Dawgs Open Spring Practice

FOOTBALL

The Georgia football team opened its 2011 spring camp with a two-hour workout Thursday at the Woodruff Practice Fields. It was the Dawgs’ only practice before UGA students begin spring break following Friday’s classes. Georgia will resume practice on Tuesday, March 22.

“It was a little nippy out there, but it was a good day,” head coach Mark Richt said. “I thought the practice was well-organized and we had outstanding tempo from drill to drill. Players were giving great effort and coaches were coaching hard. It was a good day.”

A pair of coaches had their first official practice with the Dawgs as offensive line coach Will Friend and inside linebackers coach Kurt Olivadotti took the Georgia practice fields for the first time. Among the players Olivadotti will coach is Alec Ogletree, who moved from safety to inside linebacker.

“I want Alec to learn what to do,” Richt said. “No matter where you put him he is going to run and hit. He just has to learn what to do and get comfortable playing that position.”

Senior lineman Justin Anderson has also changed positions. The 6-5, 342-pound Ocilla, Ga., native will play offensive guard after spending last season on the defensive line. Anderson missed all of 2010 while battling a toe injury.

“He retained a good bit,” Richt said. “He really practiced today for the first time in a while. We’ll see how his toe holds up once he starts getting after some people."

In addition, Thursday's practice marked the debut for freshman quarterback Christian LeMay, who enrolled at UGA in January.

The Dawgs will practice a total of 15 times in the spring, culminating with the G-Day game April 16 at 1 p.m. at Sanford Stadium.