Defense to be put to the test

LSU running back/kick returner extraordinaire Trindon Holliday has the attention of head coach Mark Richt, the Georgia defense and the Bulldog special teams.

The Bulldogs have not been great on kick defense so far this year.

Meeting up with Holliday (23.0 yards per punt return, 21.3 on kickoffs) in the Bayou, then, may prove to be a touch match-up for Georgia.

“He gets involved in everything,” Richt said. “Kick return, punt return, he’ll run speed sweeps, they’ll throw screens to him, they’ll throw bombs to him. Just ballistic fast, and he’s very, very quick. Some guys can just run straight ahead very fast, and he can do that, but he also has unbelievable change of direction. Very, very dangerous.”

Holliday was a three-time track All-American in the spring, sprinting to help LSU’s track and field team to a runner-up finish at the 2008 NCAA Outdoors. The 5-foot-5 junior anchored the Tiger 4×100 relay that won a national championship.

“Right now, Holliday would be considered No. 2 in the United States in punt returns,” Richt said. “He’s already returned one for a touchdown this year.”

Walsh building up kickoff confidence

Freshman placekicker Blair Walsh, who has been consistently strong on kickoffs since booming his first try against Tennessee two weeks ago, feels like he’s coming along in a role that wasn’t decided until the season started.

“I feel like I’m getting there,” he said. “I feel like I’m getting a little bit more comfortable as the season goes along and we’re taking it from there.”

Ellerbe, Chandler prognoses bleak

Richt said Tuesday that he wasn’t as enthused about the injury status of linebacker Dannell Ellerbe (knee) and tight end Tripp Chandler (shoulder) as he thought he would be after Monday’s practice.

“Ellerbe didn’t look quite as agile as we hoped. We’re still going let him go today and see how he does,” he said. “I wouldn’t say I came out of there more optimistic. I probably came out of there less optimistic on his ability to play. But there’s still a few more days.”

As far as Chandler? About the same.

“There’s some soreness today, which is not necessarily impending his practice this week, but we were hoping he would come through a little better than he did…”

– Tyler Estep