Tag: kirby smart uga

Georgia HC Kirby Smart updates CB room: ‘We have never in seven years been this thin’

Kirby Smart says the Dawgs have never been as thin at CB

The defending national champion Georgia Bulldogs have their work cut out this offseason to prepare to defend their title next season.

One obstacle is depth at the cornerback position, which lost the first and third string starters from last season. Starter Derion Kendrick is off to the NFL and Ameer Speed has transferred to Michigan State.

Redshirt sophomore Kelee Ringo will be the day on starter after a productive 2021 season that was capped off by the title-sealing interception.

UGA head coach Kirby Smart is very much aware of the situation at corner and spoke on the matter in a press conference earlier this week.

“They (Kamari Lassiter, Nyland Green, and Daylen Everette) are taking every single rep with the ones and twos. Those guys are out there. Receiver and defensive-back, we have never in seven years been this thin. Ever been this thin. You can point a finger and blame anywhere you want, but it’s the life of a college football coach now.

The immediate transfer rule has created a swinging door situation for programs around the country. The Bulldogs have taken advantage of the transfer portal in the past, but has also experienced their own departures.

“You don’t have depth. You don’t have it anywhere. It’s easy to leave and go places, ” Smart said. “Those guys are a little higher maintenance in terms of thinking of themselves. They expect to play right away and go. It’s certainly a position of concern for us in terms of recruiting and development as a skill position.”

Smart mentions sophomores Kamari Lassiter and Nyland Green, along with 2022 signee Daylen Everette as guys that have the biggest opportunities to get meaningful snaps.

There is still time for the Dawgs to dip into the portal for help at the position and Smart and staff have done so in the past. Kendrick, a Clemson transfer, joined the Bulldogs in early June of 2021 and went on to have a lock down season.

Let’s not forget UGA’s 2022 recruiting class, which featured some of the top secondary talent in the country. Three five-star defensive backs signed with the Bulldogs and they each could have a huge role in 2022 if the transfer portal doesn’t come through this offseason.

 

Georgia football OLB Nolan Smith is returning

Georgia Bulldogs outside linebacker/defensive end Nolan Smith is returning for his senior season!

Georgia Bulldogs outside linebacker/defensive end Nolan Smith is returning for his senior season. Smith’s return is huge for the Georgia defense. Now, the Bulldogs will have a top pass rusher with several years of experience.

Nolan Smith has played in 38 career games. Smith has 8.5 sacks in his three year career with the Bulldogs. He recorded 3.5 sacks, 56 tackles, one interception, and three forced fumbles in 2021.

Smith will be a leader on Georgia’s defense in 2022. Smith came to Athens as an elite five-star recruit. He was the nation’s top prospect in the class of 2019 according to various recruiting sites.

Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Nolan Smith records a sack in the college football national championship game. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Smith played both defensive line and running back in high school. The Savannah, Georgia, product transferred to IMG Academy for his senior high school season.

The former five-star recruit is projected to start at outside linebacker for the Dawgs in 2022. Five-star outside linebacker Marvin Jones Jr. is expected to see immediate playing time as a freshman in 2022.

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Georgia football DB Lovasea Carroll enters transfer portal

Georgia Bulldogs freshman defensive back Lovasea Carroll has entered the NCAA transfer portal.

Georgia Bulldogs freshman defensive back Lovasea Carroll has entered the NCAA transfer portal. Carroll changed positions during his first year on campus with Georgia.

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound product from Warrenton, Georgia, enrolled early at Georgia after being ranked as four-star running back recruit out of high school powerhouse IMG Academy.

Lovasea Carroll played in four games as a freshman this season, so he will be able use this year as a redshirt season. Carroll will have four years of college football eligibility wherever he elects to play next.  Carroll finished with three tackles and a pass deflection in 2021.

Will Lovasea Carroll play running back at his new college football home? Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean

Kirby Smart and UGA felt that Carroll had a better chance to make an impact as a freshman defensive back. Carroll converted to the position during spring drills.

Georgia entered the season no longer as desperate at the defensive back position, but the Bulldogs did not play Carroll at running back.

Carroll played Warren County High School before attending IMG Academy.

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Georgia football DB enters transfer portal

Georgia Bulldogs senior defensive back Ameer Speed has entered the NCAA transfer portal. He played in 13 games in 2021 and recorded 13 total tackles

Georgia Bulldogs senior defensive back Ameer Speed has entered the NCAA transfer portal. Speed started the first three games of the season at cornerback. National championship hero Kelee Ringo eventually took the vast majority of the playing time at outside cornerback opposite Clemson transfer Derion Kendrick.

