College Football Betting Odds

Georgia's Top Lineman Out For Year - August 12th, 2008

By Jordan Walters
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

Sports Betting at WagerWeb Online Sportsbook

Most people expect Georgia and Florida to be the class of the SEC this year, but a key injury to each team could bring the Dawgs and Gators back to the pack a bit.

A few days after Florida lost potential All-American tight end Cornelius Ingram for the season due to a knee injury, Georgia has lost starting left tackle Trinton Sturdivant for the year due to an injured left knee. The sophomore started all 13 games at left tackle left season and earned freshman All-America and freshman All-SEC honors.

Left tackle is generally considered the most important offensive line position, as it protects the quarterback’s blind side (assuming he’s not left-handed), in this case Matthew Stafford. Sturdivant was injured during the Bulldogs’ first full-squad preseason workout of the fall on Monday.

The injury occurred during a passing play in which Stafford stepped up in the pocket to avoid the rush coming from both defensive end positions. When Stafford moved up, the two offensive tackles and the two defensive ends collided - Sturdivant came up lame.

"It makes you sick," Richt said. "It's just sad to see a guy get hurt."

Richt said sophomore Josh Davis filled in at left tackle for the remaining first-team snaps during Monday's scrimmage, but that there were other options the coaching staff may consider, including junior Vince Vance, sophomore Clint Boling and freshman Cordy Glenn. Boling will sit out the first game of the season, however, due to a suspension for an off-field incident.

 

Richt also said there was a possibility right tackle Kiante Tripp could slide over to the other side.

Sturdivant can now use his redshirt year to recover and won't lose a season of eligibility, unless his recovery stretches into the 2009 season. Georgia, ranked No. 1 in the USA Today coaches' poll, now has just two returning starting offensive linemen from last year's team - sophomores Chris Davis and Boling.

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