How Georgia offensive lineman Monroe Freeling proved himself

Georgia offensive lineman Monroe Freeling stepped up when called upon earlier this season.

Freeling was thrust into competition during the Bulldogs' game against Vanderbilt when right tackle Xavier Truss went down with an injury. The former four-star prospect did his job and helped Georgia'srunning backs total 291 rushing yards in a 37-20 win over the Commodores.

After the game, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart felt as if Freeling was ready for the moment.

"We do a million walk-throughs and practices, and I've been telling Stacey (Searels) and those guys, 'You've got to put Monroe in there. You can't just put him in the game. Put him in there with the ones and let him practice, let him see what it's like to go against our guys.' That moment came, and it wasn't too big for him," Smart said on Oct. 14. "I thought he did a good job."

While Freeling didn't make any starts during his freshman campaign, he did gain a lot of valuable snaps. The 6-foot-7, 320-pound lineman rotated in and out of games the rest of the year.

Freeling and Earnest Greene Jr. provided much-needed depth for the Bulldogs at the tackle position after Truss and Amarius Mims battled injuries throughout the 2023 season.

UGASports caught up with Freeling after Georgia's 63-3 victory over Florida State in the Orange Bowl.

Freeling his freshman season a "learning experience" as he transitioned to the college level.

"I think this season was really just a learning (experience). Just kind of learn the speed of the game and then I learned a lot from all the older guys," Freeling said. "I really enjoyed it, though."

Freeling was an early enrollee from Georgia's 2023 recruiting haul. He ultimately picked the Bulldogs over Clemson, Florida, and Alabama. Freeling's already-existing relationship with Georgia offensive line coach Stacey Searels was part of the reason why. he came to Athens.

Once enrolled, Freeling participated in Georgia's offseason workouts last winter and went through spring camp. By the time this past August rolled around, he had already seen progress.

Freeling felt that his pass protection and ability to get off the line of scrimmage were his strengths coming in; however, he noticed a significant improvement in his ability to run block.

When Freeling was thrown into the game against Vanderbilt, he felt like was ready for the moment.

"During spring, I worked my way in and kept learning from the older guys," Freeling said "The mentality here is 'the next man up' and I was just the next man up. So, I did what I needed to do."

Moving forward, Freeling doesn't want to get complacent. He knows that despite a big turnover on Georgia's offensive line in the offseason, he's not guaranteed a starting spot in 2024.

Freeling embraces the competition with his fellow lineman and loves the brotherhood they have.

"I feel like the chemistry we've got on the O-Line here is unlike anywhere else in the country," Freeling said. "I'm just looking forward to playing with my guys for another season."