ATHENS, Ga. - Georgia's tight ends are racking up more pass receptions this season after all.
Isaac Nauta, Charlier Woerner and Jackson Harris combined for five catches for 93 yards last Saturday night as the No. 2 Bulldogs routed Vanderbilt 41-13 in Sanford Stadium. That Nauta and Woerner each had multiple receptions against the Commodores marked an occurrence that never took place a year ago.
"We've been doing a good job of getting open and being there in the progression," Nauta said. "We've been grinding in practice, and I think we've gotten better as a group, which has led to more opportunities. We've got a lot of playmakers in that room.
"When we get the ball, we want to make something happen."
Nauta, a 6-foot-4, 240-pound junior from the Atlanta suburb of Buford, has 10 receptions for 129 yards and a touchdown through Georgia's 6-0 start. He had nine catches for 114 yards and two scores all of last season.
Third-year coach Kirby Smart answered his share of questions last season about the lack of catches by tight ends, even though the Bulldogs averaged 435.3 yards and 35.4 points per game in winning their first Southeastern Conference championship since 2005. After offensive coordinator James Chaney went from overseeing quarterbacks to working with the tight ends this past winter, Smart was asked in the spring whether that would result in more catches for them.
"I am so tired of tight-end questions," Smart said in a news conference following the second scrimmage. "To be honest with you, I don't know if they've caught it more or less. The end line for me is, 'How many points do you score?'"
Smart was asked about the tight ends after the Vanderbilt game and said, "If we catch it and get yards, I'm fired up. It doesn't matter to me whether it's a back, a tight end or a receiver. I don't care who it is. Just get me a first down."
The Bulldogs are averaging 485.2 yards and 42.8 points per game this season, and Smart explained that much of the productivity, including throws to the tight ends, is based off what the defense is showing.
"Sometimes it's based on protection, because when the tight ends are out in the passing game, they're not in the protection," Smart said. "A lot of it has to do with our ability to protect the passer and our ability to run the ball in play-action. A lot of the catches the tight ends get come off play-action. There are a lot of factors that go into that, and that's something I don't think some people acknowledge.
"They think it's just about throwing the ball to the tight ends. There's a lot more to it than that."
Perhaps some of those factors will continue to provide opportunities for this group Saturday, when the No. 2 Bulldogs visit No. 13 LSU.
"All the tight ends played really well," quarterback Jake Fromm said, "and it was fun to get those guys back involved. Those guys are a vital part of our offense."
Said Nauta: "Any way we can help the offense is what we want to do."
Loran Smith hurt
Loran Smith, who co-hosts the pregame tailgate show on the Georgia Bulldog Radio Network, was hospitalized Monday evening after suffering hip and elbow injuries while attending practice that afternoon. Two Bulldogs players collided with Smith after running out of bounds on a special-teams play.
Smith underwent hip surgery Tuesday at Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center and is expected to be released from the hospital today or Thursday.
"I didn't actually see what happened," Smart said Tuesday night in a news conference. "I don't know if he didn't see it coming or couldn't get out of the way. Hopefully he will bounce back."
Odds and ends
Redshirt sophomore guard Solomon Kindley (MCL sprain) took first-team reps during Tuesday's practice. Junior defensive end David Marshall injured his left foot against Vanderbilt and is doubtful for this week's game.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.