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Each year, after spring practice concludes, Bulldawg Illustrated asks Georgia head coach Mark Richt to name two leaders on each side of the ball, for the coming football season.

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When the question was put to Richt at the April 21 UGA Days stop in Savannah, Richt didn’t hesitate with his answer this time.

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But, at the same time, he would only identify three definite team leaders for his 2015 Bulldog edition.

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“Offensively I would say John Theus and Kolton Houston,” the coach responded. “Not only are they playing a very unselfish position but they’re also playing a position that’s very difficult to be good at in our league … at tackle when you’ve got to go against the greatest pass-rushers in the country, in practice and throughout the season. Those O-linemen, they do a lot of dirty work and they don’t get a lot of credit.”

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Senior left tackle Theus, the 6-6, 313-pound senior from The Bolles School in Jacksonville, Fla., will be a starter for the fourth consecutive year for Georgia. After making AP Honorable-Mention All-SEC last season, Theus looms as a solid all-conference as well as All-America candidate this season.

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Houston, a 6-5, 287-pound senior right tackle from Buford, is in his sixth year at the University of Georgia, having been granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA. In July of 2013, Houston was granted reinstatement by the NCAA after three years under suspension following routine NCAA drug testing which detected a banned substance medically administered following shoulder surgery in high school.

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Last season, Theus and Houston helped pave the way for the Bulldogs to rush for an SEC-leading 257.8 yards per game.

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On the defensive side of the ball, Richt quickly tabbed senior outside linebacker Jordan Jenkins, the 6-3, 252-pound senior outside linebacker from Harris County who, like Theus, has been a starter in all three of his years at Georgia thus far. In 2014, Jenkins received the team’s Most Improved Player of the Year award while also being named to Phil Steele’s Third Team All-SEC.

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Richt did throw in another name who could possibly join Theus, Houston and Jenkins as a primary leader of the 2015 Bulldogs.

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“I’d probably start with Jordan Jenkins and I don’t know if I wouldn’t just stop there,” Richt said. “I think Leonard (junior outside linebacker Floyd) is a guy they all respect. If Leonard is going well, everybody else is kind of going good, too, so he’s got the ability to lead by example. He wasn’t there in the spring (due to shoulder injury) to assert that leadership. But I know they all have a high regard for him.”

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The coach said some of the Bulldogs’ younger players could also be emerging as team leaders.

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“We’ve got some potential guys who probably could, but right now it’s those two guys (on offense) although the quarterbacks will have to lead throughout the summer,” Richt said.

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“If you want to talk young guys who have performed well and have that potential, you look at (Nick) Chubb and (Jeb) Blazevich, guys who have come in and really contributed but their work ethic is impressive. Dominick Sanders (soph. DB) is a really hard worker, is focused every day and giving it up in practice, meetings, schools. He’s a really solid guy who has that ability as well.”