Georgia Bulldogs: Excited For First Padded Practice

The Georgia Bulldogs have cleared the mandatory five-day acclimation period issued out by the NCAA to start fall camp. This afternoon is the first time the Dawgs will have a fully padded practice and players are craving contact.

Senior Outside Linebacker Jordan Jenkins and Junior Free Safety Quincy Mauger discussed how eager the whole team is to getting the pads back on after five practices with no more than shells (helmets and shoulder pads) in some training camp sessions.

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Mauger said after yesterday’s practice, “It’s been too long for us to be away from contact. I know that both offense and defense are going to be very excited. But we’re still going to have to learn how to stay off the ground and hold each other accountable. Jenkins reiterated that though lineman hit every practice, “It’ll feeling good hitting, regardless.”

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Though on-field installs and classroom work are massively important in laying the foundation for schematics and tactical approach, it fully comes to life when the pads come on and full contact is part of the practice. Where it is most obvious is in the play of the offensive line.

While I do expect the Georgia Bulldogs to have one of the most ferocious offensive lines in college football this season, returning four of five starters up front will certainly give one the confidence to make that claim, it is crucial to see how new starting Center Brandon Kublanow handles his new position as well as Sophomore Isaiah Wynn inserting himself as the new starting Left Guard.

Even though the Georgia Bulldogs return a very strong team for 2015, ranked #9 in the nation according to the initial Amway Coaches Poll, UGA will have to replace a few key leaders on both sides of the ball who have since graduated. Both Jordan Jenkins and Quincy Mauger had their takes on how the Georgia Bulldogs are handling the change of guard in terms of intra-squad leadership.

Quincy believes that it’s a team effort to account for the difference lost by guys like David Andrews, Chris Conley, Hutson Mason, and Ramik Wilson. “Everybody’s stepping up whether it be freshmen, seniors or middle class. We’re all stepping up as leaders. There’s no one voice out there. We’re all doing a great job of holding each other accountable.”

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Jenkins countered Mauger’s point by saying that it’s been mostly a trickle-down leadership style coming from the seniors. “I feel like a lot of the older guys have really stepped up and have really shown the leadership capabilities to holding guys accountable. They’re not just getting on the younger guys, they’re getting on some of the older guys that have been here a while, too. That’s what you need on a team like we have.”

The Georgia Bulldogs have cleared the mandatory five-day acclimation period issued out by the NCAA to start fall camp. This afternoon is the first time the Dawgs will have a fully padded practice and players are craving contact.

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