UGA's Shawn Williams makes loss of Jakar Hamilton less painful

By Chip Towers

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

ATHENS — The bad news is the Bulldogs lost one-time starting safety Jakar Hamilton to a season-ending ankle injury this week. The good news for Georgia is there was a good chance Hamilton wouldn’t have started had he been healthy.

That’s chiefly because of the emergence of Shawn Williams. The junior from Early County has been one of the success stories in Year 2 of defensive coordinator Todd Grantham’s 3-4 defense. With Hamilton sidelined for the entire preseason, Williams has been as solid as a block of granite.

And he knows it.

“I pretty much know each and every play what I’m supposed to do,” said Williams, who started three games and played in all 13 last season. “I’ve got it down pat. I’d say [I’m grading] at least 95 percent.”

Not only has the light come on for Williams in terms of understanding schemes and responsibilities, but his confidence has gone through the roof.

In regard to his ability to field the position, he said: “I’ve got the perfect size at 6-1-and-a-half, 220 [pounds]. I can run real fast. A lot of people underestimate my speed. And when I hit, I hit real hard.”

Heading into the last two weeks of the preseason, Williams appears to have locked down the position opposite Bacarri Rambo (the strong and free positions are interchangeable in Grantham’s system). Hamilton, a five-game starter last season, was listed behind Rambo entering camp, but figured to be the next safety on the field.

So that means playing time is on the table. Sanders Commings is working more at safety than at cornerback. And Georgia also has Marc Deas and Connor Norman to turn to.

Crowell gets some work

Freshman tailback Isaiah Crowell was able to get in limited work after missing four practices over the past six days because of a groin injury.

“He didn’t look full speed,” coach Mark Richt said, “but he was healthy enough to get out there in a green jersey and run some plays.”

Originally Richt had predicted Crowell would return Friday. Fellow tailback Richard Samuel, sidelined with a strained thigh muscle, won’t be back until “sometime next week,” Richt said.

Practice update

Georgia held a two-hour special-teams scrimmage at Sanford Stadium on Thursday. The workout was punctuated with 20 minutes of 11-on-11 work.

Richt said junior cornerback Branden Smith is the No. 1 punt returner. Smith was the top returner last season with 10 returns for 143 yards. Behind him is record-setting kickoff return man Brandon Boykin. Freshmen Malcolm Mitchell and Damian Swann are “battling” for the No. 3 spot.

Asked if Georgia would operate with two deep safeties/return men on kickoff return this season, Richt said, “that’s classified information.” Boykin is the school record holder with 1,813 career yards on kickoff returns and four touchdowns.

Etc.

Sophomore defensive end Derrick Lott, who had a deep cut on his right leg from a scooter accident late this summer, is now practicing without limitations. He backs up DeAngelo Tyson at right defensive end. ... Georgia has completed 15 of 29 preseason practices. The 16th will be a full-contact practice at 4:30 p.m. Friday. ... Picture Day begins at 1 p.m. Saturday at Sanford Stadium. The Bulldogs are expected to unveil the Nike Pro Combat uniforms they’ll wear in the Sept. 3 opener.