August means the start of fall practice on college campuses across the country, and it all means a time where clichés abound – everybody’s “just ready to get the pads back on,” everyone “worked hard this summer,” and, maybe more than anything else, every squad is “really coming together as a team.”

But, as the Georgia Bulldogs officially started fall camp Tuesday, the latter may be less cliché and more reality.

“Everybody’s looking down on us, not thinking we’re going to do so well because we lost a few key players,” defensive tackle Geno Atkins said. “Coach [Mark] Richt has been telling us and putting it in our heads that we’re playing as a team and we’re going to win a lot of games like that.”

This offseason has been drastically different from the last for the Bulldogs. There’s no hype, no huge expectations, no Matthew Stafford and no Knowshon Moreno. But that doesn’t mean there’s no star.

“It’s definitely a team sport, and we all know that,” Richt said. “Rarely will one guy be able to take a team to the point where he can make a difference all by himself. He needs people around him. No matter who your quarterback is, or your running back is, or any position for that matter, if they don’t have the people around them, they’re not going to be what people consider stars.

“And we’re not interested in stars right now. We’re interested in the team shining right now.”

A trend and an emphasis that started in spring and continued into individual summer workouts doesn’t look to change much during the month or so leading up to kickoff Sept. 5.

“It’s definitely been different,” said offensive lineman Clint Boling. “We know Matthew and Knowshon are gone, and like coach Richt said we’re trying to focus on the team and come together as one. I think we have a chance to be very good if we all play together.”

If anyone would be the “star” of Georgia football in 2009, it would be sophomore receiver A.J. Green, who’s looking to add to a freshman campaign that saw him lead the SEC in receiving yards.

But, like everyone else, he’s buying into the team atmosphere.

“There’s no star on the team,” he said. “We’re just being one. And I think that’s going to carry into the season.”