Georgia lineman Gaillard has a home on offense

Georgia redshirt sophomore guard Lamont Gaillard takes a break during a practice earlier this month.
Georgia redshirt sophomore guard Lamont Gaillard takes a break during a practice earlier this month.

Georgia redshirt sophomore Lamont Gaillard had all the makings of a college lineman during his years at Pine Forest High School in Fayetteville, N.C.

The only question was on which side of the ball would he compete.

Gaillard was a top-10 offensive tackle in the 2014 signing class according to 247Sports.com and a top-five defensive tackle according to ESPN. The 6-foot-2, 298-pounder began his career with the Bulldogs as a defensive lineman, redshirting his first season, but he was moved to the offensive line in the spring of 2015 and has been there since.

When did he know his career would be on the offensive side?

"Once they moved me," Gaillard said with a smile during a recent gathering with reporters. "I feel like a full-fledged offensive lineman now. I feel like I'm set."

Kirby Smart's first offensive staff agreed with Mark Richt's last offensive staff about where Gaillard should play, and that soon could be paying dividends. Though he got in just two games last season, Gaillard was named this spring as the co-winner of the most improved offensive player.

Gaillard, whose middle name is Rockarius, has been competing this month for the starting spot at right guard while also serving as Brandon Kublanow's backup at center.

The key to Georgia's starting offensive front for next Saturday's opener against North Carolina in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Classic is junior Isaiah Wynn. Should Wynn start at left tackle, then Gaillard would be the starting right guard and Dyshon Sims the starting left guard, but if Rhode Island graduate transfer Tyler Catalina starts at left tackle, Wynn will move to left guard and Gaillard and Sims would battle at right guard.

"We'll have to figure out who our best five are," Smart said in a recent news conference. "We've got six who I feel really good about."

Gaillard's value is evident in the fact he's working at two positions. Kublanow is the stabilizing figure up front, having made 13 starts at center last season and 13 starts at right guard in 2014, and Bulldogs coaches are not wanting any significant drop-off if he gets injured.

Whether Gaillard has to play two positions remains to be seen, but he said practicing at both spots has not been too tough, even though being the center requires locating the middle linebacker and determining where blitzes are coming from before snapping the ball and blocking someone.

"You get used to it," Gaillard said. "Mentally, you have to be there, and I feel like I'm there. All positions are hard, but center is really hard because you have to know everything.

"I like guard more, but if I have to play center, I'll play it."

Odds and ends

The Bulldogs returned to practice Tuesday following two days off, with Jacob Eason, Greyson Lambert and Brice Ramsey again comprising the quarterback order in the portion of practice that was open to the media. True freshman running back Elijah Holyfield was riding an exercise bike with a sprained ankle that he suffered during Saturday's second scrimmage. Tickets at $50 apiece remain for the Sept. 10 home opener against Nicholls State, and they can be obtained at Georgiadogs.com. Georgia announced Tuesday that Smart's radio show, which will be held on Thursday nights, will accept questions via Twitter and Facebook but not by phone.

Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.

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