Georgia’s second preseason scrimmage Saturday at Sanford Stadium was supposed to provide a clearer picture of the three-man quarterback competition.
It may have done the opposite.
“Walking away from the practice, I feel like I know less about what to do than I did going in,” Bulldogs coach Mark Richt said in a news conference. “That’s just my first impression, but we will watch the film. We’ve had 17 or 18 practices, and we’ve got to start making some judgments by how they’ve performed to this point.”
Redshirt junior Faton Bauta, redshirt sophomore Brice Ramsey and Virginia transfer Greyson Lambert continue to rotate among the first, second and third teams. Richt said he will get with first-year offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to determine the next best course of action.
For the first time all month, Richt admitted to being a little frustrated in the lack of separation among the hopefuls. He did not provide statistics for the quarterbacks or any other players.
“I would like to know and have peace,” Richt said. “I’m waiting for some peace. I’m a pretty patient guy, but the clock is ticking.”
The Bulldogs are 13 days away from opening in Sanford Stadium against Louisiana-Monroe, a game that will have a noon kickoff and be televised by the SEC Network.
Richt said all of the quarterbacks continue to have moments and that “no one has been horrible.” Ramsey played in eight games last season and replaced injured Hutson Mason in the Belk Bowl, while Bauta played in three games a year ago and made three appearances in 2013.
Lambert started nine games for the Cavaliers last season but lost the starting job this spring in Charlottesville.
“I have a feeling it’s going to play out on the field in the games,” said Richt, who would like to avoid rotating quarterbacks. “It may be that the first guy goes in, plays his tail off, and we have peace then. It may be that doesn’t happen and we give another guy a chance.”
Starting tailback Nick Chubb got about 13 carries and did well, according to Richt, who said that Sony Michel, Keith Marshall and A.J. Turman also looked solid. Richt added that receiver Malcolm Mitchell made a couple of nice plays and that the second-team edge rushers continue to dominate the second-team offensive line, with redshirt sophomore outside linebacker Davin Bellamy benefiting Saturday.
When asked to provide injury updates, Richt said sophomore receiver Isaiah McKenzie and junior inside linebackers Tim Kimbrough and Reggie Carter should be back soon and ready for the opener. Sophomore fullback Christian Payne will likely miss the opener but could be back for the second game at Vanderbilt, but Richt’s outlook on fifth-year receiver Justin Scott-Wesley continues to worsen following last Monday’s knee injury.
“I’m not sure we’ll see him for a while, if at all,” he said.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.