Better conditioning. That’s been Job 1 for members of Georgia’s offensive line at practice this week heading into Saturday SEC opener at South Carolina, where forecasts call for temperatures at Williams-Brice Stadium in the low to mid 90s.

Head coach Kirby Smart made that point during his weekly press conference Monday afternoon.

“I didn't think the conditioning was where it needed to be, and I told those guys that. I thought at times they did some good things. The team they were playing was probably over-matched in a lot of the situations they were in,” Smart said. “I was pleased with assignments, pleased with communication. But it will be a whole new ballgame this week. They're going to be playing bigger, more physical guys. It's going to be loud. They've got to do a better job of creating movement; they’ve got to do a better job of second-level blocking and protecting our ball carriers down the field and covering down, which takes more effort.”

Right guard Ben Cleveland said the message has been heard loud and clear.

“We’ve really been focusing this week on our conditioning,” Cleveland said after practice on Wednesday. “We know it’s going to be really hot over there, so we’ve been putting a really big emphasis on chasing down the ball after it’s thrown, running on and off the field, small things that are going to make a difference.”

Starting left guard Solomon Kindley confirmed there’s been plenty of running involved.

“Every period,” he said. “One period, we’ll have period way to the left on one field, then the next period, we’ll run to the next field, like on 2-A. Sometimes when we’re doing special teams, we’ll be on the sideline running 50s. We’re in good condition.”

Blocking to the second level is Job 2. The Bulldogs didn’t do a lot of that against FCS Austin Peay.

“It’s all about finishing blocks,” Cleveland said. “That’s been one of our biggest things, getting to the second level and making those key blocks on those backers and corners, so our backs can get one-on-ones and do what they do.”

There’s a new face lending a helping hand to Georgia’s offensive line: former four-year starter John Theus.

Theus, who recently retired from a three-year career in the NFL that included stints at San Francisco, Carolina, New Orleans and Tennessee, is back in Athens working for Smart, assisting position coach Sam Pittman.

“He’s been here about a week,” Cleveland said. “He just brings a bunch of knowledge. He knows what’s going on. He’s been here, played here, and he kind of knows how things work.”

A former fifth-round pick of San Francisco in 2016, Cleveland said Theus has already made an impact.

“I think the biggest thing he’s got going right now is his history with all these teams,” he said. “He knows what everybody does, what their habits are. I think he’s going to be a really big help to us.”

… Wide receivers Terry Godwin continues to practice. There seem to be no apparent lingering issues to the knee injury that’s plagued him the past two weeks.

Smart said Tuesday he expects Godwin to travel to Columbia, but would not know for sure until Thursday.

… Defensive end Jonathan Ledbetter was able to practice after spraining his ankle in practice on Tuesday. But he was limited in drills during the media’s two viewing periods on Wednesday.

… Defensive back Tyrique McGhee (foot) continues to practice and hopes to travel to Columbia.