UGA discovers life without A.J. Green

"We've been fighting through enough adversity this year that I think we can handle some more," quarterback Joe Cox said. "It's just something we're going to have to deal with and find guys who are going to step up."

The Bulldogs stepped up after Green went down with a sprained joint in his left shoulder early in the second quarter against Auburn last week. In fact, improbably, the Dogs scored 31 points after their best player left the game, rallying from a 14-0 deficit to win 31-24. Immediately after Green's injury, his replacement -- Israel Troupe -- caught a 50-yard touchdown pass on a play that offensive coordinator Mike Bobo called without realizing Green wasn't on the field.

"I did not know Troupe was in the game, either, until I came off my play fake and went to throw the ball," Cox said. "I pumped and my eyes went to the receiver and I saw it was Troupe [instead of Green] blowing past the guy. It was an interesting play."

Interesting, but probably misleading if it suggests life without A.J. is going to be easy for the Georgia offense.

"Obviously, when you have a guy like A.J., a lot of your game plan is geared toward finding ways to get him the ball in space," Cox said. "But we'll figure out something as the week goes along."

Even after missing the Tennessee Tech game with a bruised lung and missing three quarters of last week's game, Green is second in the SEC in receiving yards (751).

"You hate it when somebody goes down," Troupe said, "but you also know that when somebody does go down, it's your opportunity .... to show everybody that Georgia recruited you and that you can come in and make the same impact that A.J can."

The Bulldogs will need continued progress from largely unproven receivers -- Troupe, a sophomore who equaled his previous career receptions total with two against Auburn; Tavarres King, a redshirt freshman whose 47-yard reception set up a touchdown Saturday; Rantavious Wooten and Marlon Brown, both true freshmen; and Orson Charles, a true freshman tight end who made a pivotal catch of a ball off the hands of an Auburn defender.

"A lot of times, we have kind of relied on A.J. to make the big catch or score the touchdown," Charles said. "Now we have to make sure everybody does their part."

Georgia coach Mark Richt said a decision won't be made until later in the week about who will start in Green's flanker spot. Troupe and Wooten are listed as co-No. 1 at the position on this week's depth chart.

The Bulldogs might be better equipped to deal with Green's absence now than they would have been early in the season because of recent improvement in the running game, led by tailbacks Caleb King and Washaun Ealey.

Kentucky coach Rich Brooks said he was impressed with the evolution of Georgia's offense, sans Green, against Auburn.

"They looked like a little bit different team, particularly in the second half when they became a physical, downhill-running team and really took it to Auburn," Brooks said. "They really ... looked like more of the Georgia of old as far as being able to pound the football at you."

Statistically, Kentucky seems vulnerable to the run. The Wildcats rank 11th in the SEC in rushing defense (177.6 yards allowed per game).

"Most people that have hurt them running the ball have hurt them with the option game," Richt said. "The more traditional ... things that we do the most, they've been much tougher and physical against those types of runs.

"It makes you want to put some option in, doesn't it?" he added with a laugh.

Speaking of the (triple) option: still no prognosis on whether Green's injury will heal in time for him to play in the regular-season finale at Georgia Tech on Nov. 28.

"We just don't know," Richt said, "but we haven't counted it out."