Kentucky Week: Thursday News and Notes

ATHENS - News and notes from Georgia's practices.

INJURY UPDATE: Safety Tra Battle (concussion) has officially been ruled out for Saturday’s game, and linebacker Tony Taylor (knee) is doubtful. Battle did not dress out for Thursday’s practice. Taylor dressed out but did not participate.

Defensive tackle Kedric Golston (ankle) and cornerback Tim Jennings (ankle) both practiced and are expected to play. Paul Oliver still is expected to start in Jennings’ normal cornerback slot, Richt said.

LONG TIME COMING: Richt isn’t worried about his team looking past Kentucky for one main reason, he said, and it’s not because the SEC East championship is on the line.

“If you haven’t won a game in a month, you don’t think about anything but getting a win,” he said. “It just no fun losing.”

The Bulldogs’ last victory came on Oct. 22 against Arkansas.

COVERAGE ISSUES: Tight end Leonard Pope’s eight-catch game against Auburn, his best of the season, was not a function of Georgia trying to get him the ball more. The Bulldogs’ coaches have been trying to get the 6-foot-7 junior the ball all year long.

“If you looked at the plays we called and where he is the progression, this game wasn’t a whole lot different in terms of how many times we tried to get him the ball,” Richt said.

Four of his catches came on plays where a different defensive coverage would have made wide receiver Bryan McClendon the primary receiver, Richt said.

QUOTABLE: “We’re one of the luckiest teams in the SEC to have three times to clinch.” -- cornerback DeMario Minter.

THIS AND THAT: As promised, the Bulldogs hit the field at 5:15 a.m. on Wednesday morning. Practice time was changed to facilitate an academic trip several players had to make to Atlanta in the afternoon. ... Ryan Schnetzer expects to make his second straight start this weekend, he said. Schnetzer and Russ Callaway rotate series during games, but Callaway started every game until the Auburn game. ... Georgia hasn’t beaten Florida and Auburn in the same year since 1982.