This is Reggie Carter’s third spring practice, and to say this one is different than the previous ones is an understatement.
Not only does the junior inside linebacker know a lot more about what he’s doing, the stakes are considerably higher. After playing behind Amarlo Herrera and Ramik Wilson the past two seasons there are starting jobs and major playing time to contend for. And a lot more competition to contend with.
“I’m a lot more comfortable,” Carter said. “When I first got here everything was just thrown at me and it was new. Coming from high school you only play cover-3, cover-2 and man and maybe have a couple of little blitzes. Now I understand the concepts, so I’m really just a lot more comfortable with the defense.
“It is more competitive, and we love it,” said Carter, a 6-foot-1, 231-pound junior.”It’s bringing out the best in everybody. Everybody’s going at it and giving it all they got now.”
Carter and fellow junior Tim Kimbrough are the heirs apparent at the inside positions. They are the only inside linebackers on the roster with any notable experience. Carter played in 20 games the past two seasons, with 36 tackles and one start, while Kimbrough has logged 24 games and totaled 37 tackles, mostly on special teams. Junior Ryne Rankin has 11 tackles in two seasons while appearing in 19 games.
Understandably, the Bulldogs aren’t taking any chances. They went hard after inside linebackers in recruiting, signing six of them, including the highly touted Roquan Smith. Among them are two transfers — Jake Ganus of UAB and Chuks Amaechi of Western Junior College (Arizona) — from which they hope to get immediate help.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday the Bulldogs moved freshman early enrollee Natrez Patrick from outside to inside linebacker and liked what they saw.
“The way we’ve been practicing, from Jake to Chuk to even Natrez practicing out there today, we know it’s going to go good,” Carter said. “Natrez can play any of them, inside or outside. That kid there, he’s a baller. You can tell he loves football. Even today, the feel he has for it is natural. He was unreal.”
Ganus is also a wild card. The Blazers’ leading tackler the past two seasons, Ganus has demonstrated quick mastery of the playbook, not to mention better-than-expected athletic ability. He led the defense with 10 tackles, an interception, a sack and a pass break-up in past Saturday’s scrimmage.
“Coach (Mike) Ekeler has really transformed the way I play linebacker,” Ganus said. “I’m pretty raw. My technique and the details of what I’m supposed to do is not very good, and that’s something I’m working on this spring. But he’s helping be a linebacker who can make plays.”
Carter growing on Bulldogs: If you've seen Lorenzo Carter on the football field or walking around the UGA campus, you might think he looks a lot bigger than he was. And you'd be right.
The 6-foot-6 sophomore is playing at about 243 pounds. That’s after arriving for his freshman season at “about 220 or so,” Carter said. And if the Bulldogs have their way, he’ll have a lot more weight on him before he leaves.
“He’s so long, we think he can put more on his frame,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said. “He’s had a significant gain to this point, and I don’t want to say what it ought to be, but if he’s 243 right now, he could be 260 pretty easily, in my opinion, and still be athletic and be a lean-looking guy. I think he’s keeping his speed and agility and all that. I don’t think that will be a problem. I think he’ll only get faster and quicker and stronger.”
Carter said it hasn’t slowed him down yet.
“I feel like I’m (running) better now,” said Carter, who compiled 41 tackles and 4.5 sacks playing in all 13 games as a freshman last season. “I don’t want to get too heavy because I want to be able to run and keep the speed up. But I feel faster than ever right now.”
Etc.: Junior tailback Keith Marshall was back on the practice field after sitting out most of last week with a hamstring pull. He remained in a green, non-contact jersey, however. … Junior cornerback Shattle Fenteng sustained a rib injury Friday and will miss the rest of spring practice, the school announced Tuesday night in a news release. The release said a full recovery is expected by next season. … The Bulldogs practiced for two hours Tuesday in full pads. It was their eighth of 15 practices this spring. They'll also practice Thursday and Saturday this week.
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