Speed is a key special-teams player for Georgia. He played in 13 games for the Bulldogs in 2021 and recorded 13 total tackles. Speed will look for more playing time at his transfer portal destination.

Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Ameer Speed is looking for a new college football home following the national championship. Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Speed came to Athens as a three-star prospect in the class of 2017. The 6-foot-3, 211-pound Jacksonville native has excellent length. He will be able to use the COVID-19 season to attain a sixth year of college football eligibility.

Ameer Speed thanked Georgia via Twitter upon entering the transfer portal:

Speed played as 11 games as a freshman in 2017. He redshirted in 2018, but appeared in a pair of games. In 2019, Speed played in 13 games. He recorded five tackles and was named co-winner of the special teams most improved player. In 2020, the former three-star recruit out of Sandalwood High School played in nine games and recorded one tackle.

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Georgia football player card: LB Chaz Chambliss

Will Georgia Bulldogs freshman linebacker Chaz Chambliss be able to crack Dan Lanning’s linebacker rotation this season?

Chaz Chambliss, Linebacker (No. 32):

Class: Freshman

Height: 6-2

Weight: 250 pounds

Hometown:Carrollton, Georgia

High School:  Carrollton High School

Will Georgia Bulldogs freshman linebacker Chaz Chambliss be able to crack Dan Lanning’s linebacker rotation this season? Chambliss enrolled early at Georgia, so he should have a head start on some of the other freshmen. Additionally, the 6-foot-2, 250-pound linebacker has the size to play immediately.

Chambliss comes to Athens after being rated as a four-star linebacker. The Carrollton star finished rated as the No. 360 recruit in the class of 2021 and the No. 40 linebacker.

During his recruiting process, Chambliss had his mind set on UGA. He never released a list of top schools. However, he did receive dozens of scholarship offers, including elite programs like Alabama, Florida, Clemson, and Ohio State.

The Georgia defense does not have as much depth at outside linebacker following the departures of Azeez Ojulari and Jermaine Johnson. Georgia still has elite talents like Adam Anderson and Nolan Smith, but the Dawgs likely won’t have as large of a rotation as last season.

The four-star linebacker is a part of Georgia’s incoming class of 2021, which featured four highly-ranked linebackers: Xavian Sorey Jr., Smael Mondon, Jamon Dumas-Johnson, and Chaz Chambliss.

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Georgia football player card: DB William Poole

Georgia Bulldogs senior defensive back William Poole saw action in six of Georgia’s ten games in 2020.

William Poole, Defensive Back (No. 31):

Class: Senior

Height: 6-0

Weight: 190 pounds

Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia

High School: Hapeville Charter High School

Georgia Bulldogs senior defensive back William Poole saw action in six of Georgia’s ten games in 2020. The Atlanta, Georgia, native has played in 22 total games throughout his Georgia career and has accumulated 13 career tackles.

Poole came to the University of Georgia as a four-star recruit. Poole redshirted in 2019 when he played against Murray State, Arkansas State, and Georgia Tech and recorded three tackles.

He saw a good amount playing time a sophomore in 2018. That season he played in eight games and secured ten total tackles.

Poole and fellow Georgia defensive back Christopher Smith were teammates at Hapeville Charter.

Georgia is looking less thin in the secondary following the additions of West Virginia transfer Tykee Smith and Clemson transfer Derion Kendrick.

The Dawgs have Kelee Ringo, Ameer Speed, Jalen Kimber, and more returning at cornerback. Georgia’s defensive front is expected to be elite once again next season.

Sep 8, 2018; Columbia, SC, USA; Georgia Bulldogs defensive back William Poole (31) brings down South Carolina Gamecocks running back Ty’Son Williams (27) in the first half at Williams-Brice Stadium. Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

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Georgia football player card: RB Anthony Summey

Georgia Bulldogs running back Anthony Summey has primarily served a scout team role during his two-year career in Athens

Running Back Anthony Summey (No. 28):

Class: Redshirt sophomore

Height: 6-0

Weight: 210 pounds

Hometown: Ocean Township, New Jersey

High School: St. Peter’s Preparatory High School

Georgia Bulldogs running back Anthony Summey has not seen playing time during his two-year career in Athens. He primarily serves as a scout team running back.

Summey came to the University of Georgia as a two-star recruit as a member of the class of 2019. Summey redshirted in 2019.

He played high school football at St. Peter’s Preparatory. Summey plays with a steady style, but lacks game-changing speed.

