Spring football is underway for Georgia, and the Bulldogs have been working hard already.

But spring practice is a time for beginning to figure out problems and strengthen weaknesses for the fall. Here’s The Red & Black’s take on what needs to happen before the nationally televised G-Day game on April 11. Make sure to stay tuned during the next few weeks for stories on all five keys to spring success:

Who’s the backup?: Fifth-year senior Joe Cox will be the starter behind center for the Bulldogs, but the picture gets fuzzier after that. Early enrollees and Elite 11 quarterbacks Zach Mettenberger and Aaron Murray are both in town and practicing, with Mettenberger looking better so far.

Add to the mix redshirt sophomore Logan Gray, who acts as a hybrid of the two freshmen with a better arm than Murray but more mobility than Mettenberger,

Gray has more experience in the system, but the speedster also splits time between quarterback and special teams meetings.

Where’s the pass rush?: The Georgia defense logged just 24 sacks last season, with 14.5 coming from the line.

The combination of Geno Atkins and Jeff Owens (who missed last season with an ACL tear) on the interior should help, but the Bulldogs’ D-ends will need to step up.

That said, Georgia is practicing this spring with just four scholarship ends, with Rod Battle, Neland Ball and Cornelius Washington all out with injuries. One of those four is Kiante Tripp, a convert from the offensive line.

Junior Demarcus Dobbs and redshirt sophomore Justin Houston will need to get in as many reps as they can this spring and figure out some way to get to the quarterback.

Not-so-tight ends: For a school with a history of churning out NFL-caliber tight ends, the position sure has been a question mark a lot lately.

Redshirt sophomore Aron White is the only tight end with any playing experience at all practicing this spring, as Bruce Figgins recovers from a nagging shoulder injury.

Tripp Chandler is gone and signees Orson Charles and Arthur Lynch won’t be here until the summer, but the improvement on a season that saw Georgia tight ends log just 10 receptions for 178 yards needs to start in the spring.

Replacing Asher: Had corner Asher Allen not decided to leave after his junior season for the NFL draft, Georgia would have had one of the more veteran secondaries in the SEC in 2009.

But he did, and he left a gap at short corner behind him.

Prince Miller and Vance Cuff look to have the other side of the field locked down, but, with Bryan Evans’ move to safety, sophomore Brandon Boykin and redshirt freshman Sanders Commings will be battling it out to replace Allen at short corner.

Staying healthy: The biggest battle the Bulldogs will face this spring is with themselves.

Key injuries were one of the largest factors in their fall from preseason No. 1 in 2008, and although there still will be plenty of practice after the spring, staying healthy until G-Day should be a No. 1 priority.

Eighteen season-ending injuries were a big deal in 2008, and about 20 Bulldogs will miss practice or be limited in some capacity this spring.

If Georgia can avoid more injuries, it will be an even bigger deal.