Georgia junior left guard Isaiah Wynn was needed at left tackle early in the Auburn game and late in the Kentucky game.
Wynn could start at left tackle in Friday afternoon's Liberty Bowl, having worked there with the first team during Monday morning's first practice in Memphis. Tyler Catalina, a graduate transfer from Rhode Island, started all 12 regular-season games at left tackle.
Bulldogs first-year Kirby Smart said during a news conference Monday that Catalina suffered a head injury during practice last week in Athens.
"He came back from that, but we feel like Isaiah got a lot of reps there," Smart said. "We feel comfortable with both of those guys, and they're alternating and getting the same number of reps. Right now, we have Isaiah there because Tyler missed some of the practice time back home, but Tyler has been cleared and we expect him to play.
"We haven't decided yet how we'll start it, but we're going to be able to rotate those two guys."
Wynn starting at left tackle would result in Dyshon Sims getting the nod at left guard, with Brandon Kublanow at center, Lamont Gaillard at right guard and Greg Pyke at right tackle rounding out the starting front. Kublanow, Gaillard and Pyke also started all 12 regular-season games.
Sims said Monday that Memphis seems like a nice city, and he really likes the Peabody Hotel.
"We've got big TVs in the room," Sims said in a news conference, "which is real nice to play games on."
Junior inside linebacker Reggie Carter (knee) practiced Monday in a regular jersey, while sophomore inside linebacker Natrez Patrick (shoulder) worked in a noncontact jersey. After saying last week that Carter had steeper odds of playing than Patrick, Smart now is hopeful both can compete.
The Bulldogs held a two-hour practice Monday in full pads and will taper off the next two mornings. The team was scheduled to attend a Bass Pro Shops welcome party Monday night at the Pyramid, with the event including a meal, bowling and a gift card for the store.
Today's schedule includes an afternoon visit to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and attending a professional rodeo tonight.
"We've tried to beat in our kids' heads that this game is about starting off next year the right way and also sending our seniors out the right way," Smart said. "We have a lot of players who can grow and develop, and I just hope they're mature enough to handle this bowl trip the right way."
Odds and ends
Smart announced that outside linebacker Shaun McGee is transferring, adding that the redshirt junior "may have some academic issues." McGee has one tackle in two career games, with each of those coming in the 2014 season.... Smart announced last week that sophomore receiver Shaquery Wilson and sophomore cornerbacks Juwuan Briscoe and Rico McGraw were transferring.... When asked about tight ends coach Shane Beamer following last week's announcement that he would be fined $25,000 for his involvement at Virginia Tech with former Wake Forest assistant Tommy Elrod, Smart said, "I think he's handled it just fine."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.