Nick Chubb got tackled and Maurice Smith was there to see it Saturday afternoon as Georgia conducted its first preseason football scrimmage at Sanford Stadium.
Chubb, who tore the PCL, MCL and LCL in his left knee on the opening play of last October's game at Tennessee, was taken down seven or eight times Saturday, according to first-year coach Kirby Smart. The two-hour scrimmage was closed to the media.
"He got tackled and did well with it," Smart said in a news conference. "It was important for him psychologically and also for the physical conditioning part of getting off the ground."
The 5-foot-10, 220-pound junior from Cedartown rushed for 1,547 yards two years ago to earn Freshman All-America honors, and he had run for 745 yards through the first five games last season. Smart said Chubb broke some tackles in the scrimmage but did not look as "sudden" as he has in the past.
Today will be the first off day for the Bulldogs after 13 consecutive practices, and Smart said that may have affected Chubb as well as some other players. Neither Chubb nor Smart is making any predictions as far as Chubb's availability for the Sept. 3 opener against North Carolina in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Classic.
Smith, the former Alabama defensive back who was cleared Friday by the Southeastern Conference to transfer to Georgia as a graduate student, went through his first workout with the Bulldogs. Due to the NCAA's mandatory five-day acclimation period, Smith could not compete in the scrimmage and practiced instead in helmet and shorts.
Smart isn't sure where Smith will fit in Georgia's secondary but said he has been warmly welcomed at his second SEC locale.
"A lot of the players are excited for him," Smart said. "They know that Maurice Smith makes us a better football team. He's going to come in, compete and work his tail off. It's all he's ever done.
"He knew a lot of our guys through recruiting, so all that went great."
Smith should be comfortable right away in the system, according to Smart, who said the biggest challenge for the 6-foot, 195-pounder was getting into football shape after missing two weeks of practice in the heat.
Smart said the Bulldogs displayed good effort, decent toughness and poor execution in the scrimmage. He was asked multiple times about the quarterback competition among Greyson Lambert, Brice Ramsey and Jacob Eason but said he wanted to review the tape before passing judgment.
"Each guy who did something good did something boneheaded," Smart said, "so I don't know that we got anywhere in regards to quarterback."
Smart did say all three quarterbacks got some first-team work. That was not the case with Eason during the first scrimmage of the spring.
There were no statistics released following the scrimmage. The Bulldogs are scheduled to hold their second scrimmage this Saturday.
Odds and ends
Smith wore jersey No. 2 to his first Georgia practice. Smart expressed excitement with the way the freshmen have competed and responded, adding that they will "provide depth right away." When asked about the reserve inside linebackers, Smart said seniors Ryne Rankin and Johnny O'Neal and freshman Jaleel Laguins are learning their assignments but are not ready to play yet.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.