The Georgia Bulldogs have beenthe starting right tackle spot on the practice fields in th Classic City for a whole week now, so it seems like a good time to review some of what we've learned so far:
Boling is rolling. True freshman offensive tackle Clint Boling has moved up to the starting right tackle spot for the moment while Chester Adams nurses a sprained ankle. Is he ready for that responsibility? As Offensive Coordinator Mike Bobo said "Is he ready? No. He's a freshman, but he's all we've got." That pretty much sums it up.
Tony Wilson will play. While Wilson's not the biggest receiver, and there were some worries during the spring about his conditioning, Coach Richt reports that the 5'11, 190 lb. receiver is the Dawgs' most physical wideout. Make no mistake, this receiving corps is a group that is in need of both physical and mental toughness. If Wilson is at the forefront in those categories, he'll see the field a lot, even though there are a plethora of more experienced guys.
Competition makes everyone better. And there are several position battles going on. The Athens Banner Herald reports that senior Thomas Flowers has used his experience to supplant Asher Allen at the boudary corner slot, at least for now. Geno Atkins has taken over one starting tackle slot from Kade Weston, largely because Coach Garner has been unimpressed with Weston's conditioning. I would not be surprised if we don't see some other changes after this evening's first offensive/defensive scrimmage under the lights in Sanford Stadium.
The number and variety of position battles going on are a result of increased depth. Across the field, we probably have more quality depth than we've had at any time in recent memory. That's a very exciting development.
Mark Richt is a member of the Rennie Curran fan club. David Ching reports that the head coach is gushing about his freshman linebacker. Coach Richt on Curran's attitude: "The kid loves Georgia. He's so fired up about being at Georgia, it's unbelievable. I think he would literally bleed for the team." With a thin linebacking corps, it's looking more and more like Curran and Charles White may see significant time this season.