Linebacker Channing Tindall's freshman moment came during the Bulldogs’ game against South Carolina.
Tindall, who hails from Columbia, was on kickoff return. In fact, he was blocking one of his old high-school rivals, playing on the coverage unit for the Gamecocks. That's when Tindall realized he wasn’t in high school anymore.
“I used to be able to handle him a little bit,” Tindall recalled. “But after he hit me, I’m like, wow, OK. That’s when it hit me that this is the real deal.”
The regular season now complete, Tindall admitted that lessons were definitely learned. His first day of fall camp was certainly memorable.
“Yeah. That’s when I knew I was at the University of Georgia,” Tindall recalled. “I caught a full-body cramp. I sat there soaking for over an hour. That’s when I knew it was time to get serious.”
He did. Tindall finished behind Tyson Campbell and Jordan Davis as the third-leading tackler among Georgia’s freshmen with 17, including two sacks for losses of 15 yards.
Although Tindall saw most of his action in a backup role, he made the most of his opportunities. Heading into 2019, Tindall figures to challenge for a starting job, with the graduation of Natrez Patrick and Juwan Taylor.
Head coach Kirby Smart believes the potential is certainly there.
“He’s an exciting player,” Smart said earlier this year. “He’s got to grow up, mature, and learn some things, but as far as a competitor, toughness, effort on the field—he gives that. And he’s really fast. Speed is hard to coach. He continues to grow as a player, and we’re trying to develop him, because we think he’s really talented.”
That’s never really been a question.
A former four-star recruit, Tindall won Defensive Player of the Year honors in South Carolina in 2017 after recording 190 tackles with nine sacks. He ultimately chose the Bulldogs over his home-state Gamecocks.
It’s a decision Tindall is glad he made.
As the Bulldogs begin to prepare for their Sugar Bowl date with Texas, Tindall knows he can play a key part in Georgia’s immediate future.
“It’s real bright, I can tell you that,” Tindall said. “We showed (in the SEC Championship) that, even as underdogs, we can play with the best. We still needed to play better, but you’ll see.”
