Georgia’s Boling all-around line star

Clint Boling has practiced and played at every position on Georgia’s offensive line except center.

Boling finished last season at left tackle, which is where the 6-foot-5, 286-pound junior from Alpharetta practiced this spring. Trinton Sturdivant’s return in August following ACL surgery could shift Boling to left guard, but that is among several scenarios.

“At this point, it really doesn’t matter,” Boling said after Saturday’s G-Day game. “I used to feel I liked guard more because it was easier. You’re working in a tighter space and going against guys who aren’t as quick, and you’re not out on an island as far as pass protection.

“I felt like I was better working in space, but then I moved to tackle and thought I liked tackle more. It’s all the same to me now.”

Boling moved to left tackle from right guard during last season’s 26-14 win over Tennessee, a game in which Vince Vance tore his ACL. Boling was the SEC offensive lineman of the week after the Bulldogs amassed 458 yards against the Vols and was an Associated Press all-league selection after the season.

This spring, he was honored as the team’s best all-around offensive player.

“I don’t think there’s much doubt he’s been our most consistent offensive lineman this spring,” coach Mark Richt said, “and it’s good to know you have a guy who absolutely knows what to do at all four positions.”

Boling has started 23 of Georgia’s last 24 games, with the exception being last season’s opener against Georgia Southern. He was suspended for that game following a May arrest on a DUI charge in his hometown.

The charge was lessened last summer to reckless driving.

“Obviously, I don’t want to do that to my parents, friends or teammates ever again,” he said. “I don’t know where I would be right now had that not happened, but that’s just the way life is. You have to take it as it comes and move on. You either learn from it or you don’t, and I feel like I did.”

No segment of the team has made more improvement the past two seasons than the offensive front, which coincides with the arrival of Stacy Searels as line coach. Searels will enter his third season having eight players with at least four career starts (Boling, Sturdivant, Vance, Chris Davis, Josh Davis, Cordy Glenn, Justin Anderson and Ben Jones).

Kiante Tripp made three starts early last season at left tackle but now competes at defensive end.

“In the fall, we’ll have a lot of competition going on,” Boling said. “Guys better be ready to play every day or somebody else is going to replace them. I think that’s a good thing, because we’ve got a lot of options as far as Coach Searels getting the best five out there.

“Hopefully, we’ll be able to live up to the expectations, and I think we will. I’ll be ready for it when it comes this fall.”