Q&A with Georgia’s Kiante Tripp

When Kiante Tripp’s Georgia career is over in two years, not only should he be given a team-player award, they might consider naming it after him.

Tripp, who will be a redshirt junior next season, recently accepted his fourth position switch in four years. The main difference is Tripp initiated this change. The other three times were at the behest of the coaching staff.

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Brant Sanderlin/bsanderlin@ajc.com

Guess what? Kiante Tripp (64) is switching positions again.

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Tripp, a 6-foot-6, 295-pound resident of Atlanta, signed with Georgia out of Westlake High as a defensive end. After a redshirt season, he was moved to offensive line before the 2007 season. Last year, injuries pushed him into a starting role at left tackle. But after getting hurt and falling down the depth chart, Tripp was moved to tight end, which needed more players. Between the end of the regular season and the Capital One Bowl, Tripp was moved back to tackle and played there in the Bulldogs’ win over Michigan State.

This past Monday, Tripp asked to be moved back to defensive end. Coach Mark Richt was more than happy to do so because the Bulldogs are down to three healthy players for spring practice.

Tripp visited with the AJC’s Chip Towers and other reporters this week to talk about his latest move.

AJC: So what position are you today?

Tripp: I’m a D-end, my original position. It’s the position I always came here to try to be and want to be. I’ve been thinking about it and, when the opportunity presented itself, I went and talked to Coach. He was like, ‘That’ll be the best thing for our program.’

Q: How exactly did it come down?

A: This was Monday, right after the first mat drills. I went into Coach Richt’s office and he was like, ‘come here,’ and we walked into the staff meeting room. They had a big board up and right up under D-end, under “Buck,” was [Demarcus] Dobbs and then my name. So they were already thinking the same thing I was thinking.

Q: Do you have to make some physical changes again?

A: I talked to Coach Fab [defensive ends coach Jon Fabris] and he said ‘the weight you’re at now and the way you look, you can probably play the way you are right now.’ But I told him I’d like to lose about 10 pounds and get a little bit quicker so I can get after that quarterback. The quarterbacks these days are real fast. I’m at about 295 now; I’ll try to get to 280, 285, and increase my quickness and speed and go from there.

Q: Do you think you took anything away from your time on the offensive line that may help you?

A: I think it’s going to help me out. … Working at offensive tackle, I know what the techniques are and what gives D-ends problems. I was at tight end, too, and I’ll have to go against some tights ends. I know how to give them all problems now.

Q: Did last year feel like a lost season for you?

A: Starting the first couple of games, getting hurt, trying to bounce back, getting switched to tight end. It was a learning process for me. It was humbling. I’m not complaining. I mean, I was down a little bit. But after that I was just playing the practice-player role and trying to help the team out that way. And now I’m starting over in the spring. I’m going to work hard and try to do the best I can.