Kirby Smart Feeling Good About First Five Offensive Linemen

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Kirby Smart Feeling Good About First Five Offensive Linemen

Ben Cleveland - UGA Fall Camp - Practice No. 15 - Wednesday, August 16, 2017
Ben Cleveland is locked in a battle for the starting right tackle spot

 
 
The offensive line was a major issue for the Bulldogs last season and it will be something the Bulldog faithful will be watching this upcoming season.
 
 

Kirby Smart mentioned the offensive line in his press conference after the Bulldogs practice and said that after the team’s second scrimmage they felt better about the offensive line. He also mentioned that the staff feels good about their first five offensive linemen which should be Isaiah Wynn at left tackle, Pat Allen at left guard, Lamont Gaillard at center, Solomon Kindley at right guard, and Andrew Thomas at right tackle.
 
 
This line contains only two starters from last season and both of the starters are in a different position on the line than what they played in the previous season, with Wynn moving from left guard to left tackle and Gaillard moving from right guard to center. This new look offensive line will be under close watch going into the season opener and will definitely play a role in the team’s success.
 
 
However, these five guys have not solidified their starting role and there is still a lot of time left before Georgia’s first game for them to keep competing, which Smart is encouraging on his line, and there may still even be some movement on the line. One spot to watch will be at right tackle, where freshman Andrew Thomas and sophomore Ben Cleveland are both in a hotly-contested battle for the starting role.
 
 
Smart also mentioned that they are still having some competition for certain backup roles like second string center and a fourth guard. The Bulldogs need to solidfy their offensive line sooner rather than later so that it does not have such a negative impact like it did last season.
 
 
The Bulldogs offensive line will ultimately be the X-factor on how successful their offense can be and could even be the difference in if the Bulldogs are playing in the SEC championship game or watching it from home.
 
 
For Kirby Smart’s press conference and his comment on Andrew Thomas, Ben Cleveland, and the offensive line, check out the YouTube clip below at around the 3:35 mark:
 
 

 
 
 


 
 

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Michael Pope is a Journalism student in the Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia, with an emphasis in sports. He enjoys covering all sports, especially basketball, football, and baseball.