Although head coach Kirby Smart still does not have a timetable in regards to running back Nick Chubb, offensive coordinator Jim Chaney sees no reason the junior can’t get back to form following the knee injury he suffered last October at Tennessee.
At least he hopes so.
“From my perspective – and I’ll leave all the medical questions with him (Smart), he’s practicing hard like everybody else is and I see Nick Chubb being the same player as before and will continue to do so,” Chaney said Saturday. “He’s a downhill running son-of-a-gun so let’s hand him the ball and see what he can get done.”
Smart and Chaney should start to get a better idea very soon.
The Bulldogs put on full pads for the first time Friday, and it shouldn’t be long until Chubb gets to take his first real contact since the injury occurred.
Once he is cleared, Chaney says he won’t be getting fancy as far as Chubb’s usage is concerned.
“I think Nick has demonstrated in the past what a talented football player he is, so I don’t see us changing a lot with what’s been done with him before,” Chaney said. “There’s nothing broke there so let’s don’t fix it. He can go downhill as a heavy running back and that’s what we’re doing. He’s working every day to get himself in shape and I’m comfortable we’re on track.”
Smart issues a challenge to Carter, Bellamy
Georgia lost a pair of the SEC’s best outside linebackers with the graduation of Jordan Jenkins and Leonard Floyd’s decision to leave a year early for the NFL.’
Lorenzo Carter and Davin Bellamy hope to fill their cleats, but right now Smart said each has a lot of work yet to do.
“Those are some big shoes to fill. Those guys had high motors, Jordan was really a physical presence, struck blockers and played things the right way,” Smart said. “To say they’re going to fill those shoes is unfair to them because I think those are really big shoes to fill. Both those guys are working hard but they are not where we need them to be.”
Being physical at the point of attack is Smart’s biggest concern.
“Where we’re depleted the most right now is on the edges of the defense when it comes to five-technique, six-technique, those type bodies,” Smart said. “It’s not the inside guys so much, but the outside guys, they need to hold up and I’m challenging those guys each day to go out and take on tight ends, take on tackles and play more physical. We’re not where we need to be that position.”
Smart pleased with tempo
Now that the full pads have come on, Smart says he’ll soon be able to learn a lot more about his team.
“We got to pop a little bit so we’ve certainly got a little more work done. I’m excited about the tempo guys have,” he said. “They’ve really pushed through. It’s started to get to that grind of camp where you want guys to push through pain, through the nicks, bumps and bruises.”
So far, injuries haven’t been that big of a problem.
The Bulldogs will be without John Atkins for a short period of time while he recovers from a hyper-extended knee, but running back Shaquery Wilson (bone bruise) is back getting in some work and is close to returning to full duty.
Smart, who spoke to the media prior to Saturday’s open practice at Sanford Stadium, said he hoped his players would focus with fans in the stands.
“If the distraction comes because somebody is in the stands, or because you got your picture taken before practice, does that change your demeanor? Does that change how you practice, does that change how you react to coaching?” Smart said. “Does that change how you react to when somebody kicks your butt? It’s very important to me that they handle that the right way. If they can’t handle that today they certainly won’t in the Georgia Dome, so it’s important to me that they handle it the right way and they execute.”
Hardman making an impression
Defensive coordinator Mel Tucker said he’s been impressed with what he’s seen from freshman Mecole Hardman.
“Mecole, he's doing fine. There’s high expectations for all these new guys that come in, highly-recruited players. But when we get them here, we're just working and working hard,” Tucker said. “We’re trying to get these guys dialed in to the techniques and fundamentals of what we want them to do and how we want them to do it, and he's responding well.”
Tucker said he’s especially pleased that Hardman wants to learn as much as he has.
“He's a hard worker,” Tucker said. “He's got a great attitude. He works well with his teammates. He fits well in the room. And he always wants to know, "Coach, was that good? Is that how you want me to do it?" And he's always paying attention in meetings and things like that. I think his future is very bright.”
This and that
Tucker and Chaney said they both intend to coach from the field. … Walk-on kicker Mitchell Wasson is currently not listed on the fall roster but he will be once students arrive on campus next week. NCAA rules state that team cannot have more than 105 players on campus before classes begin. … Georgia will resume practice on Sunday with the session closed to the media.
