As he listed backups at defensive tackle, defensive line coach Mike Pelton referred to one of the candidates as “the big fella that everybody asks about.”
That would be Francis Kallon, the redshirt freshman from Central Gwinnett High who drew attention as a high school prospect when he received scholarship offers without ever having played in a game. Kallon moved to the Atlanta area from England in high school, and he first began playing football in the spring of his junior year.
At the start of just his third season of organized football, Kallon has more adapting to do, according to Pelton.
“Francis shows flashes, but it’s just too far in between right now, and you can expect that from a young guy,” Pelton said.
Pelton said he has been challenging Kallon to keep working hard and to retain the training he received during spring football.
“I think sometimes he comes out and he’s just not competitive,” Pelton said. “But I’m trying to just get him to compete every single play.”
With Euclid Cummings the projected starter at defensive tackle, Kallon is competing with Patrick Gamble, another redshirt freshman, and true freshman Justin Akins.
At the nose tackle spot, Adam Gotsis has a firm grasp on the starting job. True freshman Darius Commissiong, Jimmie Kitchen and walk-on Ben Keith are in the mix for the backup job. Shawn Green, out with a shoulder injury, will join that group when he returns.
Notably, of the six backups that Pelton named at both tackle spots, four have never played in a game. Kitchen has played in three games and Keith has played in one.
Pelton said he’ll play the best four tackles, regardless if they are nose tackles or “3 technique” defensive tackles.
“They’re just learning one position and playing about the same way, so we’ve just got to find some depth with those guys,” Pelton said.
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