The Red and Black

Issue date: 3/25/09 Section: Sports

GREEN [Click to enlarge]

Georgia's defense continued to impress coach Mark Richt Tuesday, as it booked a couple of interceptions in practice.

"The defense had a couple of interceptions today, that was nice," Richt said. "I think Prince [Miller] had one, Reshad [Jones] had at least one, maybe two. [Defensive tackle] Geno Atkins intercepted the ball and took it to the house."

"It was only about five or six yards, but it was pretty exciting."

Although the defense had a couple of picks, Richt did admit the offense is closing the gap, saying the defense had opened in earlier practices.

"It's leveled off in my opinion," he said. "Today when we went three-on-three it went pretty much the way it went on Saturday with the offense winning … [and] the offense did close the gap on the inside drill. On Saturday the defense dominated, this time it was a little closer."

Freshman Aaron Murray, who had been having a rough go at things this spring, lined up ahead of classmate Zach Mettenberger for the early practice quarterback drills, in the No. 3 spot behind Joe Cox and Logan Gray.

Cox shouted "good ball" twice for Murray and once for Mettenberger.

Green feeling good, Jackson getting closer: Richt seems to think wide receiver A.J. Green is feeling good as he continues to recover from a nagging groin injury.

Green, who led the SEC in receiving as a freshman last year, wasn't sure how much he would practice going into the spring but has gone full tilt.

"He looks good, but I really don't know how he's feeling on the inside," Richt said. "I'm not going to ask him every day, but when I observe him, I've not seen what I saw toward the end of bowl practice where I knew he was struggling … Right now I don't see that, I don't see that little grimace."

"I hope he's feeling as good as he's practicing right now."

Up to this point in the spring, it's been a two-horse race at tailback with Caleb King and Carlton Thomas the only two scholarship backs practicing. But Dontavius Jackson, recovering from a knee injury, saw limited practice time Tuesday, and Richt said he could be full-go by the start of next week.

"He got to practice today and actually got knocked down one time, somebody hit him when they shouldn't have," Richt said. "But he popped up and was fine. He's phasing in right now. It might be as early as next Monday or whatever day we start next week. I think he'll go full before [spring] is over."

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