For the first time since 2010, when Aaron Murray, Zach Mettenberger and Logan Gray were the candidates, the Georgia Bulldogs will enter spring practice without a starting quarterback.
Unlike 2010, when Murray won the job, Gray transferred and Mettenberger was dismissed from the program, the Bulldogs may not name a starter until August. Georgia has three quarterback hopefuls under the guidance of new offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.
"With the amount of transition and learning going on, I'm not certain that we'll be able to make that determination," coach Mark Richt said Wednesday. "I'm not going to sit here and say that we need to name a No. 1 by the end of spring. I'm not thinking that's going to be the case or that's a big goal of ours.
"The big thing is to give these guys opportunities and see how they handle it and evaluate, and then we'll try to make that determination when we get there."
Redshirt sophomore Brice Ramsey, redshirt junior Faton Bauta and redshirt freshman Jacob Park will be vying for the right to succeed Hutson Mason, who completed 67.9 percent of his passes last season and had 21 touchdowns and four interceptions in leading the Bulldogs to a 10-3 record and a No. 9 ranking. Mason made the most of his redshirt senior season after replacing Murray, the Southeastern Conference's all-time passing leader.
Ramsey replaced an injured Mason in December's 37-14 Belk Bowl whipping of Louisville but was not overly crisp, completing 4 of 9 passes for 51 yards with an interception. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Ramsey appeared in eight games in 2014, completing 24 of 39 passes for 333 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions, while Bauta was 4-of-5 for 48 yards in three games.
Park enrolled early last year and redshirted, but he repeatedly earned praise from Richt, and that continued Wednesday.
"He did spend a good time on the scout team, and he was very unselfish in that role," Richt said. "He gave us the best possible look and really showed some good leadership with that group. You can either go in there and pout or try to get better and try to help the defense get better.
"I think it served him well, and now it's time to let him compete."
Georgia did not sign a quarterback in the 2015 class but has a 2016 commitment from Jacob Eason of Lake Stevens, Wash., who is rated by Rivals.com as the No. 1 prospect nationally.
The Bulldogs are scheduled to start spring practice March 17. Their G-Day game is set for April 11.
Odds and ends
Asked if defenders would be allowed to tackle tailback Nick Chubb this spring, Richt said, "If they can." ... Chubb will be backed this spring by the quartet of Sony Michel, Keith Marshall, Brendan Douglas and A.J. Turman, a redshirt sophomore who has yet to have a college carry. ... Richt said he would remind his team to behave during the upcoming spring break.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.