With nothing between himself and Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, Georgia cornerback Daylen Everette ran as fast as he could.

His timing was perfect.

Ewers never saw Everette coming. The collision dislodged the ball and Everette pounced on it for a recovery at the Longhorn 13. That set up Georgia’s first touchdown in its 30-15 win last Saturday in Austin.

“Once I saw like the tackle had come out to block me, then saw how the back had gone up the towards the middle. I was like just run,” Everette said. “I just told myself just run as fast as you can; just go make the play. It was great. It was a great call for us, too.”

Everette’s night was just beginning.

In the second half, Everette secured his first interception of the year and first for a Bulldog cornerback this season. The Bulldog offense responded by scoring their second touchdown to take a 17-0 lead.

The junior was part of a secondary that took advantage of some excellent pressure on Ewers to hold Texas to just 28 of 49 passes for 230 yards.

“We've been a work in progress. I don't know if I can say how young we are, but we are new. We're relatively new. We've got three guys that are starting in the NFL. Any time you have three guys that are starting in the NFL, that probably means they played for you at least two years. Those guys all did,” head coach Kirby Smart said. “So, there's a lot of growing up that's had to do back there. They continue to work to get better. And all you can ask your kids to do is work, compete, be competitive, be tough. They do that. I'm pleased with how hard they work and compete, but we haven't made some plays on the ball that I think could have rewarded us.”

Still, Everette feels progress is being made.

“I think, you know, just getting closer as a group, like connection wise, like even off the field, we always find a way to hang out with each other, like outside of the football field and facility,” Everette said. “I feel like that's one of the biggest things.”

Everette wasn’t the only Bulldog defensive back who enjoyed a good game.

Julian Humphrey broke up a pair of passes, with Daniel Harris and star JaCorey Thomas adding one each.

Barring a change of heart by the SEC office, the Bulldogs will play the first half of next week’s game against Florida in Jacksonville without safeties Dan Jackson and Joenel Aguero following their targeting penalties against the Longhorns.

Georgia’s post-season hopes ride on the next three games against Florida, Ole Miss, and Tennessee, with only the contest against the Vols being in the friendly confines of Sanford Stadium.

But Everette admits being at Texas in Austin was a lot of fun.

“I thought it was pretty cool. That was a cool environment to play in,” he said. “Sometimes playing on the road is fun. Just seeing the opposing fans, they come out and boo you and stuff like that. It's just a nice environment, especially when you come out on top.”