After a couple of days of working out in jerseys, shorts and helmets, the Bulldogs added shoulder pads to Wednesday's two-hour practice. Georgia's first session in full pads is scheduled for Saturday. This routine follows the NCAA's five-day "acclimatization period" that all teams must follow at the start of preseason practice. The Bulldogs will have a total of 29 practices before their season opener against Louisiana-Lafayette.
"It was definitely the hottest day for us, and everybody held up extremely well and I was really proud of them," said Georgia head coach Mark Richt. "We finished extremely well."
Richt praised the play of senior linebacker Darryl Gamble and junior flanker A.J. Green, saying they are having an excellent camp.
Meanwhile freshman defensive end Dexter Morant, a 6-foot-7, 240-pound native of Manning, S.C., has left the program, Richt confirmed Wednesday.
"Football is not for everybody, and Dexter has lost the desire to play," said Richt. "We tried to convince him it was in his best interest to stay and fight through it because a lot of guys go through it, but in the end, he felt like it wasn't for him. Right now, I'm not sure what he is going to do. I wish him the best, he's a good kid."
In other personnel news, Richt said sophomore split end Tavarres King's suspension would likely remain for just one game after King's off-season alcohol-related incident.
Classes resume at UGA on Monday, Aug. 16. The annual Fans' Picture Day will be Aug. 21 in Sanford Stadium. Interim Bulldog mascot "Russ" will be available for photos that day from 1-3 p.m. while the 2010 Bulldogs will be at the stadium from 3-5 p.m. The season opener against the Ragin' Cajuns is slated for a 12:21 p.m. kickoff on Sept. 4, and it will be televised on the SEC Network.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2010/8/231262