Georgia Expected To Experiment With Offensive Line
The Georgia Bulldogs have indicated that they will use various offensive line combinations this Saturday against UAB to find a reliable starting five moving forward.
Against Clemson, here was the initial starting offensive line.
- LT - Jamaree Salyer
- LG - Justin Shaffer
- C - Sedrick Van Pran
- RG - Tate Ratledge
- RT - Warren McClendon
Ratledge suffered a season-ending injury just a few plays into the game. The staff was confident that he would have a breakout season in his new starting role, but now they must find a new starting interior lineman.
Many believe that the answer here is Jamaree Salyer. Salyer played a fantastic game at left tackle against Clemson, but the circumstances may require him to kick back inside.
Salyer was adequate at left tackle during the 2020 season, but he has clearly taken a step up to the next level in terms of his play. He converted bad weight into lower body muscle and refined his mechanics in pass protection.
With that being said, it appears that the most logical option is for Salyer to move back inside. Georgia has several young tackles who could step in and replace Salyer.
The first name that springs to mind is redshirt freshman Broderick Jones. Jones had a lot of hype surrounding his name coming out of high school because of his otherworldy size and athleticism for the position.
Once Jones got on campus, it was clear that he needed to refine a few things, and he spent the past season learning Georgia's offensive scheme and figuring out how to be a college offensive linemen.
He has progressed quickly within the past few months, and Jones is now ready to see in-game snaps. Georgia will put him at left tackle at some point this Saturday, and he could carve out a substantial role for himself at the very least.
True freshman Amarius Mims will also see time at some point against UAB. Mims flashed his potential several times during preseason camps, and the coaching staff was excited about Mims' long-term future.
As it turns out, he may have to play left tackle sooner than expected. Mims is naturally gifted and was ready to play in pass protection from the moment he arrived in Athens. He is quickly gaining ground on other tackles in the rotation, and the team wants to see how he fairs during in-game situations.
Center Sedrick Van Pran will try to hold onto his starting role as well. He started against Clemson due to an injury to Warren Ericson and played quite well in Ericson's absence. Van Pran should be the starter moving forward, but offensive line coach Matt Luke will still carefully monitor his progress.
Saturday is an audition for multiple linemen that are hoping to secure starting roles. These battles will continue for weeks to come, but players can get out to early leads if they perform well against UAB.
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