For the past two seasons, Reggie Carter and Tim Kimbrough were stuck behind two highly productive players on Georgia’s depth chart at inside linebacker. Now, with Amarlo Herrera and Ramik Wilson having completed their eligibility, Carter and Kimbrough said they’re ready to step up.
“All I can do, all we can do, is seize the opportunity,” Carter said after the Bulldogs’ second session of spring practice Thursday.
“I feel like this is the time to make my mark and show everybody what I can really do,” Kimbrough said. “I was behind two great players, and I did my little things on special teams. Now, I feel like it’s my time.”
Herrera and Wilson, both preparing for the NFL draft, combined for 459 tackles the past two seasons. In 2013, Wilson led the SEC with 133 tackles. Last season, Herrera had 112 tackles, third most in the SEC, and Wilson had 102, sixth most.
While the competition to replace them in Georgia’s starting lineup is expected to extend into the summer, rising juniors Carter and Kimbrough start spring ball as the presumptive leaders. Kimbrough played in 13 games and Carter in 12 last season, although they didn’t start any.
Both said they benefited from the time spent behind Herrera and Wilson.
“Those were my big brothers, and they prepared me for a moment like this,” Carter said. “I thank them. … We really learned a lot from them. Those are two smart football players.”
“Them being in front me, it made me gain a lot of patience,” Kimbrough said. “I feel like it was good for me. … I feel like a leader this year. .. I feel like this is a big spring.”
A long day: Georgia practiced for two hours in jerseys and shorts late Thursday afternoon with a light rain falling and temperatures in the high 40s. Outside linebacker Lorenzo Carter was at the football facilities much earlier.
“I was here this morning at 6,” Carter said after practice. “I had study hall at 7. I rolled over (in bed) and was, like, ‘I might as well go and do something.’”
He said he spent the time watching his and teammate Leonard Floyd’s pass rushes from last season.
Roles reversed: In spring practice a year ago, the Bulldogs had a new defensive coordinator, Jeremy Pruitt. This time, they have a new offensive coordinator, Brian Schottenheimer. So the defense can relate to what the offense is going through.
Defensive tackle James DeLoach said the defense is now familiar enough with Pruitt’s system that “we can just fly around.” But he said he senses that the offensive players “feel like we felt on defense last year.”
Fitting right in: Jake Ganus, an inside linebacker who transferred to Georgia after his former school, UAB, eliminated its football program, has made a quick impression on his new teammates.
“He’s very experienced, and he’s catching on real fast,” Kimbrough said. “He’s real good with the playbook already.”
Ganus played the past three seasons at UAB, leading the team in tackles each of the past two.
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