Dogs hold tenth preseason practice

The Georgia Bulldogs practiced in shoulder pads and shorts for just over two hours on Tuesday afternoon. The session began outdoors but moved inside to the William Porter Payne and Porter Otis Payne Indoor Facility following the threat of lightning.

Tuesday’s workout was the tenth of Georgia’s fall camp and the last before fall semester classes start on Wednesday.

Redshirt sophomore Isaiah Wilson, redshirt freshman John FitzPatrick, and graduate-transfer Eli Wolf were among players who discussed the team’s preseason progress with the media on Tuesday.

#79 Isaiah Wilson | RSo. | OL

On Saturday’s scrimmage…

“We just need to get better, keep working hard and get better every day. We need to get better as a unity and keep trying to attack the day.”

On the biggest change about his play… 

“Understanding the game. I have become a student of the game. I like to see what’s happening before it happens. See the blitzes before they come and read my cues before the ball is even snapped.”

On the potential of the offensive line..

We have a very high ceiling here. We have tons and tons of talent from the ones to the twos to the threes to everyone on the offensive line. There is a ton of talent in the room.

On the rotation at right guard and developing chemistry…

“We’re all great players, so it’s not hard to develop chemistry. I trust whoever is at right guard knows what they’re doing to get their leverage and their part of the block. I’ll be there to do my job.

#86 John FitzPatrick | RFr. | TE

On how helpful Charlie Woerner has been for the tight ends…

"Charlie's always looking after us, and he's always preaching to us to bring the best every single day so having him up front, and then teaching us like how to go about things and practice and whatnot."

On how he’d describe his progress from freshman year to now…

"I'd say redshirt year was a big learning year. Just having Jackson [Harris], Isaac [Nauta], Luke [Ford] and Charlie [Woerner] right next to me, I learned so much. Last year was a big learning year for me also just the learning the playbook and whatnot. I feel like I came in like not as ready and not strong enough last year. I took that year as a big step learning step to get bigger, faster and stronger. Coming into this year, I know the playbook so I can just go in and not think about that.”

On what it’s like to have so many new faces in the tight ends room, knowing he’s stepped into a bigger role this season…

“Knowing that you’re going to be counted on is exciting. Being next to two veterans in Eli [Wolf] and Charlie, then growing with Ryland [Goede] and Brett [Seither] and the other tight ends— it’s a fun group. It’s a competition every single day. Coach Hartley is pushing us throughout every single day— ‘Run to the ball. Finish, finish, finish!’ It’s fun."

#17 Eli Wolf | Gr. | TE

On what it was like playing against Georgia at the University of Tennessee…

“Georgia is a hardness football team, they always have been. Their culture is instilled here by Coach Smart. You can ask anybody, playing Georgia is a hard one because they’re physical.”

On the need of tight ends weighing on his decision to come to Georgia…

“Yeah there was a position of need. Charlie [Woerner] and Fitz [John FitzPatrick] are both great tight ends and I felt like I could help the team along with those guys. The tight end room is great. Everyone is really talented here and I’m excited for the season. We all push each other. It’s a very mature room. We get the most out of practice and meetings. We all help each other out.”