ATHENS, Ga. - The question was posed to Georgia tight end Orson Charles a couple of times after Saturday's G-Day spring football game, and he can expect to hear it a lot more between now and the start of the 2011 season.
Are you ready to be the offense's go-to guy now that A.J. Green has moved on?
"I feel like we're all ready," Charles said. "We keep hearing that A.J. is gone and what will this offense do now, but we have a great quarterback, great running backs, great receivers and great tight ends. I think we have the people who can step up and do it. My role is to just have fun, put the team first and do whatever it takes for us to win.
"We went 6-7 last year, and we're not going to have that again."
Because the Bulldogs have tailbacks who have been inconsistent and receivers who have yet to prove they can emerge from Green's shadow, Charles could be this year's first-choice destination on offense. He had four receptions for 41 yards Saturday, one day after sharing offensive MVP honors for spring drills with quarterback Aaron Murray.
The two former teammates at Plant High School in Tampa, Fla., didn't do the grandest job of rekindling their prep magic early last season but got in a late-season groove. Charles had a career-high six receptions for a career-best 108 yards in the overtime loss to Florida, and he had a 32-yard touchdown catch in the 42-34 victory over Georgia Tech.
Charles finished last season with 26 catches for 422 yards and two touchdowns, and while he may not cause opposing defenses as many preparation headaches as Green, the 6-foot-3, 240-pounder expects to provide his share.
"We've been flexing him out some to give him the opportunity to run routes out in space, because he's a very legitimate receiver," coach Mark Richt said. "He's got great hands and toughness and good speed, and I think he's a tough mismatch for any linebacker or safety or nickel corner, because usually they're not very big compared to what he is. I think he'll create some problems for people."
Said offensive coordinator Mike Bobo: "They may see the need to take away the tight end more than the receivers, which could give us more one-on-ones outside with guys like Tavarres King, who will benefit."
Richt believes Charles was the MVP of the entire spring, practicing hard all the way through the wind sprints at the end of practice.
"The last guy that I can remember giving that kind of effort on every play every day was [David] Pollack," Richt said. "I see that attitude and effort and relentlessness to be great and not caring what anybody says about him. I really like that about him."