Georgia senior tailback Sony Michel has rushed for 2,001 yards the past two seasons, but it was his 33-yard touchdown reception against TCU in last December's Liberty Bowl that enhanced his status as a versatile offensive threat.
Michel's 22 catches a year ago were fewer than the 26 he had as a sophomore, but the 5-foot-11, 222-pounder has been spotted with both the running back and receiver groups during the early stages of preseason camp. Could he still be splitting time in those roles once the Bulldogs kick off Sept. 2 against Appalachian State?
"That remains to be seen," Bulldogs second-year offensive coordinator Jim Chaney said last weekend in a news conference. "I think Sony has very good hands and has the ability to catch and do stuff. Will we do that? It's probably going to depend on the opponent and if we feel like we can gain a strategic advantage.
"We'll do about anything we have to do to do that, but I think the point is he's a talented young man who can do many things."
The Bulldogs held their ninth preseason practice Wednesday afternoon and their second indoors, working out for more than two hours in shoulder pads and shorts. Michel and sophomore receiver Mecole Hardman took snaps out of the wildcat formation in the portion of practice open to the media.
Make no mistake, Michel is still a tailback. Though he has worked at multiple positions, he recently said he has yet to attend any meetings in the receivers room.
"Coach Chaney is going to give me the best opportunity possible," Michel told reporters last week. "Any matchup would be a great matchup, and I'm going to try and take advantage of it."
Michel broke through five TCU tacklers on his scoring catch in Memphis, but fellow senior Nick Chubb also has experience catching the ball out of the backfield. Chubb had 18 receptions as a freshman in 2014, including a 27-yarder against Auburn and a 24-yarder against Georgia Tech, but only totaled nine catches the past two seasons.
Chubb and Michel announced before the Liberty Bowl that they would be returning for their senior seasons.
"We're blessed to have both those guys," Chaney said. "It's always interesting when you have two and the expectations are to put them both out there a lot. I don't know if that's always the best way to go. As long as they get their touches at the end of the game, that's the most important thing."
When Chubb and Michel arrived in 2014 to join a position group coached by Todd Gurley, the Bulldogs set a program single-season record with 530 points under former coordinator Mike Bobo, who is entering his third season as Colorado State's head coach. Georgia's productivity slipped two years ago with Brian Schottenheimer as coordinator and again last year under Chaney.
Yet Chaney is the first coordinator Chubb and Michel will have had two consecutive seasons, and Chaney believes that will account for something.
"If you work with someone for two years, then you are more familiar with who they are and how they behave than you are the first year," Chaney said. "With offense, it's all about language. I'll say a word now, and they understand what that word means now. The familiarity within the language of what we use is refreshing.
"I can talk to (junior receiver) Terry (Godwin), Nick, Sony and all the older kids, and they get it. That they understand the recall of the offensive terminology is refreshing."
Wynn still out
Senior left tackle Isaiah Wynn (illness) missed a third straight practice Wednesday, which resulted in a shuffled first-team offensive line that included Dyshon Sims at left tackle, Ben Cleveland at right tackle and freshman Andrew Thomas at left guard.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.