ATHENS — The coaching staff hasn’t made an official announcement, but freshman Andrew Thomas still looks as if he is on the verge of filling a starting spot in Georgia’s opener Saturday.
Thomas once again was the first-team right tackle at practice on Monday. The rest of the line stayed as it has been for the past two weeks.
The first team during the media viewing period was left tackle Isaiah Wynn, left guard Pat Allen, center Lamont Gaillard, right guard Solomon Kindley, with Thomas as the fifth piece on the line.
The second team also was similar to what it was most of last week: LT Isaiah Wilson, LG Dyshon Sims, C Sean Fogarty, RG Kendall Baker and RT Ben Cleveland.
Thomas and Cleveland have been in competition for the right tackle spot, the final one seemingly left to be decided. Thomas has been ahead of Cleveland in the pecking order, at least when the media has been present. Sims, a senior who started twice last year, is regarded as the versatile sixth man. Baker, a redshirt junior, seemingly has moved up in the coach’s eyes as a potential contributor.
Some other notes from the viewing period, which lasted seven minutes.
- Freshman outside linebacker Robert Beal was back at practice. He missed several practice last week with an undisclosed injury.
- Junior safety Rashad Roundtree was not seen at practice. Roundtree, a reserve, was absent last week with what Smart said was an injury he should return from soon.
- There was no first-team secondary shown during the period. It appeared sophomore J.R. Reed and freshman Deangelo Gibbs were with the safeties during a drill in which the safeties and corners were split up. The nickelbacks were not split up at that point.
