Participating in his first practice as a Georgia assistant, defensive backs coach Jahmile Addae wasn't short on energy.

At one point of the practice, safety Lewis Cine said Addae ran from one side of the football field to the other to cheer a positive play made by the defense. With Tuesday marking Georgia’s first spring practice, this was the first time the secondary was able to see its new position coach in action.

It appears he created a great first impression.

“He has a lot of juice—a lot of energy,” Cine said. “A very smart guy. He knows his scheme; he knows his stuff. Based on what I’ve seen (Tuesday), seeing him firsthand now, full practices are starting. He’s a very energetic guy. Very hands-on. That’s something I really enjoy about him.”

Cine said the little he knows about Addae thus far shows he is someone who's able to approach different situations accordingly. When he needs to be serious, Addae can offer a calming presence in conversation.

In moments like Tuesday's practice, when he was running across the field to celebrate with the players, he can also turn up the intensity and show love to his position group.

“He has a little bit of both going on,” Cine said. “He knows when to settle down and to chill, and knows when to crank it up. Seeing from today, he cranked it up at a very high level. It helps when we're celebrating with the guys, when we’re making plays and enjoying the process. Most coaches sit back and tell you, ‘Good job.’ This guy ran from one side of the field to the other side of the field. If that doesn’t get you hyped up, I don’t know what will.”

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart hired Addae in late January, after former defensive backs coach Charlton Warren took the defensive coordinator job at Indiana. Addae was previously coaching the secondary at West Virginia, where he helped guide the back end toward becoming the nation’s No. 1 pass defense in 2020. The Mountaineers allowed only 159.6 passing yards per game.

Even so, Smart said Addae’s hiring had more to do with how he fits with Georgia’s style of defense than with the impressive stint he had at West Virginia.

“I based that decision on the fit, the person, the man, the research, the interview,” Smart said. “I’m not really into how many starters did they lose, what was their passer rating, what was their defensive passing percentages. To be honest, that’s not really relevant, because you’re dealing with two different conferences that didn’t cross over conferences. For us, we based the decision on the fit, and I’m excited about Jahmile.

"I think he’s very talented. I think he’s got a great personality. I think he’s going to make a really good recruiter. I think he’s a really good teacher. Getting to visit with him and since hiring him, and spending a lot of time with him, I’m excited about what he can do.”