The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Smart: Hardman will focus on corner
ATHENS — For Mecole Hardman, defense remains his future. That doesn’t mean Hardman won’t get the ball on offense, and Georgia coaches are trying to make that happen.
Hardman didn’t play much last year as he learned a cornerback position he didn’t play much in high school. But as Georgia began spring practice Tuesday, coach Kirby Smart made it clear Hardman, a 5-star recruit in 247Sports composite rankings in 2016, is someone the team wants to use more.
“We have a plan for Mecole. We want to get some offensive snaps and be able to expose him to some of the concepts,” Smart said, adding: “But it won’t be early in the spring. We’re committed to continuing to develop him as a corner.”
Smart has said the team wants to get Hardman the ball, whether it’s on kick returns or offense. He didn’t get any work at those assignments last season, so coaches start the process this spring. Smart and his staff will re-evaluate Hardman in preseason practice, when the rest of the freshman class arrives — including a handful of cornerbacks.
“We’ll find out in the fall when we get some more depth in, how much we need him versus on offense,” Smart said.
The open starting role is at the star position. Smart didn’t mention Hardman as a candidate at that spot but listed four other candidates: sophomore Tyrique McGhee, early enrolling freshmen Deangelo Gibbs and Richard LeCounte, and senior Malkom Parrish, who started the past few seasons at cornerback.
“It’s going to be done by committee,” Smart said. “We try to teach the same concept and not specific to a position so that guys can interchange. We’ll do that in the spring.”
Maurice Smith played the star last year and was on the field for about 80 percent of the defensive snaps, according to Smart. Smith was a senior and a team captain.
Offensive line in flux: Georgia’s offensive line had a new look as spring practice began Tuesday, but it may not stay that way for long.
Smart detailed how it will likely look as the team hits the field:
Junior Lamont Gaillard will be at center, after starting every game at right guard last year. Senior Isaiah Wynn will be at left tackle, though he could continue to experiment at left guard. Senior Dyshon Sims will likely begin at left guard. The right guard spot is “completely up for grabs,” with Smart mentioning redshirt freshmen Solomon Kindley and Ben Cleveland. Junior Aulden Bynum will begin as the first-team right tackle, with junior college transfer D’Marcus Hayes in the mix.
Sophomore Pat Allen and Sam Madden will also be factors. Smart also said redshirt freshman Chris Barnes and Sims will also be involved at center. He also mentioned Sage Hardin as possibly being in the mix for spots at tackle and guard.
But Smart in his opening comments Tuesday cautioned that the offensive line will be “musical chairs” as they experiment with players at different positions.
“What you see one day will probably be not what you see the next,” Smart said.
Wynn, who will be a senior next season, started 11 games at left guard during the regular season (missing one game with an injury), then switched to left tackle for the bowl game. He also began the 2015 season at left guard before switching to left tackle late in the season.
Gaillard started every game at right guard last year but was the backup center, ready to switch there if something happened to then-senior Brandon Kublanow.
Sims started at left guard in two games last year, including the bowl game, and started one game in 2015. A versatile lineman, Sims has worked at basically every position, even getting reps at center late in the season. The team has a talented offensive line class coming in this summer, headlined by five-star tackle Isaiah Wilson. But for now, Smart is hoping some veterans emerge.
“I hope to see a lot of guys that have been in the background come to the forefront,” Smart said. “Obviously, we’ve got a group coming in in the fall that’s not currently here that we think will provide depth and provide competition. We’d love to have some of those guys here right now, but we don’t.”
Walk-on QB walks away: Make it three quarterbacks on Georgia’s official roster for the spring, and just two on scholarship, after a walk-on left the team.
Parker McLeod, who joined the team last year as a walk-on, is not listed on Georgia’s updated roster. McLeod signed with Alabama out of high school, then left the team and eventually surfaced at Georgia as a student, joining the team last year.
Sam Vaughn, a junior, is the lone walk-on quarterback on the roster. The team is to add another in August when Stetson Bennett IV arrives.
Freshman Jake Fromm has early enrolled, joining starter Jacob Eason as the lone scholarship quarterbacks, after the departure of Brice Ramsey.