Most of Georgia’s inside linebacker corps is missing in action from practice.

Akeem Dent continues to be sidelined with a toe injury. Richard Samuel has an unspecified leg injury. Marcus Dowtin has missed time after sustaining scrapes in a scooter accident. Now, Mike Gilliard is dealing with a hamstring injury.

Georgia isn’t moving any players to shore up the position, defensive coordinator Todd Grantham said.

“They’re injuries that are a nuisance right now, but when you look at game time status for the first game, they’re probable and they’re going to be fine,” Grantham said. “Because no one is really out for the year or is expected to miss a game, I think we just stay the course.”

Samuel, a converted running back, needs the practice work.

“It hurts him a lot,” Grantham. “Just because he’s young as a linebacker anyway.”

The Bulldogs have three healthy scholarship inside linebackers: Christian Robinson, Akeem Hebron and Demetre Baker.

Georgia looks like it could have a position battle heating up on its defense.

Defensive coordinator Todd Grantham indicated after practice Friday that Darryl Gamble is pushing Cornelius Washington for a starting spot at outside linebacker.

Justin Houston is a lock to start at the other outside linebacker position.

“Gamble’s having an excellent camp,” Grantham said. “And really Cornelius has really improved the last couple of days. We’ll just see how those guys go when we start playing.”

Gamble, a senior who started 11 games last season and had 47 tackles, shifted from inside linebacker to outside linebacker at the end of the spring."

“I’ve been pleased with both of those guys progress," Grantham said. Both of those guys have improved.”

Grantham mentioned Jakar Hamilton and Nick Williams as safeties battling for a starting spot. Bacarri Rambo is a near certainty to start at the other safety spot.

One of the key spots to watch this preseason on Georgia's defense will be the nose position in Todd Grantham’s new 3-4 scheme.

DeAngelo Tyson, Kwame Geathers and Justin Anderson are guys trying to be the man in the middle for the Bulldogs.

All-Pro nose tackle Jay Ratliff, a sixth-round pick out of Auburn, has been talked about often since Grantham came aboard as Bulldogs' defensive coordinator because Grantham coached Ratliff on the defensive line with the Dallas Cowboys.

Turns out that Ratliff not only played well for Grantham, but played hurt. He just never told anybody about it.

Wonder if Grantham will bring that up if one of his guys misses a practice because of a bump or bruise.

Let’s see if I can get this straight.

Running back Richard Samuel is now a linebacker.

Offensive lineman Justin Anderson is now on the defensive line playing nose.

Linebacker Nick Williams is now at safety.

And quarterback Logan Gray may actually see more time as a wide receiver.

Those position changes don’t even include defensive ends Justin Houston and Cornelius Washington becoming outside linebackers because of a scheme change on defense under new coordinator Todd Grantham from a 4-3 to a 3-4.

Which of the other players that will play new positions this season will make the most impact? Heck if I know.

The guess here is that it won’t be Gray.

Georgia looks like it will lean heavily at receiver on A.J. Green and Kris Durham and there’s still Rantavious Wooten and Tavarres King. And a deep tight end corps that all but begs for two tight end sets.

Noon update: Details from ABH criminal justice reporter Joe Johnson on a special bond hearing set Tuesday for dismissed UGA outside linebacker Montez Robinson.

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Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham was talking about his depth—or lack there of--at outside linebacker about two weeks ago.

Grantham liked what he saw from a group headed by Justin Houston and Cornelius Washington that didn’t have much behind them.

“It’s like anything, you’ve always got to prepare for the what ifs,” Grantham said.

After the dismissal Sunday of Montez Robinson following his arrest on a charge of simple battery/family violence, the top backup outside linebacker now is walk-on Reuben Faloughi, who was credited with three sacks in Saturday’s second spring scrimmage.

Who says there are only 24 hours in a day to turn around Georgia’s defense?

New coordinator Todd Grantham is cramming as much into his days as he can before spring practice begins on Thursday.

“The way we structured our meetings is we’re working half days on recruiting and then the other half to three quarters of a day on football,” Grantham said. “So that’s really more than a day, right? So we’re spending a lot of time over here. That’s a day and a half, right? So basically we’re working a day and a half within a day."

Grantham is serious about doing a thorough evaluation of talent-rich prospects in Georgia and getting the Bulldogs players and the defensive staff geared up for the new 3-4 scheme.

Grantham’s family remained back in Texas, where he previously coached for the Dallas Cowboys, while he began tackling his new job. He said they will be visiting this week.

Georgia coach Mark Richt and new defensive coordinator Todd Grantham will be in the house (the Butts-Mehre building that is) to field questions on the start of spring practice.
Check back here for updates starting after 5 p.m.

Richt:
"DeAngelo Tyson will play nose and Geathers is slated to play inside."

Special teams responsibilities:
Tony Ball--kickoff return
John Lilly-punt team
Warren Belin—kickoff coverage team (former Bulldogs assistant Jon Fabris coached previously).
Bryan McClendon—punt return and block (Fabris coached previously).
Lilly--will coordinate all the special teams meeting and practice times.

On the new defensive coaches: "There’s a genuine excitement. I’ve got a great anticipation for this spring and the season to come. ...There's very good chemistry already."

The heavy snow expected to hit the mid-Atlantic region hard today is closing schools, delaying and canceling flights and keeping some people away from work.

It also means that Pulaski County High School in Dublin, Va., won’t retire Todd Grantham’s number like it was scheduled to tonight.

The new Georgia defensive coordinator was slated to have his old football jersey number—53—retired with family in attendance before the school’s varsity basketball game tonight.

“That’s been in the works for about a year,” Grantham said Wednesday after Georgia announced its new signees and before the jersey ceremony was postponed. “I’m going back.”

The event has been postponed to a later date, according to the Pulaski County Patriot. Carolina Panthers tight end Jeff King also is getting his number retired.

Other Friday tidbits:

Defensive coordinator Todd Grantham just came out and did an interview for the Georgia Web site. There are about 60 or so fans at the Butts-Mehre building, but there wasn't any audio coming out of speakers for those on hand.

Grantham was asked about his thoughts on moving rangy players like 6-6, 217-pound T.J. Stripling to outside linebacker from end.

"If you get four or five, two or three may be outside linebackers and two or three may play with their hand in the dirt," Grantham said. "If you're adding guys with length, you want to see where their bodies take them."

Defensive coordinator Todd Grantham just came out and did an interview for the Georgia Web site. There are about 60 or so fans at the Butts-Mehre building, but there wasn't any audio coming out of speakers for those on hand.

Grantham was asked about his thoughts on moving rangy players like 6-6, 217-pound T.J. Stripling to outside linebacker from end.

"If you get four or five, two or three may be outside linebacker and two or three may play with their hand in the dirt," Grantham said. "If you're adding guys with length, you want to see where their bodies take them."