Four.

That’s the number of healthy scholarship receivers Georgia had during practice last week with Marlon Brown and Israel Troupe sidelined with injuries.

Wide receiver A.J. Green leaps for a pass during spring practice. Photo by WES BLANKENSHIP

That lack of depth for Georgia is a scary proposition in a day and age in which offenses frequently employ multiple receiver sets, sometimes sending as many five receivers onto the field for one play.

“It was a concern, obviously, coming into spring ball and after Signing Day,” offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said. “So it’s a big concern for us, and then having two guys [hurt], and only having four scholarship guys has hurt us a little bit at that position. But I think it’s going to make us better in the long run having to do some different things offensively and it’s going to help push those guys to get mentally tougher and fight through it and play more.”

Even with Troupe recovered from his hamstring strain and back on the practice field Tuesday, the dearth in wide receiver depth remains, and each receiver has had to take more reps than they are accustomed.

It’s a situation so startling that when Tavarres King was asked which young wide receivers had impressed him in spring camp thus far, the names of two walk-ons — Taylor Bradberry and Rhett McGowan — were the first to part his lips. With sophomore Rantavious Wooten as the only healthy underclassman receiver this spring, it’s hard to doubt King’s premise.

It’s with little surprise that King — last season’s starter alongside A.J. Green — hasn’t really been pushed for his starting spot this spring.

“Right now we don’t have a lot of competition because we have four guys, so we need some competition. You need depth, and you need competition at receiver. Kris Durham’s done a nice job, but he had a couple days where he missed because of an injury,” Bobo said. “You’ve just got to have competition.”

And it’s a situation that will likely remain throughout the fall season because Georgia signed only two wide receivers on Signing Day — and one of them, Lonnie Outlaw, is expected to be heading to junior college.

“It’s pretty tough, but it’s just going to prepare us for the fall,” Green said. “We don’t have [depth], so at this point we’re just going to have to push each other and give each other a break whenever you can.”