This is the third installment of our annual winter series at UGASports.com, taking a look at Georgia’s full roster heading into the start of spring practice next month.
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Today, we’ll highlight left tackle.
Being a first-time starter in the SEC at left tackle is not easy. Many will argue it's one of the most difficult spots for breaking into college football.
Earnest Greene III will not give you much argument about that.
It was a whirlwind season for the redshirt freshman, who won the job at left tackle and started all 14 games for the Bulldogs. He's undoubtedly banking on that experience making him even more effective moving into what will be his sophomore year, eligibility-wise.
“Maturing, and just living off the DNA traits here—connection, toughness, resiliency, composure. All that stuff seems to pop up in everyday life,” Greene said prior to the Orange Bowl. “So, I’ve just been trying to live off those four traits in all aspects of my life, and it’s making things a whole lot easier.”
Considering it will be his second year as a starter, there's every reason to expect Greene's game to improve.
There are certain areas in which he can reach a higher level, including playing with stronger balance and doing a better job against counter moves by on-rushing defensive ends.
Last year, Greene played 799 snaps for the Bulldogs. He allowed eight quarterback hurries, four quarterback hits, and one sack, but still impressed the league enough to earn a spot on the SEC All-Freshman Team.
Head coach Kirby Smart spoke about Greene's season last year.
“He’s done a nice job. He continues to get better and be accountable for his mistakes; he’s had those, but he has the ability,” Smart said. “I think people forget that this was really his first year of playing football at Georgia. He was really a freshman, but he was a first-year (player) playing at the SEC level, and that’s really hard for someone to do in terms of walking out there and playing against some of the guys he has to play against.”
While Smart and position coach Stacy Searels can feel good about what they have in Greene, it's going to be important for the Bulldogs to use the spring to shore up their depth at that position.
Sophomore Monroe Freeling bounced between left and right tackle during the year and is expected to do so again. If you want to know who the top backup to Greene will be, the smart money is on him.
Other names we expect to be groomed for the position include redshirt freshmen Bo Hughley and Jamal Merriweather, with early enrollees Daniel Calhoun, Michael Uini, and Nyier Daniels also possibly receiving looks.
