Georgia's best five on the offensive line do not include sophomore Dyshon Sims entering next week's season opener against Louisiana-Monroe.
That hardly means this will be a forgettable year for the 6-foot-4, 293-pounder from Valdosta.
"I'm just going into this season knowing that I need to work my hardest," Sims said this week by phone. "I'm going to get whatever I deserve, and if I get playing time, it's because I've earned it."
The Bulldogs scrimmaged for 90 minutes Thursday, with Richt pitting the starters against the backups and spotting the reserves a 24-0 halftime lead. The starters came back but came up short 31-24.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Brice Ramsey started the third quarter and junior transfer Greyson Lambert the fourth quarter for the first team, while redshirt junior Faton Bauta directed the second-team offense. Richt said Bauta led the backups on a lengthy touchdown drive, but the coach did not provide any statistics.
In a news conference afterward, Richt again was asked about determining the starting quarterback.
"We'll watch what happened today, and then we'll have to look at the total body of work from the beginning of camp," Richt said. "We'll probably put a little more weight on what has happened as of late and try to decide if it's time to nail it down or keep going. I think that is going to be the decision.
"My gut feeling is that we'll keep going in some way, shape or form, and it may roll into the (first) game."
The Bulldogs return four starters up front from a year ago: John Theus, Kolton Houston, Brandon Kublanow and Greg Pyke. Kublanow played left guard last season but has moved to center to replace David Andrews, with Isaiah Wynn sliding into the vacancy at left guard.
Sims is backing up Wynn after getting in eight games last season as Pyke's backup at right guard.
"That was an absolutely phenomenal experience," Sims said. "I really did not expect to come in and play like I did, so that was a real blessing. It was good to see that the hard work that I put in paid off."
A consensus four-star prospect coming out of Lowndes High School, Sims is part of a second-team line that has struggled against Georgia's second-team defense this month but has shown improvement in recent days.
"They're playing better as far as being in sync and providing better pockets to throw from," Richt said.
Sims doesn't have a preference as far as left or right guard - "The only difference is that on one side, you've got one hand down, and on the other side, you have your other hand down," he said - and he could be the first backup off the bench. If either Theus or Houston gets hurt at tackle, first-year line coach Rob Sale has said that Wynn could be the replacement.
That would leave the potential of Sims replacing Wynn, but Sims is hoping for a repeat of last season, when the five linemen combined to go 65-for-65 on starts.
"I can't wait for Saturdays in Athens," he said. "We've been working our tails off. I know I have, and I'm just ready to see what happens."
Odds and ends
Theus and Houston have been named offensive captains for next week's opener, with linebackers Jordan Jenkins and Leonard Floyd the captains on defense. Sophomore tailback Sony Michel had a long touchdown run in the scrimmage, according to Richt. The Bulldogs are scheduled to practice today and Saturday and take Sunday off.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.