SEC East notebook

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Posted 6:48AM on Thursday, September 16, 2004

GEORGIA: After leading the league with 47 sacks allowed last season, third-ranked Georgia (2-0, 1-0) has given up only one sack in the first two games. When asked about this improvement, coach Mark Richt gasped Tuesday and said ``Oh my goodness!'' as if he were afraid to say more. Improvement on the offensive line was expected this year after the unit played through the 2003 season without any seniors or juniors. Assistant coach Neil Callaway made a key preseason move by shifting junior Max Jean-Gilles from tight tackle, where he started every game last season, to tight guard. Gilles is listed at 6-foot-4 and 341 pounds, and Callaway and Richt believe he will play at guard in the NFL. The move cleared the way for Daniel Inman (6-7, 312), Dennis Roland (6-9, 314) and Ken Shackleford (6-5, 315) to rotate at the two tackle spots. Richt noted the decline in sacks allowed involves more than the offensive line, saying the running backs are blocking better. KENTUCKY: During the week before each game, Kentucky coach Rich Brooks designates two team captains to go along with the team's permanent captains, senior quarterback Shane Boyd and senior defensive end Vincent ``Sweet Pea'' Burns. Brooks makes his selections based on performance in the previous game. It took safety Wesley Woodyard only one game to catch Brooks' eye, as the true freshman from LaGrange, Ga., is one of the coach's captain-designees for the Wildcats' game Saturday against Indiana. Brooks said Woodyard's special-teams play was one of the Wildcats' few bright spots in a 28-0 season-opening loss to Louisville on Sept. 5. Against Indiana, Woodyard ``will see an expanded role on our defensive unit, in some of our nickel and dime units,'' said Brooks, who has promised several lineup changes for the game. Woodyard and another true freshman, running back Tony Dixon, attended Kentucky's weekly football media conference Monday, a sign they might soon be playing more significant roles. SOUTH CAROLINA: South Carolina coach Lou Holtz doesn't want a quarterback debate, only a fresher Dondrial Pinkins down the stretch. Holtz says he'll play backup Syvelle Newton every third series on Saturday against South Florida. The decision comes after last week's 20-16 loss to Georgia when Holtz said Pinkins and others wore down under the Bulldogs' relentless pressure. Holtz said Pinkins played well for three quarters. ``When we get in the fourth quarter, maybe we're tired mentally,'' Holtz said. ``I don't know.'' In the fourth quarter, Pinkins had a fumble, an interception and was stopped on a fourth-and-short inside Georgia's 20-yard line. Pinkins carried much of the offensive load for South Carolina last week. He completed 13 of 21 passes for 200 yards and a 65-yard TD pass to Troy Williamson. Pinkins had 16 of the Gamecocks' 31 rushing attempts. Also, Newton needs the game action should Pinkins get injured, Holtz said. So the coach will keep shuttling quarterbacks until late in the third quarter ``then I think you've got to go with the hot hand or the experience.'' Newton, a sophomore, said Pinkins was the team's quarterback and played down the increased involvement. ``It's like when you take a long road trip in a car,'' Newton said. ``After a while, you change drivers. Someone gets tired and you use another driver. That's what I am, another driver.'' TENNESSEE: The No. 13 Volunteers (1-0) have shuffled their secondary and named three new starters for Saturday's game against No. 11 Florida. Tennessee wasn't happy with the secondary's performance in a 42-17 win over UNLV two weeks ago. The Vols have struggled to replace three seniors from last year's squad. They used the open date to make some adjustments. The secondary revolves around junior Jason Allen, a returning starter at cornerback and the most experienced defensive back. For Florida, Allen is moving to free safety to replace sophomore Corey Campbell. Freshman Jonathan Hefney is the new right cornerback in Allen's place. The new left cornerback is Jonathan Wade, replacing redshirt freshman Roshaun Fellows. The only position that stays the same is strong safety, where junior Brandon Johnson keeps his starting job. Johnson led the Vols with nine tackles against UNLV and forced two fumbles. ``Those kids are fighters and tough guys. They'll have to be in this football game,'' coach Phillip Fulmer said about the secondary. ``I'm pleased with the progress we've made to this point. Tennessee's three starters from last season Gibril Wilson, Jabari Greer and Rashad are all on NFL rosters. VANDERBILT: The Commodores put an end to the nation's longest conference losing skid last November with a victory over Kentucky. Their losing streak on the road isn't that long yet, but it's still been a long time since they came back to Nashville victorious. Vanderbilt (0-1, 0-1) visits Mississippi (0-2, 0-1) on Saturday looking for its first road victory since beating Duke 42-38 nearly three years ago in Durham, N.C. The Commodores' last SEC road victory: Kentucky on Nov. 11, 2000. Adding to that losing history, the Commodores also might have to deal with the weather if rain lingers from Hurricane Ivan in Oxford with kickoff set for 11:30 a.m. CDT. ``Ole Miss has the same turf that we have on our practice field,'' coach Bobby Johnson said. ``We have played a few practices in the rain and have had no problems with footing or otherwise.''