Off the field, left tackle Andrew Thomas and left guard Solomon Kindley may be Georgia’s version of the odd couple. On it, they'll be one of the better left halves of an offensive line anywhere in the country.

Thomas, who is already being projected as one of the top OL prospects in next year’s NFL Draft, is always as measured and direct in his dealings with the media as he is when taking on opposing defensive ends. Kindley, meanwhile, is basically the opposite. Whereas Thomas lets his actions speak for him, Kindley is someone who seemingly enjoys his time in front of the camera, and a player who enjoys chatting it up with opponents, even during the course of a game.

“Sol is more of a talking guy. He likes talking to the other team,” Thomas said. “I’m more of trying to get the play; trying to calm him down.”

However, don’t get the wrong idea. The easy-going persona the media typically sees with Kindley disappears when he’s on the field.

“People ask me how can you transition from being such a nice person off the field and turn into this person who doesn’t care about anything and is just ready to play,” Kindley said. “That’s just my mindset. I don’t want to lose against whoever I’m playing. I like to go after you any way I can.”

That’s basically the mindset of Georgia’s entire offensive line, one which being hyped as not only one of the best in the SEC, but the entire country as well.

It’s a standard Thomas certainly expects to uphold, starting with Saturday’s season-opener at Vanderbilt (7:30 p.m., SEC Network).

“We set standards for ourselves,” Thomas said. “We want to be the best offensive line in the country. We work hard to be that.”

Kindley agreed.

“Fast and physical, that’s all I’ve got to say. Fast and physical,” he said, noting the chemistry the two have built during three years of being teammates as being huge to their respective development.

“That’s just the chemistry we have with each other. We know if he jumps outside, I’ve got his back. If I lean inside, he’s got my back. It’s just the chemistry on the field,” Kindley said. “He knows about my family; I know about his family. He knows about my problems; I know about his problems. That makes you grind for that person even more. When he does something wrong, I get on to him, and when I do something wrong, he gets on to me. That’s the brotherhood we have.”

A little friendly competition goes a long way, too.

“Every game, we’ve got a deal who gets the highest scoring grade at the end of the game,” he said. “We compete every day. That’s just how it is. We stand up for each other.”

Prizes are on the line.

“Sometime, if I have a higher grade than you, you’ve got to put gas in my car. You’ve got to buy my food this weekend; wherever I go, you’ve got to buy my food,” Kindley said. “I’m going to try to win all of them. Tell Andrew I’m trying to win all of them.”

Junior linebacker Monty Rice seemed to be in a good mood as he took his position in front of the cameras after practice Wednesday.

“Oh, I’m here,” Rice said, one day Tuesday’s scheduled appearance with the Bulldog beat crew fell through.

Among the questions:

● His thoughts on Georgia’s defense for 2019:

“I think we’ve got a lot of depth, and I think we’re emphasizing pressures, giving the offensive negative plays. That’s been more of an emphasis this year.”

● Will he be disappointed if the goals set regarding the havoc rate aren’t met?

“Of course, we’ve been working all summer for this. This is what we want. We’ve been working ever since the Sugar Bowl. When you work hard on something, you want to accomplish your goals.”

● On Georgia’s running backs:

“It’s always a challenge, especially in coverage, because you never know what they're about to do. (D’Andre) Swift may come with something different. (James) Cook may run right by you, Zamir (White) is going to do his thing, then there’s Brian (Herrien) and even Prather (Hudson). We’ve got a stable of them.”

● What he expects from Nakobe Dean.

“I expect him to play hard like he always does. Make plays, be effective, and run to the ball like he always does.”

Kirby Smart had the following to say during Wednesday’s SEC teleconference.

● On season-opening jitters:

“Most of the time, practice is a good indicator of how they’re going to play. I've seen guys that have some anxiety and make some mistakes and do some things you might not have seen in camp, but you rarely see players stand out that haven’t stood out in practice. That’s hard to do, especially with the intensity and the way we practice. Every practice in camp is so intense, you get so few of them, that most of the time it makes players show their true colors. If they’re not ready, they’re not ready, and if they are, they are. So we try to build them that way. I do think the first one (game) has more jitters than normal.”

● Thoughts on Monty Rice:

“Monty is a leader. He gives exceptional effort. He works really hard in the classroom and in the meeting room. For us, he’s done really well, and we’re really proud of Monty. He works his tail off. It’s really important to him, and he leads others. He had an injury last year, and that frustrated him. He’s been pretty healthy, especially for a linebacker.”

● On Vanderbilt Coach Derek Mason’s Defense:

“Number one, his players play hard and tackle well. He’s done a tremendous job creating both odd and even fronts. They do a really good job of pressuring things and have had some good players, great corners, great linebackers. That comes a lot from his NFL background and Stanford background, where he’s been able to play in multiple fronts which can create confusion for your offensive teams, and he’s really good at that.”

● On what he is most excited to see from the Bulldogs Saturday night:

“A lot. Special Teams, we have a lot of young kids playing on special teams. I want to see those guys flourish, play well. I want to see what kind of habits we’ve created, both offensively and defensively. How are we going to tackle? This is your first chance to go tackle live in a game, outside of two or three scrimmages and some practice. Are all our habits, good or bad, going to pay off for us? You find that out.”

● On his wide receivers:

"I am excited to see those guys play, and hopefully have some success. They know they're targeted, and people are talking about them. They know they’re going to have some one-on-one opportunities with the backs we have and the running game we have. They have to maximize those opportunities and take advantage of them.”

● What he remembers about his first game as a player:

“There were jitters (before the game). I mean there was a lot of excitement with it being a home game in front of your fans. I remember a lot more about thinking about it and worrying about it than actually playing in it. Once you get out there, it’s football. It’s kind of, the natural instinct takes over once you hit the grass and go play. I don’t remember jitters during the game. I remember looking forward to getting on the field, and a lifelong dream of getting to play at home in Sanford Stadium.”