Georgia coach Smart staying vague on quarterback, most starters

Georgia quarterback Greyson Lambert (11) during Saturday's game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Sanford Stadium in Athens,Ga., on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015. (Photo by John Kelley)
Georgia quarterback Greyson Lambert (11) during Saturday's game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Sanford Stadium in Athens,Ga., on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015. (Photo by John Kelley)

ATHENS, Ga. - Tailback Nick Chubb is ready, the starting quarterback remains a mystery and "or" was a commonly found word during Georgia's football news conference Monday as the No. 18 Bulldogs prepare to open their 2016 season Saturday against No. 22 North Carolina in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Classic.

Georgia's first depth chart under coach Kirby Smart contained "or" at eight offensive starting positions, including quarterback, where Jacob Eason, Greyson Lambert and Brice Ramsey have been vying since March. There were four starting positions defensively where "or" was used, and only former Calhoun High snapper Trent Frix is set as a starter on special teams, with kicker, punter, holder, kickoff returner and punt returner yet to be determined.

"A lot of guys will be playing, and when your mom and dad read the paper, they like to know that their son is on the roster," Smart said. "We have a lot of great competition at a lot of positions, so a lot of guys deserve the 'or.'"

Smart did confirm that Eason, a true freshman, and Lambert, a graduate transfer from Virginia who started 12 games last season for the Bulldogs, are taking more quarterback repetitions than Ramsey. Lambert took the first-team snaps in Monday's portion of practice that was open to the media.

Georgia alternated two quarterbacks - David Greene and Cory Phillips - during Mark Richt's inaugural game as Bulldogs coach in 2001, but Greene quickly took the reins in a 45-17 rout over Arkansas State and wound up winning 42 of 52 career starts. Greene was a redshirt freshman in 2001, and Richt wound up going with a true freshman in 2006 when Matthew Stafford made eight starts.

"I have no reservations about a guy's age," Smart said. "If you're old enough to play, then you're old enough to start if you're good enough."

Chubb has been cleared to play for the first time since tearing multiple ligaments on the opening play of last year's game at Tennessee. The 5-foot-10, 220-pound junior from Cedartown is bracketed as a potential starter along with senior Brendan Douglas.

Once Chubb enters the game, there will be no limitations according to Smart.

"He's been cleared, and he's scrimmaged and done live things," Smart said. "He's had a lot of practices where he's carried it more than five to seven times, and we feel good about Nick. He feels great and ready to go, and he won't be on a 'pitch count' by any means."

The starting tailback most of last season, Sony Michel, is doing more and more after breaking his forearm in early July, but he has yet to be cleared for live tackling. Smart said Michel could be cleared for that any day now.

Georgia will be making its second Chick-fil-A Kickoff Classic appearance, having lost to Boise State 35-21 in 2011. Smart is very familiar with opening seasons in Atlanta, having served as Alabama's defensive coordinator for wins over Clemson in 2008, Virginia Tech in 2009 and 2013 and West Virginia in 2014.

Smart worked for Nick Saban in each of those victories, but he is not leaning on his former mentor for any last-minute advice.

"Coach Saban has to get ready for his game, and I'm getting ready for North Carolina," Smart said. "The experiences I draw on are from the fact I've played in this dome several times to start off and not from calling or talking to him."

Smart insists he has not been overcome by opening-game jitters and doesn't expect to be, and he has a slew of players eager to get this season started.

"We've been working hard on ourselves and getting better ourselves," sophomore defensive end DaQuan Hawkins-Muckle said. "We've been working together as brothers, and now the week is here. We could kick off in Alaska and we would be ready."

Said junior middle linebacker Reggie Carter: "It's the first-game hype. Everybody is happy to hit somebody, no matter if it's a smaller school or a school like North Carolina."

Odds and ends

Sophomore receiver Terry Godwin showed up to Monday's media session with a dislocated finger on his right hand, which he said he received on a pass from Lambert. Carter on practicing this past Saturday at the Georgia Dome: "That was my first time going there. I've never even tailgated there." Freshman defensive lineman Julian Rochester, who fired a BB gun into a campus dorm this past spring, will play Saturday, according to Smart.

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

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