Tag: xavier truss uga

Can Georgia OT Xavier Truss take a starting spot 2022?

Xavier Truss is battling for a starting spot up front…

Georgia football lost 41% of its production from the National Championship team, including two starting spots along the offensive line.

Second team All-SEC selections Jamaree Salyer and Justin Shaffer are moving on to the NFL, which means new offensive line coach Stacy Searels has a couple of glaring holes to fill before the Bulldogs kick off versus Oregon in Atlanta on Sept. 3.

One of the Dawgs fighting for one of those starting spots at left tackle and left guard is junior Xavier Truss.

Sep 11, 2021; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs offensive lineman Xavier Truss (73) in action against the UAB Blazers at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Truss (6-foot-7, 330 pounds) started at left tackle in Georgia’s 2020 Peach Bowl win over Cincinnati and played 64 snaps in a win at Tennessee last season.

The Rhode Island native knows the opportunity that’s in front of him as the Bulldogs grind through spring practice.

“Obviously it’s going to be a very important spring, summer and even fall,” Truss told media. “I think as long as I’m playing to the best of my ability and collectively I think as long as we’re playing as a unit, the best five will be out there.”

I’m really happy how things worked out with the relationships I built with my three offensive line coaches and coach Smart over these past three years. It’s just been amazing — an amazing journey.”

Truss will be battling with Freshman All-SEC selection Broderick Jones, who played well versus Alabama in the title game, and senior Warren McClendon, who started at right tackle last season.

We will know who’s trending in the right direction when the Dawgs take the field for the annual G-Day spring game on April 16.

 

Spring football: UGA Redshirt sophomore Xavier Truss getting most of first-team reps at LT

Georgia football’s Xavier Truss is getting most of the first-team reps at left tackle. Details and analysis here.

One of the biggest questions surrounding Georgia football as the team gets going in spring practice is who exactly will be starting left tackle when the Bulldogs visit Charlotte to face Clemson on Sept. 4.

Last season it was Jamaree Salyer, but the senior will most likely be moving inside to guard, his more natural position.

UGA has several options here. One is redshirt freshman and former five-star Broderick Jones and another is five-star 2021 signee Amarius Mims.

Both Jones and Mims were among the top players at their position coming out of high school, but some may be surprised to see a third option, redshirt sophomore Xavier Truss, getting most of the reps with the first-team offense so far this spring.

The former four-star recruit started Georgia’s last game of the season versus Cincinnati and struggled. The Bearcats defense was a big test for a first-time starter. Georgia coach Kirby Smart told reporters on Thursday that the six-foot-seven, 330 pound Truss has impressed him so far this offseason.

“He’s a hard worker. He’s trimmed some of his weight down,” Smart said. “I thought he gained some confidence in the Cincinnati game, he got to play in a tough environment against a really good defense. The best way to improve at the point that he’d been at was to go play. So he’s been out there this spring competing, I think he’s doing better at the mental side of things, picking it up. Coach (Matt) Luke’s really challenged him to play with a little bit more energy and passion. He’s one of those guys that doesn’t show it a lot. He doesn’t play with a lot of emotion and sometimes you want that emotion to come out. Like, show some personality when you have a good block and when you compete really hard. But he’s gained a lot of confidence. For a kid that probably didn’t go against the same caliber of competition week in week out in high school, he’s adjusted really well and he’s a joy to be around.”

Truss was the No. 1 player in Rhode Island in the 2019 recruiting class and was rated as the No. 19 tackle in the nation.

Fighting off five-stars Jones and Mims will be impressive if Truss can earn the left tackle spot. The sooner Georgia has a solid starter in place to protect quarterback JT Daniels, the better chance the Bulldogs get the offensive continuity down to test a nasty Clemson defense in the season opener.

 

A new episode of “UGA Football Live with J.C. Shelton” is here! J.C. is joined by former Georgia tight end Arthur Lynch to talk UGA football, his life as U.S. Army 2nd Lieutenant and more. Listen here: