UGA's reworked O-line still solid. King's attitude is praise.

[SacFalcFan]

GEORGIA FOOTBALL REPORT

UGA's reworked O-line still solid

By CARTER STRICKLAND

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 02/28/08

Athens The Georgia depth chart is out.

And it means almost nothing.

"The pre-spring depth chart is the toughest one to do," said Georgia coach Mark Richt. "You are trying to make everybody happy. That lineup is subject to change more than any time of the year. Usually it changes after a scrimmage, and we scrimmage a good bit in the spring. Or it changes in the middle of practice. Usually there are more demotions than promotions in the middle of practice. After a scrimmage usually there are more promotions.

"It is going to be interesting," Richt said.

The depth chart, however fluid, is interesting on the offensive line at the moment.

Kiante Tripp has been penciled in at right tackle. In fact, he is the only right tackle on the depth chart. Vince Vance has been moved from tackle to guard. Vance played both last season and might very well play both in 2008, Richt said.

Then there is Justin Anderson. Richt is very high on the redshirt freshman. Anderson is currently behind Clint Boling at guard.

"If Justin Anderson really comes on, it is going to be tough to get him out of there, so now what do you do?" Richt said.

Boling is most likely not going to be moved out of the starting lineup because he proved himself during his true freshman season. So where does Anderson go?

There is another question at center, where Chris Davis is currently penciled in as the starter. If one of the backups, such as Ben Jones, comes on, Davis may move back to guard.

"I would love to be able to play seven or eight or nine linemen," Richt said.

That is a drastic change from the previous two years when Georgia was struggling to find five and six linemen.

Tripp makes impact quickly

The emergence of Tripp has been somewhat of a surprise. The sophomore started last season at defensive end before he moved to the offensive line because of a lack of depth there.

Now Tripp could be an impact player at right tackle. "Right now Kiante is doing everything you would ask him to do," Richt said.

Tripp has been one of the top performers in the weight room and in mat drills. He has also pushed his weight to 270 pounds.

"Now he has got to stick his nose on somebody and wear people out, lock on and run his feet and finish his blocks and be able to pass protect the way he is capable of," Richt said. "There is going to be some competition out there no doubt. I really like what Kiante has done to this point."

King's attitude praised by Richt

Redshirt freshman running back Caleb King should get every chance to shine this spring. In fact, Richt said, he already started to do that throughout the offseason conditioning program.

"If you would have watched Caleb King this morning and really all the mornings, he stood out to me as a guy who is in condition and can take coaching, a guy who is moving extremely well; he has a mental edge about him where he has a this-doesn't-really-faze-me attitude," Richt said.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford said it was really at the end of last season when King showed him that he was ready for the SEC.

"He has got the potential to take it to the house every time ... and I think he can run between the tackles just fine, too," Stafford said. "What everybody told me when he was coming out of high school was that he is shifty all the time and maybe [does] not want to stick it in there. But he was running some people over and doing some stuff at the end of last year that was surprising me and a lot of people. He has got both."