Spring Practice Preview: What to watch
So, you’re hankering for a little football?
Well, you’re in luck. Tuesday afternoon, the Georgia Bulldogs hold the first of what will be 15 days of spring practice, culminating with the annual G-Day game set for April 21 at Sanford Stadium.
There are several important questions Kirby Smart and his staff will be looking to answer as the Bulldogs look to defend their SEC Championship.
They include:
What’s the plan for Justin Fields? - Based on what we’ve been told, like Jake Fromm before him, Fields has made quite the impression in the three months he’s been on campus as an early enrollee and coaches are anxious to see him take what he’s learned to the field.
Is Fields really a threat to overtake Fromm? Head coach Kirby Smart will tell you that every position is open for competition, and while it seems unlikely that the talented freshman will overtake Fromm, coaches will prepare him for action and have plays in place to start taking advantage of his abilities.
Who will be Georgia’s right tackle? - Offensive line coach Sam Pittman proclaimed in December that the move of Andrew Thomas to left tackle will leave redshirt freshman Isaiah Wilson and early enrollee Cade Mays to battle for the starting job at right tackle. Who will win? Stay tuned.
Who will step up as Georgia’s third receiver? - The Bulldogs return senior Terry Godwin and junior Mecole Hardman, two of the team’s top three receivers from last fall. But with the graduation of Javon Wims, who will take the next step to help fill the void? Junior Riley Ridley would appear to be the top candidate after catching six passes for 82 yards in the National Championship, but Jeremiah Holloman, Tyler Simmons, and Jayson Stanley could have something to say about that. Early enrollee Kearis Jackson has made a quick impression, and redshirt freshman Matt Landers drew praise from Smart throughout the course of the 2017 campaign.
Who fills the void of Thompson and Atkins on the defensive line? - Nose guard John Atkins and defensive tackle Trenton Thompson have to be replaced, but fortunately Georgia’s cupboard is not bare. It’s just a matter of who steps up.
Tyler Clark and Julian Rochester seem to be the most logical choices. Clark enjoyed a banner year as a sophomore, and figures to take over for Thompson, while Rochester is the likely candidate to take over for Atkins after his solid sophomore campaign. Junior David Marshall, junior Michail Carter, sophomore Malik Herring and junior Michael Barnett are each expected to play key roles.
Senior Jonathan Ledbetter (defensive end) takes over as the leader for the unit.
Can D’Andre Walker be a three-down player? - Walker played exceptionally well for the Bulldogs as the third man at outside linebacker behind Lorenzo Carter and Davin Bellamy, but now that they’re gone, it’s Walker’s turn to provide leadership. The guess here is coaches will look for Walker to fill Carter’s spot at Sam linebacker, with sophomore Walter Grant and redshirt freshman Robert Beal battling to see who replaces Bellamy at Jack.
What can we expect from Natrez Patrick? - Patrick is still with the team but coaches will be watching closely. Assuming everything’s OK, Patrick will give Georgia’s depth at Mike linebacker a big boost, along with sophomore Monty Rice. Filling Roquan Smith’s spot at Will linebacker could be a chore, but Juwan Taylor, Tae Crowder and Nate McBride will be among those giving it a try.
Who fills the vacancies in the secondary? - Safety Dominick Sanders, Star Aaron Davis and cornerback Malkom Parrish have graduated, leaving holes in the secondary. Sophomore Richard LeCounte is the favorite to step in for Sanders, but there’s a batch of players who figure to battle at cornerback, including Mark Webb, Tyrique McGee, Ameer Speed and Eric Stokes.
Deangelo Gibbs is also reportedly back with the team and could figure into the mix at Star as the replacement for Davis.
Other spring storylines:
- D'Andre Swift now at the top of the heap
- Does Marshall Long or Bill Rubright establish themselves at punter before the arrival of Jake Camarda?
- How will the new coaches mesh?