.
“This practice, coming back after two or three days off, routinely has been dead,” Mason said. “I think coach Richt had that in mind when he invited the student body to come see practice. You kind of get a new energy to go to the stadium and see something different. I think it did help kind of give us a pep in our step seeing those guys cheering us on.”
O-line takes shape: There was still some minor shifting and shuffling on the offensive line on Tuesday. But there was one position from which there was no deviation — John Theus was always at left tackle with the No. 1 offense.
Theus entered preseason camp listed as the top player on the depth chart at both right and left tackle. He started at right tackle his first two seasons in Athens. But as the Bulldogs move closer to playing Clemson, Theus appears solidly entrenched at left tackle.
“It’s definitely nice to stay over there so I can focus on the little things,” Theus said. “It’s nice to be in one spot and just try to get better at it.”
Sophomore Brandon Kublanow took most of the reps at left guard, and Kolton Houston did the same at right tackle while alternating with senior Watts Dantzler. David Andrews and Greg Pyke manned their usual spots with the first team at center and right guard.
Etc.: Freshman Isaiah McKenzie was the first returner up with the No. 1 kickoff-return unit. Reggie Davis was first on punt return. … Georgia will return to the stadium Wednesday evening for a dress-rehearsal scrimmage to prepare for the season opener.
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