Georgia Bulldogs at a glance

<p>The 2006 Georgia Bulldogs:</p><p>COACH _ Mark Richt, sixth season, 52-13 record.</p><p>LAST YEAR _ 10-3 overall, 6-2 Southeastern Conference (first in Eastern Division); defeated LSU 34-14 in SEC championship game, lost to West Virginia 38-35 in Sugar Bowl.</p><p>OFFENSE _ For the second year in a row, the Bulldogs will have a new quarterback. This time, the replacement is up in the air. While D.J. Shockley was a lock for the job in 2005 after serving as the backup for three seasons, four players went into fall competing to be his successor. Senior Joe Tereshinski, who has one career start, was trying to hold off two players who have never taken a college snap in college: highly touted freshman Matthew Stafford and redshirt freshman Joe Cox. Sophomore Blake Barnes also was in the mix. Georgia is loaded at running back with Thomas Brown, Kregg Lumpkin and Danny Ware, but will be looking for players to step up at receiver and along the offensive line. WR Mohamed Massaquoi had an impressive freshman season (38 catches, 505 yards) and TE Martrez Milner has plenty of experience. C Nick Jones and T Daniel Inman are the only returning starters on the line, and Inman is suspended for the first two games. T Ken Shackleford, G Fernando Velasco and G Chester Adams have moved up on the depth chart.</p><p>DEFENSE _ E Quentin Moses should be the leader on this side of the line after leading the Bulldogs with 11.5 sacks and 20.5 tackles behind the line. All eyes will be on the secondary, where they Bulldogs must replace three All-SEC players: S Greg Blue and CBs Tim Jennings and DeMario Minter. CB Paul Oliver should be an able replacement, and S Kelin Johnson steps in for Blue. Freshman Asher Allen was among those contending at the corner. There's plenty of depth and experience at linebacker with starters Tony Taylor, Jarvis Jackson and Brandon Miller and second-stringer Danny Verdun Wheeler, a senior with 20 career starts. E Charles Johnson starts on the opposite side of Moses, while Ray Gant and Jeff Owens should anchor the interior line.</p><p>SPECIAL TEAMS _ Georgia has one of the nation's best kicking games. K Brandon Coutu led the SEC in scoring and made 23 of 29 field goals, including a 58-yarder that was the longest in school history without a tee. P Gordon Ely-Kelso averaged 42.9 yards and had an impressive 40.1 net average. The Bulldogs must find a new snapper, and there's plenty of competition to return kicks and punts.</p><p>KEY LOSSES _ QB D.J. Shockley, S Greg Blue, TE Leonard Pope, OG Max Jean-Gilles, CB Tim Jennings, CB DeMario Minter, C Russ Tanner, OT Dennis Roland, DT Kedric Golston, DT Gerald Anderson, WR Sean Bailey (out for season with injury).</p><p>OPENER _ Sept. 2, vs. Western Kentucky at Sanford Stadium.</p><p>PIVOTAL GAMES _ Sept. 9, at South Carolina; Sept. 23, vs. Colorado; Oct. 7, vs. Tennessee; Oct. 28, vs. Florida in Jacksonville; Nov. 11, at Auburn; Nov. 26, vs. Georgia Tech.</p><p>OUTLOOK _ It all comes down to the quarterback, whoever that may be. If the Bulldogs quickly solidify the most important position on the field, there's no reason they can't contend for their third SEC championship in five years. If not, Georgia will likely fall behind Florida and Tennessee in the powerful SEC East. A key test comes in week two, when the Bulldogs hit the road to take on Steve Spurrier's South Carolina Gamecocks.</p>

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