Fall Camp Position Battle Update: Offensive Guard

With fall camp coming to close, it means position battles are being settled as Georgia shifts its focus towards Oregon.

In an offense that returns the majority of its top playmakers from a year ago, the big question throughout camp for Georgia is who will establish themselves along the offensive line, mainly on the interior at the two guard spots. 

New offensive line coach Stacy Searels embarks on his first season back in Athens since serving in the same role under Mark Richt from 2007 to 2010, he is looking to replace two starters from last season's national championship-winning unit that surrendered just 15 sacks all year. 

According to Smart's post-scrimmage Saturday, the Bulldogs are winding down fall camp as they begin preparations for the season opener against Oregon later this week. 

"We'll start working — kind of coaches — on Oregon in the next couple days, but not with the players until later in the week. And we'll work on some future opponents we've got before the off week in the coming days just so we have a little bit of a history there when we get ready to play them."

- Kirby Smart  

The change from fall camp to getting back into the regular schedule of preparing for an opponent means the constant shuffling and rotation of position groups will stop. This means that Georgia will have its starting rotation in the coming days. 

Back in the spring, we told you that with Tate Ratledge being held out of practice as he rehabbed from his injury this past fall, it meant extra reps for other guys on the roster, mainly Devin Willock and Xavier Truss. 

"The main competition at guard for Ericson and Ratledge will be Xavier Truss and Devin Willock. The pairing featured heavily as Georgia's second-team offensive guards. Truss saw action off the bench last season at guard, showing off his ability to move in space and climb to the second level to take on linebackers. At 6-foot-7, 330 pounds, Truss brings the frame to impose himself on defensive linemen."

Now, after a full camp with a relatively healthy Ratledge, minus the toe injury Smart spoke about recently, the redshirt sophomore seems to be the favorite to start at right guard, which means that Devin Willock is the current frontrunner at left guard, playing next to Broderick Jones and Sedrick Van Pran. 

Willock, a redshirt sophomore also, has put together a strong offseason, as evidenced by the fact that sources tell SI Dawgs Daily he will most likely start at left guard over a veteran like senior Warren Ericson. 

SI Dawgs Daily's Projected Starting Offensive Line as of 8/23/22

LT: Broderick Jones

LG: Devin Willock

C: Sedrick Van Pran

RG: Tate Ratledge 

RT: Warren McClendon

Young players like Micah Morris and Jared Wilson will likely see playing time at some point this season, as, of course, veterans like Warren Ericson and Xavier Truss will as well. 

Ratledge has not only battled back from the foot injury that sidelined him a year ago, he's also currently battling a turf toe flare-up. Sources indicated Jared Wilson was the next man up at right guard, as Warren Ericson's duties were needed as the second team center during scrimmage settings. That could change on a Saturday. Often times the experience is called upon first in those situations. 

However, when speaking to sources close to the program, one thing is clear, Georgia is going to be playing a lot of offensive linemen this season. They are simply too talented. 

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