The collective gasp heard around Sanford Stadium at the beginning of the second quarter against Auburn was alarming and warranted.

Georgia receiver A.J. Green was hurt, and seriously.

But on the next play, rarely-used receiver Israel Troupe, inserted for Green, hauled in a 50-yard touchdown pass.

The play was as if Georgia’s offense was stating, “Hey, we can do this, no matter who lines up on our side.”

Troupe said he was just relieved to make his first catch of the season. And it came at a much-needed time.

“It’s made up a lot,” Troupe said. “I went out and worked hard every day. You don’t want it to happen with the way A.J. went down, but I knew one day my opportunity would come.”

Troupe, a highly-regarded high school player in 2007, has been absent for most of this season, and his career. He’s stuck between the superstar (Green), veteran senior (Michael Moore) and talented freshmen (Tavarres King and Rantavious Wooten). Troupe admits, the struggle to get on the field hasn’t been easy.

“It was rough, but it was more disappointing. I really didn’t know what was going on,” he said.

“But I kept my head up the whole time. I knew sooner or later my chance would come and I went out and practiced hard every week. My attitude has gotten a lot better. I was real stubborn at the beginning of the season because I wasn’t getting the playing time I deserved, but I stayed level-headed the whole time and when my number was called I went out and made the play.”

Troupe has earned the respect of his teammates, who say he practiced hard despite the lack of reward on Saturdays.

“I think at some point, you have to realize who is playing in front of you,” said quarterback Joe Cox. “If you play the same position as A.J. Green, one of the best in college football, it’s definitely a humbling experience. He’s handled it well, and still worked hard in the weight room and I mean it shows in games when he gets to come in. He made plays. Now we need him and he just needs to do the same things he’s been doing.”

Green won’t play this weekend against Kentucky, which means more opportunities for Troupe. He knows first-hand that playing time is never a guarantee, and isn’t taking himself too seriously this week in Green’s absence.

“I’m just trying to stay level-headed and just working as hard as I have been,” he said. “I’m not too worried about starting this week, I just want to see what happens when game day comes. I’m pretty sure I’ll see my snaps as the game moves along.”

That first catch, followed up by a spectacular diving catch later in the game, has helped Troupe’s confidence, and also has proven to teammates he can make plays. He’s made catches in practice, but just hadn’t gotten the ball in a game.

“He’s a guy who hasn’t gotten, I don’t want to say a fair shot, but hasn’t had as many opportunities to get in the game and make plays,” said tight end Aron White, Troupe’s roommate two years ago.

“That doesn’t say anything about him as a player. I feel he deserves a little more playing time and with A.J. going down hopefully he can continue to do well. He proved last week he is deserving of more playing time, with him stepping in right off the bat when A.J. went out.”