Monty Rice makes big decision for Georgia

Georgia inside linebacker Monty Rice tackles Baylor running back JaMycal Hasty at the line of scrimmage in the Sugar Bowl at the Superdome on Wednesday, January 1, 2020, in New Orleans.  Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com

Credit: Curtis Compton

Credit: Curtis Compton

Georgia inside linebacker Monty Rice tackles Baylor running back JaMycal Hasty at the line of scrimmage in the Sugar Bowl at the Superdome on Wednesday, January 1, 2020, in New Orleans. Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com

And then there was one.

Georgia linebacker Monty Rice, in his typical to-the-point, no-nonsense fashion, announced Wednesday his plans to return for his senior season with the Bulldogs. He sent out a tweet that read “Ano Quatro,” followed by a couple of personal hashtags.

Loosely translated, that means “fourth year.”

That’s big news for Georgia’s defense, which already looked incredibly stout for next season. Rice, a 6-foot-1, 235-pound junior, started all 14 games at middle linebacker for the Bulldogs this season and was the team’s leading tackler with 89 stops. More important, he’s the chief signal-caller and a captain on defense.

The second-team All-SEC player was named the Bulldogs’ co-defensive MVP along with J.R. Reed. Defensive coordinator Dan Lanning lauded Rice at the Sugar Bowl.

“He’s a smart guy, really intelligent, and he’s a heavy hitter,” Lanning said. “When he puts his pads on, I think guys feel it.”

Rice joins fellow third-year players Richard LeCounte, Malik Herring and Eric Stokes in deciding to come back to play for the Bulldogs next season.