UGA suffers another offensive line injury
Starting tackle Tripp limited in practice, but expected to play
By CHIP TOWERS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Athens ? Earlier this week Georgia coach Mark Richt said there would be changes on the offensive line light of its poor performance against South Carolina. An injury to starting left tackle Kiante Tripp likely will ensure that.
Tripp injured an ankle in Tuesday?s practice. Wearing a green, non-contact jersey, he worked with a trainer Ron Courson on the side for the early part of Wednesday?s practice. Later, however, he was able to join his teammates as they ran plays against the scout team for Saturday?s game against Arizona State.
?He looks good to me,? Richt said of Tripp after Tuesday?s practice. ?Ron anticipates he?ll be on the trip and ready to go.?
Richt said there likely would have been changes regardless. The Gamecocks manhandled Georgia?s offensive line for much of Saturday?s 14-7 victory in Columbia.
If Tripp can?t go, the Bulldogs will likely move guard Vince Vance to left tackle, center Chris Davis to left guard and insert true freshman Ben Jones as starting center. During Wednesday?s practice, it looked as if Clint Boling was getting the majority of reps at right guard and Justin Anderson at right tackle. True freshman Cordy Glenn started the first three games at right guard, and Boling started the past two at right tackle. Glenn could get some looks at left guard.
The Bulldogs are trying to keep whatever they decide to do quiet. Requested interviews with offensive linemen Wednesday were declined.
?We?ll see on Saturday; that?s all I?m saying about the o-line,? offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said. ?The bottom line is, we?ve got to get better up front.?
Georgia lost starting left tackle Trinton Sturdivant to a season-ending knee injury the first week of preseason practice. Tripp had moved to the left side from right tackle to fill the void. So if someone else starts at left tackle, the Bulldogs will be effectively playing a third-stringer there.
Meanwhile, the Sun Devils feature one of the best pass rushers in America in right defensive end Dexter Davis. The 6-2, 252-pounder from Phoenix had 10.5 sacks last season and 16.5 over the previous two years. The other defensive end, senior Luis Vasquez, is also very good.
?I think we have four guys that can go out there [at tackle] and function,? Richt said. ?I?m not saying they?re as good as Trinton. Trinton was starting for a reason. But I?m thinking any one of our guys would need help with Davis. We?ll probably do it by committee.?
?Q? a week away
Safety Quintin Banks, known to his teammates as ?Q,? was running around without obvious limitations in a green, non-contact injury Wednesday. But the redshirt freshman said it will probably be next week before he comes back from a knee injury that sidelined him in the preseason.
?I?m praying for a miracle, but it doesn?t look good for this week,? Banks said. ?I should be back next week.?
Banks was backing up both the strong and free safety positions we he went down the second week of preseason practice. Former walk-on Andrew Williams has been getting most of the backup work.
Tight end Bruce Figgins was held out of contact Wednesday because of a shoulder injury. He will play Saturday. ? Georgia?s record in non-conference games under Richt is 32-2.
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There is no doubt that the Bulldogs have had injuries to some top players.
But they are good enough to beat Arizona St:00hour