Depth chart out with a surprise

Gentry Estes
11 months ago
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MACON, Ga. – In the form of a handout at the state’s Pigskin Preview media day, Georgia released its post-spring depth chart Tuesday with very few surprises.

Walk-on Merritt Hall was listed as the surprise post-spring starter at fullback. (Photo by UGA Sports Communications)

But there was one at fullback.

Merritt Hall, a redshirt freshman walk-on from the Wesleyan School in suburban Atlanta, was listed as Georgia’s starting fullback. Hall was ahead of senior Richard Samuel (who was not included at tailback) and junior Zander Ogletree.

“Merritt had a great spring,” UGA coach Mark Richt said. “He learned what to do, and he was striking people with a lot of enthusiasm. He would have earned the right to be the starter at the end of spring, so we put it on the board that way.”

Richt was clear there will be competition throughout August at fullback, with Samuel being “a guy that could do it” and true freshman signee Quayvon Hicks also having a shot.

“Quayvon, just the looks test, he looks like a fullback, 255, 260 pounds,” Richt said. “He’s really well put-together, and you can see it in his eyes, he can’t wait to get after it. He’s got to learn what to do, but I’d love to see him learn what to do and get his hat in the ring. …

“If any given year those guys aren’t ready to play the position the way it should be played then we’ll find a way to line up without a fullback, but I don’t think that will be the case.”

So what’s the story on Hall?

A former high school teammate of current UGA center David Andrews, the 5-foot-11, 216-pound Hall walked on with the Bulldogs last season as a reserve fullback. Given a shot to impress this spring, Hall took advantage of it, according to quarterback Aaron Murray.

“He’s a crazy dude, that’s for sure,” Murray said of Hall. “He reminds me of like a Ben Jones. Just a crazy football that’s just dirty and ready to put his head in the pile and just knock people around. That’s the kind of fullback you want, someone who’s not afraid of contact and whatever linebacker shows up first, he’s taking his head off. I’m excited about him.”

View the full depth chart, courtesy of UGA, below ...