The Georgia football team spent much of its Wednesday afternoon practice working on substitution patterns in preparing for today’s final scrimmage of the preseason.

Having players respond when their units were called was more important to the coaching staff than offensive and defensive execution, head coach Mark Richt said.

“In essence, what we did was a dress rehearsal for tomorrow night, which is a dress rehearsal for the game,” Richt said.

“Any time you practice substitutions, you learn something. We had at least two units that didn’t have the full 11 show up, and a couple of guys who weren’t quite sure where to report.”

Three players hurt

True freshman receiver Walter Hill was held out of practice with a high ankle sprain, along with junior guard Scott Haverkamp (ankle) and freshman tailback Caleb King (hamstring.)

Gray to replicate QB

Richt also said dual-threat freshman quarterback Logan Gray will run the scout team in today’s scrimmage, in an attempt to replicate Oklahoma State’s extremely mobile signal caller, Bobby Reid.

Gray, a true freshman who expects to redshirt this season, may not wear the green no-contact jersey the quarterbacks typically wear in practice.

Richt said Gray seems to have embraced the role of scout team quarterback.

“He’s requesting that he go live tomorrow,” Richt said. “We usually allow our (scout) team quarterback to go live, to let our defense try and tackle somebody, because they really haven’t sacked anybody all year.”

- Lawrence Conneff