Kirby Smart wanting to see consistency out of offensive tackles in competition

ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia’s offensive line is viewed as one of the best in the country, and that’s because of the experience the Bulldogs bring to the table. Sedrick Van Pran has started 30 straight games in the middle of it all at center. To his left and right are guards that return after starting double-digit games last season, and at right tackle, former five-star Amarius Mims steps in after starting in place of an injured Warren McClendon in the College Football Playoffs.

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said that he’s been happy with the leadership of the offensive line up to this point in preseason practice. That makes sense considering the amount of experience that returns. However, the performance on Saturday wasn’t quite up to his expectations. Some parts of that can be blamed on the heat. Others areas it’s just inconsistency that’s getting worked out.

“The one o-line didn’t start real well. We went three-and-out and then maybe four- or five-and-out. I don’t know for sure, but I feel like the one offense kind of won the third down challenge. The red area was kind of a toss-up. Two minute, the offense won,” Smart said. “I mean, it’s like back and forth. So I could say all these good things the offense did on the o-line and all the bad things the defensive line, and then it flips back and forth. I’m looking for a little bit more consistency.”

Georgia’s one position that on the offensive line where the could be a question would be at left tackle. Of course it’s cliché, but protecting the quarterback’s blind side is paramount. There it’s an ongoing battle between Earnest Greene and Austin Blaske for the starting job.

“Blaske has been battling some illness, some sickness, he got a little bit sick and there was one or two days he didn’t get to practice,” Smart said. “When he’s been there he’s done really well, he’s been really competitive. I think the heat has been tough on him, he’s a fighter, he’s one of the toughest kids I’ve been around. Earnest has gotten more reps than him with the ones, but I feel real good about Blaske.”

“He’s extremely tough. He’s extremely dedicated, very prideful in his work. He’s one of the most versatile linemen we’ve had,” Smart said on a separate occasion earlier in camp about Blaske. “He’s played center, he’s played tackle, he can play guard, smart. He strains so hard that he makes himself relevant in terms of the movement he gets in the run game, screen game. He can go out on the perimeter and block guys, good athlete. He was a real good wrestler in high school. Just been really pleased with how much he’s improved to put himself in a competition to where he can contribute and play.”

Those aren’t the only two tackles getting in work though. According to Smart, guys like Xavier Truss, Dylan Fairchild and Micah Morris have bumped outside from their typical spot at guard to get reps at tackle. Chad Lindberg and Monroe Freeling are also in the rotation for reps while Mims flips between right and left tackle at times too.

“We have kind of a working committee because the last thing you want is to not have a tackle ready to play in a game so far us we’re always trying to develop that tackle position knowing we have a lot of guards that go over there and play,” Smart said.

“I certainly think that we have a very talented first group of o-line and maybe a couple backups,” he continued. “I feel like we’ve got seven or eight guys that can play winning football that I don’t know that we got their best effort. Like, if you just said, ‘I’m going to grade our o-line on their practices so far and then I’m going to grade them on this practice, I would’ve argued the practices up to this point have been a little better and a little more dominant than they maybe were today — at least in the run game, maybe not in the pass game. I’m pleased with the leadership of both those groups (offensive and defensive lines). I’m not pleased with, like, where we are.”

Georgia’s offensive line will have another opportunity to show that consistency to Smart on Saturday when the Bulldogs take the field for their second scrimmage of the fall. Then, it’s a sprint to the finish line for fall camp and the quickly approaching start of the season, set for September 2nd at Sanford Stadium against UT-Martin (6:00 p.m. ET, ESPN+/SECN+).