Georgia’s 2021 defense is immortalized. The unit helped end a four-decade title drought, assembling one of the greatest defensive seasons in college football history.
This fall, most of that defensive core likely will be playing in the NFL. The Bulldogs’ greatest strength now is among their biggest uncertainties. But that uncertainty shouldn’t carry a negative connotation. The cupboard isn’t close to bare, even if it was sometimes hard to tell in Saturday’s spring game that featured 776 combined yards of offense.
Defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt, edge rusher Travon Walker, and linebackers Nakobe Dean, Quay Walker and Channing Tindall are among the Bulldogs expected to be drafted later this month. Georgia is tasked with retooling nearly its entire front seven.
“Certainly, (the defensive line is) the area where we’ve probably lost the most,” coach Kirby Smart said. “There and linebacker. The depth we had there, those guys are going to have to play meaningful minutes and become very dependable for us to go where we want to go.”
There are a few knowns in the current group. Defensive lineman Jalen Carter is the central figure. Some evaluators believe his talent exceeds those who came before him. Carter is a 6-foot-3, 311-pound lineman whose traits will allow Georgia to move him around and hunt matchups.
“He’s a massive guy, a great player,” cornerback Kelee Ringo said. “He’s somebody you can rely, especially on up in that front seven. He definitely brings energy to the rest of the guys, and they feed off that. So it helps the back end (of the defense) as well.”
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Next to Carter is nose tackle Zion Logue, a 6-foot-5, 295-pound junior. He’s appeared in 22 games over the past three seasons, including all 15 last season. Georgia will rely on Logue, who’s versatile in his own right.
Redshirt freshman defensive lineman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins started for the Red team (which featured the first-team defense) Saturday and was among the standouts. He showed burst almost immediately, producing a tackle for loss on running back Kendall Milton just a few plays into the scrimmage.
Ingram-Dawkins appeared in one game last season, notching two tackles, including a tackle for loss, against Charleston Southern. He seemed to help his case Saturday, flashing from the inside and on the edge. He had one sack, 1.5 tackles for loss and a fourth-quarter swatted pass.
“Ty is a Swiss Army knife,” Logue said. “He can play inside, outside. He had to step up and do things like drop into coverage if you needed him too because some guys went down earlier in the spring. I commend him. I tip my hat to him. He’s going to be a great player.”
Tramel Walthour, a fifth-year senior who played in every game last season, was out Saturday and was using crutches on the sideline. Smart said he will be fine. Junior defensive tackle Tymon Mitchell has some experience, having appeared in eight games over the past three seasons. Lauded freshman Mykel Williams also should compete for playing time.
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
Other returning defensive linemen are Marlin Dean (redshirt freshman), Bill Norton (junior), Nazir Stackhouse (junior), Jonathan Jefferson (redshirt freshman) and Warren Brinson (junior). Stackhouse and Brinson each had big hits Saturday.
“I think (the defensive linemen) have had good springs,” Smart said. “I’d rather evaluate the spring than the spring game. It’s hard to judge when you’re out there. We’ll watch the tape to see. I think (Stackhouse) has done a lot to change his body. He’s lost 10, 15 pounds and changed his body fat percentage. Warren is a quick-twitch guy who can make some plays when he moves inside. He’s gotten tougher, more physical.”
It’s worth mentioning that Georgia likely won’t rotate its defensive front as it did a year ago, when it had an abundance of blue-chip players. Smart already has stressed the importance of Carter’s conditioning, given he’ll need to be a three-down player. It’ll be interesting to see how Georgia handles the new defensive line in 2022.
The Bulldogs’ Red team started linebackers Nolan Smith and Chaz Chambliss. Smith opted against entering the draft, returning to school for his senior season with the chance to earn first-round status next April. He looked ready for the season Saturday, collecting two sacks and three tackles for loss.
Chambliss, a sophomore, played in 14 games last season. Fifth-year senior Robert Beal was out Saturday, but will heavily factor into the team’s plans. Junior MJ Sherman is another experienced option who played in every game of 2021. Freshman Jalon Walker showed promise for the Black team.
For inside linebacker, starter Jamon Dumas-Johnson has drawn constant praise. Dumas-Johnson was flying around the field Saturday, leading the game with seven tackles. In a reserve role as a freshman, Dumas-Johnson had two sacks, 2.5 tackles for loss and an interception in 14 games.
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Inside linebacker Smael Mondon, a sophomore and former five-star, was out Saturday. So was junior Rian Davis. But both players are set for larger roles in 2022. Inside linebacker Trezmen Marshall, a sophomore, atoned for dropping an interception earlier in the afternoon by picking quarterback Stetson Bennett with just under two minutes remaining. Redshirt freshman Xavian Sorey and sophomore Graham Collins provide additional depth.
“We have great confidence (in the younger front-seven players),” said Ringo, a hero from the national title game. “We have a standard to uphold, and I feel like a lot of the young guys understand that. They know what they need to do. Just having the leaders we had put the standard on them, I feel like they’ll come out successful like how we were.”
Georgia’s championship put it atop the college football hierarchy for one year. To reach the Alabama category, the Bulldogs need to show they can continuously replace lost talent without a drastic drop-off. This season presents that challenge in a major way.
“It takes a full day’s work by our defensive staff to replace what’s leaving here,” Smart said. “We have some talented players on defense. We just don’t have experience. You cannot put a price tag on experience. And we don’t have enough guys with experience.
“So what do you have to do? Get them experience. You have to play in scrimmages and environments like today. Our kids will grow from this.”
