Georgia Fall Camp Position Preview: Offensive Line
We’re less than a week away from the start of fall camp in Athens, Ga., and what better time to take a look at what the Bulldogs bring to the table this season? Georgia is the two-time defending national champions and going for a three-peat in 2023, something that hasn’t been accomplished since the 1930s. If that’s to happen, it’ll take a total team effort.
Over the course of the final few days leading up to the start of fall camp, we’ll be doing a deep dive into each of Georgia’s position groups, breaking down players to watch and all the biggest storylines as the season quickly approaches. On to our final position group on the offensive side of the ball, today’s emphasis is on the offensive line.
For previous stories in the series, check out the links below:
Quarterback
Running Back
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Offensive Line
In the Room: Xavier Truss (Senior), Austin Blaske (Junior), Chad Lindberg (Junior), Amarius Mims (Junior), Tate Ratledge (Junior), Sedrick Van Pran (Junior), Dylan Fairchild (Redshirt Sophomore), Micah Morris (Redshirt Sophomore), Jared Wilson (Redshirt Sophomore) Aliou Bah (Redshirt Freshman), Drew Bobo (Redshirt Freshman), Earnest Greene (Redshirt Freshman), Monroe Freeling (Freshman), Bo Hughley (Freshman), Jamal Meriweather (Freshman), Josh Miller (Freshman), Kelton Smith (Freshman)
Position Coach: Stacy Searels
Georgia’s offensive line has been among the best in the country the last two seasons, finishing as a finalist for the Joe Moore Award in each, and the Bulldogs are likely to be in that same conversation in 2023.
Returning three starters on the interior from last year’s squad along with a tackle that saw a good amount of time in rotation – and even started a pair of games – expectations are high for Georgia’s group. Center Sedrick Van Pran has made 30 straight starts in the middle and acts as a leader, not only for the position but the team in its entirety. He decided to pass up on the NFL for another year in Athens.
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Outside of him, are Xavier Truss (left) and Tate Ratledge (right) at the guard spots. Truss and Ratledge both started the majority of games last year, and reports indicate that they continue to keep getting better. Both players – along with Van Pran – spoke with the media in the spring and said that they feel there’s been improvements made, even among those that return to their starter’s spot.
At right tackle, it’s going to be Amarius Mims. The former five-star hopes he can be the next Broderick Jones who stepped in and started for a full season before going off to the next level, where he was taken in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Mims shared time with Warren McClendon last year, starting in place of the injured veteran in the College Football Playoffs.
As for the other side, there’s an ongoing battle between Earnest Greene and Austin Blaske. Both figure to play their fair share of snaps regardless of who wins the spot with Stacy Searels and Kirby Smart showing they don’t mind rotating guys to get more players valuable reps. It’s what they did last year with seven players playing more than 30% of offensive snaps on the line, and something that’s likely to continue with Greene, Blaske and others.
Look for Micah Morris, Dylan Fairchild, Jared Wilson and maybe even five-star freshman Monroe Freeling – all of whom factor into the picture when talking about the future of Georgia’s offensive line – to rotate in some throughout the season while guys like Drew Bobo and other youngsters try to push for playing time and make their case for why they should be out on the field.