INSIDER: Georgia Bulldogs' First Practice Observations

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ATHENS - Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs are getting ready for the 2022 season, and a matchup with the Oregon Ducks to start the season. We had a look at the first practice of the year... here is what we saw.

The players were not in full pads- just shoulder pads and helmets. 

We have a breakdown of the offense and the defense, but first, my favorite quote from Kirby Smart screaming on the microphone today that is appropriate to share in this story:

“If you have to take your helmet off already, you are soft!” 

Offense

• Offensive Line (Read Dean Legge’s There's One Simple Question About These Georgia Bulldogs)
  • First Team: Broderick Jones (LT), Devin Willock (LG), Sedrick Van Pran-Granger (C), Tate Ratledge (RG), Warren McClendon (RT)
  • Second Team: Earnest Greene (LT), Xavier Truss (LG), Warren Ericson (C), Dylan Fairchild (RG), Amarius Mims (RT)
    • This is what we saw today. The guards could very well change a little bit, especially at the guard position
  • This certainly is a big group, with a lot of them having significant experience 
• Running Backs
  • It looked like they were catering towards Kenny McIntosh being the starter
    • They will rotate them all in, regardless
• A healthy Kendall Milton will be a problem for defenses to deal with
• Daijun Edwards, as Kirby Smart mentioned today, will get his share of touches
• In the drills we saw, you couldn’t tell who was higher on the depth chart between freshmen Branson Robinson and Andrew Paul
• Tight Ends
  • The only one in a non-contact jersey was Brett Siether 
  • Darnell Washington was wearing a right leg/knee sleeve
  • Brock Bowers is noticeably the smallest of the four guys that look to get significant time
    • He looks ready to go after having surgery a few months ago
  • Oscar Delp looks cut
  • Arik Gilbert lined up all over the field. Inside and out. 
• Wide Receivers
  • They looked healthy
  • This is a group that has dealt with alot of injuries the last couple of seasons
  • Dominick Blaylock looks a lot closer to being Dominick Blaylock 
  • Ladd McConkey and Adonai Mitchell are going to play a big part in this offense
    • They looked like the top-2 guys as far as drills go
• Pass Catchers in General
  • They are LOADED at wide receiver and tight end.
    • That is all. 
• Quarterbacks
  • There was not a way to tell what the depth chart order was in the drills we saw but if I had to guess it goes:
  • Stetson Bennett, Carson Beck, Brock Vandagriff, Gunner Stockton
  • Bennett looked comfortable and confident
  • He even looked like he added some muscle in his upper body 

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Defense

• Defensive Line
  • Mykel Williams looks to be in the rotation, and he looked lean 
  • Kirby Smart talked one-on-one with Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins for about 45 seconds
    • He was not screaming, but just coaching him up
• Freshman Christen Miller was in a non-contact jersey
• Who is going to step up next to Jalen Carter
  • Zion Logue, Tryion Ingram-Dawkins, Jonathan Jefferson and Tramel Walthour look like those guys
• Secondary
  • Hard to tell who the starters were, but Smart said today that he wanted to be able to play six guys out there at once- something he felt they struggled to do last season 
  • Kelee Ringo and Christopher Smith were obvious
  • Nyland Green, Kamari Lassiter and William Poole are fighting to get the most reps opposite of Ringo
  • Dan Jackson, Tykee Smith, Javon Bullard, David Daniel-Sisavahn and Malaki Starks are fighting for time at s
• Outside Linebackers
  • Nolan Smith is the clear leader- it is go time
  • Chaz Chambliss looked like a starter
  • He was hard to miss
    • Robert Beal as well
• Inside Linebackers
  • Jamon Dumas-Johnson seems to be the guy
  • Trezman Marshall, Smael Mondon and Jalon Walker all look to rotate with him