From OnlineAthens.com
March 1st, 2016 01:53 PM
When Georgia opens spring practices on March 15, there will be coaching continuity for the outside linebackers with assistant Kevin Sherrer back for his third Bulldogs season.
There’s big changes at the position, though, with Leonard Floyd and Jordan Jenkins, who combined for 36 sacks in their careers, now getting ready for the NFL.
“We lost a few outside backers that have really good speed, Jordan and Leonard,” new coach Kirby Smart said of the Bulldogs’ sack leaders last season. “Those guys will be hard to replace on third down. That’s going to affect the game for us. We’ve got to do a good job getting off the field on third down. Those two guys won a lot of third downs for Georgia the last few years. They’re gone.”
Georgia ranked eighth nationally in third down defense in 2015 at 28.9 percent, which was fourth in the SEC. The Bulldogs improved from 58th nationally in 2014 at 39.5 percent.
Jenkins is upbeat about the players who will be counted on to move into more prominent roles.
“I feel like there’s not going to be any drop-off there,” he said. “I feel like the sky’s the limit.”
Certainly the potential would seem to be there for Lorenzo Carter to fill a playmaking role. The Norcross High product was considered a big get for the Bulldogs when the five-star recruit signed in 2014.
He made an immediate impact, racking up 41 tackles and 4 ½ sacks during a season in which he started five games. His sophomore season was a big step back as he failed to record a sack or a tackle for loss and totaled just 19 tackles.
“The kid works his tail off in practices,” Jenkins said of the 6-foot-6, 242-pound Carter who had two forced fumbles last season.
Davin Bellamy, a redshirt junior, is the most productive returning player at the position from last season.
He was third on the team in sacks with three in 10 games played and had 33 tackles, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and 11 quarterback pressures.
Bellamy missed the TaxSlayer Bowl with a knee injury sustained in practice.
“He’s come just a long way from the player he was when he first arrived here,” Jenkins said.
Another outside linebacker, Chuks Amaechi, could be sidelined this spring.
He confirmed to UGASports.com in January that he underwent surgery that month for a torn labrum. Georgia has not confirmed that or said what his status is for the spring.
Amaechi got third-down work when Sherrer ran the defense in the bowl game, but also has practiced inside at Georgia so Smart and defensive coordinator Mel Tucker have some flexibility with how they may choose to use him.
Sophomore D'Andre Walker (6-3, 224) should have a chance to make an impression this spring. The Langston Hughes product, who had nine tackles and a half a sack, is described by Jenkins as a “heck of an athlete. He’s got really flexible ankles, which is good for a pass rusher. He’s got to get better grasp of the playbook in order to see more time.”
Reserves Johnny O’Neal and Shaun McGee also return.
Georgia signed two players last month that will join the mix this summer: Clinch County’s Chauncey Manac and Upson-Lee’s David Marshall, listed as an outside linebacker/defensive end.
Jenkins and Floyd left with 68 career tackles for loss, 11 forced fumbles and 392 tackles between them.
“Somebody else has got to step up in that role,” Smart said, “and do a great job.”
...READ MORE HERE...
March 1st, 2016 01:53 PM
When Georgia opens spring practices on March 15, there will be coaching continuity for the outside linebackers with assistant Kevin Sherrer back for his third Bulldogs season.
There’s big changes at the position, though, with Leonard Floyd and Jordan Jenkins, who combined for 36 sacks in their careers, now getting ready for the NFL.
“We lost a few outside backers that have really good speed, Jordan and Leonard,” new coach Kirby Smart said of the Bulldogs’ sack leaders last season. “Those guys will be hard to replace on third down. That’s going to affect the game for us. We’ve got to do a good job getting off the field on third down. Those two guys won a lot of third downs for Georgia the last few years. They’re gone.”
Georgia ranked eighth nationally in third down defense in 2015 at 28.9 percent, which was fourth in the SEC. The Bulldogs improved from 58th nationally in 2014 at 39.5 percent.
Jenkins is upbeat about the players who will be counted on to move into more prominent roles.
“I feel like there’s not going to be any drop-off there,” he said. “I feel like the sky’s the limit.”
Certainly the potential would seem to be there for Lorenzo Carter to fill a playmaking role. The Norcross High product was considered a big get for the Bulldogs when the five-star recruit signed in 2014.
He made an immediate impact, racking up 41 tackles and 4 ½ sacks during a season in which he started five games. His sophomore season was a big step back as he failed to record a sack or a tackle for loss and totaled just 19 tackles.
“The kid works his tail off in practices,” Jenkins said of the 6-foot-6, 242-pound Carter who had two forced fumbles last season.
Davin Bellamy, a redshirt junior, is the most productive returning player at the position from last season.
He was third on the team in sacks with three in 10 games played and had 33 tackles, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and 11 quarterback pressures.
Bellamy missed the TaxSlayer Bowl with a knee injury sustained in practice.
“He’s come just a long way from the player he was when he first arrived here,” Jenkins said.
Another outside linebacker, Chuks Amaechi, could be sidelined this spring.
He confirmed to UGASports.com in January that he underwent surgery that month for a torn labrum. Georgia has not confirmed that or said what his status is for the spring.
Amaechi got third-down work when Sherrer ran the defense in the bowl game, but also has practiced inside at Georgia so Smart and defensive coordinator Mel Tucker have some flexibility with how they may choose to use him.
Sophomore D'Andre Walker (6-3, 224) should have a chance to make an impression this spring. The Langston Hughes product, who had nine tackles and a half a sack, is described by Jenkins as a “heck of an athlete. He’s got really flexible ankles, which is good for a pass rusher. He’s got to get better grasp of the playbook in order to see more time.”
Reserves Johnny O’Neal and Shaun McGee also return.
Georgia signed two players last month that will join the mix this summer: Clinch County’s Chauncey Manac and Upson-Lee’s David Marshall, listed as an outside linebacker/defensive end.
Jenkins and Floyd left with 68 career tackles for loss, 11 forced fumbles and 392 tackles between them.
“Somebody else has got to step up in that role,” Smart said, “and do a great job.”
...READ MORE HERE...
