Greg Pyke and the numbers game on the o-line

Looks like Sam Pittman’s made the first of several executive decisions this month:

Pyke, the senior who moved to that spot in the spring, will remain there as Georgia returns to practice on Monday, head coach Kirby Smart confirmed.

But the left side of the offensive line will see some experimentation.

Isaiah Wynn will play left tackle about 60 pecent of the time, and 40 percent at left guard. When Wynn moves to left guard, sophomore Kendall Baker and graduate transfer Tyler Catalina will see snaps at left tackle.

Dyshon Sims and Lamont Gaillard will begin as the guards, Smart said.

Pyke moved to right tackle before spring practice and stayed there most of the time, on the first team. He started at right guard as a sophomore and junior.

“We don’t expect to move him back to guard right now, because we we feel we have more guards than tackles right now,” Smart said.

Obviously, with that “right now” qualifier, they’re leaving themselves room to maneuver — largely, I suspect, out of a desire to see how Catalina shapes up as an option to start at tackle.  In any event, there appear to be plenty of questions left to answer over the next four weeks.

11 Comments

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11 responses to “Greg Pyke and the numbers game on the o-line

  1. HVL Dawg

    I see what you did there.

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  2. Dylan Dreyer's Booty

    I just like the fact that they have options. I am looking forward to see what comes from it.

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  3. WarD Eagle

    I would never want to be an OL coach or a defensive asst coach. Trying to get enough guys ready to cover for injuries is crazy.

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    • WDE, I think that’s the reason OL coaches seem to lose their hair. It’s the hardest position to recruit for because the blue chip players don’t need technique since they blow people off the ball. It’s definitely the hardest to develop chemistry, and once you develop a good one, he’s off to the big Sunday payday after in the system for 3 seasons. An injury or 2 absolutely throws your team into chaos. When Trenton Sturdivant blew out his knee before the season in 2008, it changed the whole complexion of that season in Athens.

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      • Cojones

        Then please don’t think of the Center Position this year. You will go batty.

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      • WarD Eagle

        If I remember correctly, that was part of the beginning of the end for Terry Bowden. I believe he was on his fifth or sixth center with a true freshman starting. It’s the rare true freshman that will start and be successful in the SEC.

        Of course, his Diddy-esque recruiting practices didn’t help either.

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        • Georgia definitely found out last year what happens when you lose an experienced center. Boss Andrews was an excellent football player. If you’re starting a true freshman on the OL, you’re usually in trouble. Sturdivant was an exception to that … and he was a damn good dancer after a touchdown. 🙂

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  4. W Cobb Dawg

    Hoping to see Pat Allen and some of the newbees like Cleveland get into the picture. Moving Pyke outside seems like a good move – IF he can return to being the OLs anchor.

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  5. Brownesman

    Senator, I’m waiting on a Dawgporn post in the form of Holyfields arms.

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