The Ocean Township, New Jersey, native is expected to compete with Kendall Milton, Zamir White, James Cook, Kenny McIntosh and Daijun Edwards for playing time. Kirby Smart and Georgia have a stacked and experienced running back room heading into the 2021 college football season.

Here’s a look at how Summey initially committed to the University of Georgia as a preferred walk-on:

 

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Georgia football player card: DB Tykee Smith

Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Tykee Smith is considered one of the top safeties in the country

Tykee Smith, Defensive Back (No. 23):

Class: Junior

Height: 5-10

Weight: 200 pounds

Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

High School: Imhotep Institute

Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Tykee Smith transferred to the University of Georgia from West Virginia this offseason. Smith is considered one of the top safeties in the country. He is reunited with Georgia defensive backs coach Jahmile Addae, his former position coach at West Virginia.

Smith will be counted on to start at safety or nickel for the Bulldogs in 2021 alongside Christopher Smith and Lewis Cine.

Nov. 14, 2020; Morgantown, West Virginia; West Virginia Mountaineers safety Tykee Smith (23) breaks up a pass intended for TCU Horned Frogs running back Zach Evans (6) during the first quarter at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium. Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports

Tykee Smith had the difficult task of guarding explosive passing attack in the Big 12 last season, but he helped the Mountaineers have the top passing defense in the country.

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Georgia football player card: LB Trezmen Marshall

Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Trezmen Marshall played in only three of Georgia’s 10 games in 2020 and underwent shoulder surgery

Trezmen Marshall, Linebacker (No. 15):

Class: Redshirt Sophomore

Height: 6-1

Weight: 230 pounds

Hometown: Homerville, Georgia

High School: Clinch County High School

Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Trezmen Marshall played in three of Georgia’s 10 games in 2020 and picked up a redshirt. Marshall primarily has a special teams role for the Bulldogs.

Marshall dealt with a shoulder injury (torn labrum) after 2020 season opener against Arkansas. Marshall played when he could, but knew he would require surgery, which he had before the South Carolina game last season.

He did not record a tackle during the 2020 season. In 2019, Marshall recorded five tackles including a key tackle on the kickoff against Texas A&M.

Marshall came to Athens as a four-star recruit who was widely considered a top-100 prospect. He enrolled early at the University of Georgia and participated in 2019 spring practice.

In 2021, Marshall will look to earn playing time as a linebacker in Georgia’s defensive rotation. He will face stout competition, but he has the talent to make a difference.

Before coming to the UGA, Marshall dominated public school Class-A football en route to winning three state titles in four seasons. He played inside linebacker, quarterback/running back, defensive end and fullback.

As you can imagine, Marshall has some dominant high school tape.

Marshall was the best player on the field on every play in high school. Now, he’s fighting for playing time along Georgia’s elite defense. Dan Lanning plays a lot of guys, so don’t be surprised if Marshall works his way into the lineup next season.

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April 17, 2021; Atlanta, Georgia; Georgia Bulldogs running back Daijun Edwards (33) is taken to the ground by linebacker Trezmen Marshall (15) during the Georgia Spring Game at Sanford Stadium. Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Georgia football player card: QB Jackson Muschamp

Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Jackson Muschamp is the son of Georgia defensive analyst and former South Carolina head coach Will Muschamp

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Jackson Muschamp, Quarterback (No. 14):

Class: Redshirt freshman

Height: 6-2

Weight: 190 pounds

Hometown: Columbia, South Carolina

High School: Hammond School

Georgia Bulldogs redshirt freshman quarterback Jackson Muschamp originally committed to Colorado State, but decided to commit to the University of Georgia as a preferred walk-on.

He did not play as a freshman and took a redshirt in 2020.

Jackson Muschamp is the son of Georgia defensive analyst and former South Carolina head coach Will Muschamp. Jackson is a big part of the reason why Will Muschamp decided to come to Athens following his dismissal at South Carolina.

Jackson Muschamp is following in the footsteps of his dad, who walked on to the team in Athens. Will Muschamp played at Georgia from 1991-1994. Much like Kirby Smart, Will Muschamp played safety for UGA. The two coach barely missed playing in Athens together as Kirby Smart played with Georgia from 1995-1998.

Georgia’s quarterback room has a lot of depth this season and beyond. JT Daniels is projected to start at quarterback for the Dawgs. Carson Beck, Stetson Bennett, and Brock Vandagriff are considered the top competitors at back-up quarterback.

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Georgia defensive analyst Will Muschamp on the sideline during the Georgia G-Day Spring football game in Athens, Ga., on Saturday, April 17, 2021. (Photo/Joshua L. Jones, Athens Banner-Herald)