Georgia Football: 5 Position Battles to Watch in Spring Practice

Georgia football's spring practice is reaching the pinnacle.

After the team's fourth practice, players are competing with one another to impress their coaches. Everyone wants to earn playing time, but there are limited slots available. As with any team, there are starting positions still to be won.

Georgia lost some players to graduation, others to suspensions, opening some vacancies. Here are five ongoing position battles to watch unfold this spring.

Wide Receiver

Sophomore Malcolm Mitchell was the Georgia Bulldogs' best receiver last year. He stretched the field with his breakaway speed.

However, the talented receiver switched positions in the offseason, joining the secondary because of its depleted depth due to various suspensions.

The players vying for Mitchell's vacant spot are senior Marlon Brown and sophomore Michael Bennett.

Bennett made one of the most impressive catches all year, when he outfought a Florida defender for the ball on fourth down. His play sparked a Georgia comeback victory over its rivals. 

Brown's career thus far is disappointing. He was ranked a 5-star recruit coming out of high school on various recruiting services such as Scout.com. In his three seasons with the Bulldogs, Brown hauled in 28 catches for 382 yards and four touchdowns. 

Mitchell may return to the offense once the players' suspensions blow over, but for now, there is a heated position battle. 

Tailback

How much has Georgia tailback Isaiah Crowell matured since the end of last season?

The 2011 SEC Freshman of the Year, oft-injured and twice suspended, upset Georgia fans by sitting on the sidelines during critical portions of last season. His starting tailback job is in jeopardy right now, with Georgia bringing in a couple of highly touted freshmen. 

The Bulldogs signed Keith Marshall, a 5-star recruit, to compete with Crowell, also a 5-star recruit.

Marshall enrolled early at UGA and is participating in spring practice. Marshall will continue to push Crowell, and the reverse is also true.

Mark Richt made a point last year by not starting Crowell in the opener against Boise State. The question now is if Crowell will start to begin the 2012 season.     

Backup Quarterback

Georgia quarterback Hutson Mason played behind starter Aaron Murray the past two seasons. Mason primarily took snaps in "garbage time," when the game was out of hand.

Barring an injury, Murray figures to start each of the next two seasons for Georgia.

But what if Murray's scrambling tendencies catch up to him? Which quarterback would fill his shoes?

Mason and rising sophomore Christian LeMay figure to battle for the backup role. Mason may end up taking a redshirt this season to hopefully play his fifth year with the program, a move D.J. Shockley made a few years ago, while playing behind David Greene. 

LeMay was suspended for 30 days in his senior year of high school and decided to forgo his senior year playing prep football. So, he is a little behind the curve, but with his athleticism, it will be hard to keep him off the field. 

Offensive Line

With the departure of four-year starting Georgia center Ben Jones and guard Justin Anderson to the NFL, a series of vacancies opened up on the offensive line.

In an interview with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Chip Towers, UGA offensive line coach Will Friend said only tackle Kenarious Gates has won a starting position on the offensive line. 

The most murky position battle on the line at this moment is right tackle. Sophomore Watts Dangler and junior Austin Long will duke it out for the starting nod.

The other four positions on the line have a favorite, even if Friend won't say it. 

Cornerback

As already mentioned, Malcolm Mitchell shifted from wide receiver to cornerback because of the suspensions levied by Georgia. 

Cornerback Sanders Commings is suspended two games, and fellow cornerback Branden Smith will be suspended for an unknown length of time.

This is in addition to Georgia losing 2011 starting corner Brandon Boykin due to graduation and losing safety Bacarri Rambo for four games in 2012 due to suspension.  

So, who does Georgia have left to man the secondary?

Mitchell figures to be in the mix, otherwise the coaches wouldn't have switched his position. Sophomore Damian Swann and junior Blake Sailors will likely battle for one of the spots.