ATHENS – Efficiency is the name of the game when it comes to Kirby Smart’s Georgia football practices. There is no standing around at any point, unless it is one of the designated hydration periods, which are few and far between and timed.
Smart brought the routine of “two-spotting” to UGA from Alabama. That simply means that any drill in which every participant can’t be accommodated, it is mirrored by another group either across the field or to one side.
When it comes to Georgia’s high-profile quarterback competition in this year’s preseason camp, the signal-callers were actually “four-spotting” on Tuesday. In a pass-skeleton drill early in the afternoon practice, four quarterbacks took shotgun snaps simultaneously, standing only a yard or so apart from each other. Four receivers – two on each side – then ran their designated routes on a particular play call. Each quarterback delivered a pass to their designated receiver.
The Bulldogs worked extremely fast through the plays, with junior Carson Beck, sophomore Brock Vandagriff and freshman Gunner Stockton lining up side-by-side-by-side and taking turns moving between the left, right and middle drop-back positions. Walkon quarterbacks Jackson Muschamp and Collin Drake alternated turns in the fourth spot.
“Let’s go, pick it up! We’ve got to get rid of the ball quicker,” offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Mike Bobo shouted more than once.
The quarterbacks and receivers did this for about half of a 15-minute observation period designated for reporters. The good news for the Bulldogs is the ball didn’t hit the ground very often. The bad news is a few were completed out of bounds or beyond the back of the end zone.
“We’ve got zero-percent chance of completing a ball out of bounds,” coach Kirby Smart blasted through his hand-held microphone. “Zero percent!”
Credit: Sarah K. Spencer/AJC
Camp grind continues
Tuesday’s practice was No. 6 of 25 in preseason camp and the first so far conducted in full pads.
“Even though we’ve been in ‘shells,’ in shoulder pads, the game changes when the pads come on,” Georgia defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann said before Tuesday’s workout. “And changed a little bit when we went from ‘spiders’ to shells, and it’ll change more today.”
As far as whether any freshmen had distinguished themselves in the early going, Schumann shrugged.
“Consistency decides who’s able to help us,” he said. “So, being on practice 6, everybody, no matter how experienced they are, still has a long way to go to have the consistency we expect and meet the standard. Now those guys flash. They have ability and traits. … They’re embracing what we’re asking of them. But on practice 6 I couldn’t have told you for sure last year who was going to contribute.”
Georgia is about a third of the way through it’s “camp-style” practices. The Bulldogs will conduct scrimmages each of the next two Saturdays, then spend the final week or so finalizing the lineups and installing game plans.
A word from the coaches
Both Schumann and assistant head coach/tight ends coach Todd Hartley answered questions from reporters for about 33 minutes ahead of Tuesday’s afternoon practice. Georgia coach Kirby Smart typically makes his offensive and defensive coordinators available for interviews in the second week of preseason camp. Then, no other assistants will be heard from again until the postseason, when all staff interview participation is required by the SEC and bowl organizers.
Hartley spoke for the first time during the preseason. Presumably that was because of his February promotion to assistant head coach. Hartley, a UGA alum, has been coaching tight ends and special teams for Smart since returning to Georgia from Miami in 2019.
Hartley lit up when asked about making the transition from coaching under offensive coordinator Todd Monken to Bobo this season.
“What a blessing to be able to say you worked for Todd Monken for three seasons. And, then, coach Bobo has had a major influence on my career since I was a student,” Hartley said. “He was here from day 1. And you may not know this: my wife (the former Jessica Spires) was his nanny when I was a G.A. (grad assistant). She was the Bobo’s nanny when they had five kids under 5 – 5-year-old, 3-year-old triplets and a 1-year-old. She was working with Ms. Lainie and coach Bobo full time. So very close relationship with coach Bobo.”
Practice observations
Atlanta-based comedian Jeff Foxworthy was among several spectators who took in Tuesday’s practice from the sidelines of Woodruff Practice Fields. Though a Georgia Tech alum, Foxworthy has never masked his affection for the Bulldogs and is a regular visitor to practices and donor events.
As expected, Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, Dan Jackson and Smael Mondon worked off to the side with trainers due to continued recoveries from foot injuries. Cornerback Kamari Lassiter, running back Kendall Milton and receiver Rara Thomas also were with that group, though the nature of their injuries currently is unknown. Georgia has held four practices since reporters last had access to team.
Sophomore Branson Robinson appeared to be working with the running backs without limitations. Robinson also is recovering from foot injury but was expected to for most of camp. He was moving with a slight limp.
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