We're closing in on the start of spring practice at Georgia, so this week let's take a look at five position battles worth watching this spring.

We begin Monday with the safeties, who struggled for much of last season and lost a starter when coach Mark Richt kicked Josh Harvey-Clemons off the team last month. With all of that -- plus the addition of a new position coach in Jeremy Pruitt -- in mind, it should be an interesting spring for the defensive backs in general. But let's take a closer look at the safeties:

Returning starters: Harvey-Clemons (11 starts, 66 tackles, five tackles for a loss, three fumble recoveries in 2013) was the only player one might call a regular starter at safety, although the Bulldogs return three players who started at points in 2013: Corey Moore (seven starts, 35 tackles, three TFLs), Quincy Mauger (seven starts, 57 tackles) and Tray Matthews (six starts, 36 tackles).

Departures: Harvey-Clemons and Connor Norman (two starts, 24 tackles), also one of the Bulldogs' top special teams players, are the two most significant departures.

Returning reserves: Since they were all part-time starters, Moore, Mauger and Matthews were also part-time reserves in 2013. They all have a decent shot at seizing major playing time this fall, although it's difficult to predict a pecking order at this point. Moore is the only senior in the mix, while Mauger and the oft-injured Matthews both played as true freshmen after enrolling in January.

Newcomers: As we discussed last week, redshirt freshman Tramel Terry might be a player to watch here. One of the top athletes in the 2013 ESPN recruit rankings, Terry practiced throughout the regular season as a wide receiver, only to shift to safety during bowl practice. If that move sticks, he could make this competition more interesting this spring by making a quick adjustment at his new position. The Bulldogs signed two freshmen who could contribute at safety once they arrive on campus, although Georgia has yet to officially specify a position for either player. The roster lists Dominick Sanders as an athlete and Shaquille Jones as a defensive back.

What to watch: Terry's grasp of the defensive scheme will probably be the top storyline if he stays at safety. The Bulldogs' official roster now lists him at the position. Otherwise, the Bulldogs simply need to develop some consistency here. Moore did a decent job with his first significant dose of playing time, and Mauger and Matthews were OK at times. But each player also found himself out of position or otherwise beaten far too often, which led to repeated back-end breakdowns for Georgia's defense. Now that Harvey-Clemons is also out of the picture, the starting jobs look like they're up for grabs. It will essentially be Year 2 for the three part-time starters from last year, which often leads to a season of significant progress. Bulldogs fans certainly hope that will be the case with this bunch after a rocky 2013.