Bulldogs expect significantly improved secondary play
It’s just one man’s opinion, but Georgia’s Ramik Wilson believes the Bulldogs are going to be a whole lot better in the secondary this year.
The Bulldogs’ All-SEC senior inside linebacker — he was named preseason first-team here at SEC Media Days on Thursday — has been working out daily with the secondary in strength and conditioning and 7-on-7 drills and he really likes what he sees.
“I think Coach (Jeremy) Pruitt brought in a nice recruiting class,” Wilson said. “Based on our position drills and the 7-on-7 drills we’ve been doing, I think we’ve got just as much talent as we’ve had in a long time. We’ve got some great freshmen here.”
Generally incoming signees Malkom Parrish and Shattle Fenteng have been pointed to as additions who could provide the Bulldogs some much-needed help at the cornerback position. But based on Wilson has seen in summer workouts, at least one defensive back might’ve been overlooked.
“Dominic Sanders, he looks like the real deal out there. Nobody’s talking about him. Dominic’s a player. And we’ve got J.J. Green, Corey Moore, Quincy (Mauger), them boys know their playbooks now. We trust them and Coach Pruitt trusts them. He’s coaching them up and I think that group back there is going to be special.”
Georgia coach Mark Richt also spoke confidently about the secondary Georgia is going to put on the field this season. The Bulldogs lost three players who started multiple games in the defensive backfield last season in safeties Josh Harvey-Clemons and Tray Matthews and cornerback Shaq Wiggins. The first two were dismissed for multiple team rules violations and Wiggins left over philosophical differences with the new defensive staff, Pruitt in particular.
“When your defensive coordinator is the defensive backfield coach, by understanding what the last line of defense means, you make sure whatever you call, these guys can execute,” Richt said. “What you don’t want to have is a busted play be the cause for giving up a touchdown. If a guy misses a tackle or the other guys just makes a play or whatever, that’s one thing. But if you’re giving up big plays in the back end, it just kills everybody.
“I don’t think Jeremy’s going to call much he doesn’t think the back end can handle.”
That statement is a not-too-thinly-veiled commentary about the tactics employed by former defensive coordinator Todd Grantham. Georgia’s young secondary gave up some devastating big plays that cost them games last year. Specifically, busted coverages led to a 73-yard game-winning touchdown for Auburn and a 99-yard Nebraska TD catch in a 24-19 loss in the Gator Bowl.
It’s going to be mental. Everybody’s in the best shape of their lives right now. Everybody’s dropped weight and is looking good. We’ve just got to learn these playbooks and coach these guys up and we’ll be just fine.”
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