G-DAY GAME

Sanford Stadium, 17, p.m., SEC wants it. Football players can make that decision once spring practice ends April 17 at G-Day, Smart said Saturday.

Scrimmage boosts inexperienced secondary: The opportunity for young cornerbacks to receive some live action marked one of the highlights of Saturday’s scrimmage at Sanford Stadium.

Other than 6-foot-3, 211-pound senior Ameer Speed, the Bulldogs have zero cornerbacks with significant experience. And even then, Speed really contributed only on defense last year at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl against Cincinnati. His primary role has been on special teams.

Georgia must replace Eric Stokes, Tyson Campbell and D J Daniel (NFL draft) along with Tyrique Stevenson (Miami transfer). Speed isn’t technically guaranteed a starting position, but it seems likely at this point. Some other players competing for game reps include redshirt freshman Jalen Kimber, redshirt freshman Kelee Ringo and freshman Lovasea “LC” Carroll, who was recruited as a running back.

“We’re a long way from being ready in terms of what we need to do in the secondary because we just got a lot of inexperienced players,” Smart said. “We cannot have enough of those situations: scrimmage, passing, all the different looks we get. Because we need the experience.”

Updates on Burton and Smith: Smart spoke for the first time Saturday about Jermaine Burton’s injury. The sophomore receiver from California hyperextended his knee at practice Tuesday. Smart said there is no structural damage, which was previously reported by the AJC.

Burton will be day to day, Smart said.

Redshirt freshman receiver Arian Smith also will be out for an unknown amount of time with a wrist he sprained Saturday.