ATHENS, Ga. - In the second quarter of Georgia's 38-31 loss at Tennessee on Oct. 10, Bulldogs sophomore tailback Sony Michel zigged and zagged his way down the sideline, making multiple defenders miss on his way to a 66-yard gain.
It may be the most exciting play from scrimmage Georgia has produced all season.
It's also the last time Michel had a run of longer than 10 yards.
"We have to create explosive plays, because that creates momentum," Michel said this week. "We can do that by executing. If we execute, good things will happen."
Good things have not accompanied Georgia's ground game since the start of the second half in Knoxville. Michel had 124 yards in the first two quarters against the Volunteers but was held to nine carries for 21 yards the rest of the way.
The 5-foot-11, 212-pound sophomore has rushed 39 times for 132 yards the past two games against Missouri and Florida. His average of 3.9 yards per carry the last two weeks pales to the 8.1-yard clip Nick Chubb was averaging before tearing ligaments on the opening play at Tennessee, and Georgia's overall rushing average the past two games is 2.8 yards per carry.
Michel remains the primary workhorse entering Saturday's contest against visiting Kentucky.
"Sony is a very talented guy, and he's been doing this his whole life," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt said. "I think he played high school ball in the eighth grade, so he's used to being that guy to carry the load. I don't think we've signed a back at Georgia that we thought would be the one guy to carry the load by himself.
"We've really wanted to have a situation where we have two or three guys that can share the load. I think that's healthier for those guys."
Redshirt junior Keith Marshall and junior Brendan Douglas are next on the tailback depth chart, but Marshall has averaged fewer than four carries a game since rushing 10 times in the opener against Louisiana-Monroe. Douglas has averaged fewer than three carries a game all season.
Richt said this week that Marshall, who had three carries for 16 yards in last week's loss at Jacksonville, can expect a busier day against the Wildcats.
Michel got the first carry in last week's loss to Florida on a direct snap, but he broke a bone in his hand on the play. He felt a tingling and went inside for X-rays before returning to complete a 13-carry, 45-yard performance.
Given Chubb's injury and Todd Gurley's torn ACL last November, playing tailback at Georgia hasn't been the healthiest way to make a living within the past year.
"It's just part of the game," Michel said. "I don't think it's a tailback thing, because you can get hurt at any position at any given time."
Quarterback update
Faton Bauta, who made his first career start at quarterback against Florida, is behind Greyson Lambert and Brice Ramsey this week on the depth chart.
"We have repped mostly Greyson and Brice with the one unit, and Faton has gotten some work as well, so we're not counting that out," Richt said Wednesday. "Those two have gotten the most work to this point."
Asked if he would name a starter within the next day or two, Richt said, "More than likely. If you're talking between Brice and Greyson, I don't think there's a big difference, and there isn't a huge game-plan shift with Faton."
Richt said Bauta is volunteering as a scout-team safety this week when he isn't getting offensive reps.
Freshmen suspended
Two Georgia freshmen, linebacker Natrez Patrick and defensive lineman Chauncey Rivers, were arrested on campus early Wednesday morning on misdemeanor possession of marijuana charges. They went through Wednesday's two-hour practice in full pads but have been suspended for Saturday's game.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.