After losing to Nebraska in the Gator Bowl on New Year’s Day, the Bulldogs will return to the field for their annual spring game. This is when the players and coaches get a chance to show fans a glimpse of what to expect in the 2014 season. Georgia has been practicing for the last three weeks and while they have a majority of their players from last season coming back, there was still a lot for them to work on.
From replacing the offensive line to getting the right personnel on defense, the Bulldogs need a strong and productive spring practice to have a much better 2014 season. However, even when the Bulldogs end spring practice, they will still have more work to do when preseason practice begins in August.
Here’s a look at the players to watch, top position battles and other things fans need to know when they are watching G-Day.
PLAYERS TO WATCH…
Many people will have their eyes on the stars like Todd Gurley, Hutson Mason and Ramik Wilson when they are watching the game on Saturday. But there are a couple of players that are not household names, but have the chance to really turn heads on Saturday.
One of the good things about spring football is that players that did not have a chance to prove themselves last season can start with a clean slate, especially when new coaches are at the helm.
That is the case for cornerback Aaron Davis, a redshirt freshman that has made his way to the top of the depth chart. Defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt has been shuffling the secondary almost every day, but he said that he has been playing the best out of all the other cornerbacks.
Another player that had to redshirt last season was running back A.J. Turman who has been getting a lot snaps this spring.
Turman would have seen the field last season had he not injured his MCL before the season began. Due to the injuries to Keith Marshall and Todd Gurley, Turman had an opportunity to see a lot of action last year and possibly started a couple of games. But J.J. Green and Brendan Douglas proved they could handle the load and the led to a redshirt for Turman.
But the running back from Orlando has performed well this spring as he rushed for 22 yards on four carries in the second scrimmage. Even head coach Mark Richt has been impressed with his effort and work ethic during the last few weeks. Because Marshall is recovering from knee surgery and Green has moved from running back to cornerback, Turman will have a good chance to shine on Saturday.
TOP POSITION BATTLES …
The top two position battles are not hard to figure out considering what the Bulldogs lost and the areas that need the most improvement.
The secondary is a position area that has been focused on a lot and Pruitt has been evaluating everyone on the unit since spring practice began.
And because he’s been evaluating the secondary quite a bit, there have been a lot of changes. As mentioned earlier, Green has been moved from running back to corner and Brendan Langley has been moved from cornerback to safety.
When the Bulldogs take the field on Saturday, the starting secondary will go like this: safeties will be Tray Matthews and Corey Moore while Davis and Damian Swann will man the corner positions. But players like Devin Bowman, Shaq Wiggins and Sheldon Dawson will all get a lot of looks on Saturday as well as Green and Langley.
The offensive line is another position area to watch because the Bulldogs have to replace three starters from last season. Both guard positions are up for grabs and the top two candidates to take the spots are Brandon Kublanow and Watts Dantzler. However, Greg Pyke and Zach DeBell have made moves this spring and could easily be the No. 1 guards by the end of spring practice.
There is also a tackle position up for grabs but Kolton Houston and John Theus will man both tackle spots. And David Andrews has the center position squared away as he has been the starter the last 27 games.
OTHER INFORMATION …
Here’s how the spring game will be set up. There will be a Red team and Black team (the black team will wear white jerseys). The Red team will consist of the No. 1 offense and the No. 2 defense. The White team will include the No. 1 defense and the No. 2 offense. Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo will coach the red team while Pruitt will coach the Black team.
The game will consist of four 12-minute quarters and the game will kickoff at 1 p.m. Gates will open at 11 a.m. and there will be a Georgia Football Letterman’s game being played right when the fans walk into the stadium.
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