Much has been made about the plan for defensive end Mykel Williams to alternate between defensive end and Jack linebacker.

However, as head coach Kirby Smart explains, the two positions aren’t different. There are more similarities between the two than not.

“He's not really playing a different position. He's got the versatility to be able to go out and be an outside linebacker because he's a really good athlete,” Smart said. “He can cover and play people, but it's one of the best qualities. The most rewarding quality is rush, and we want him to be able to rush.”

Williams agreed.

“Yeah, it’s kind of exactly like that. There really isn’t too much change,” he said. “I’m just going to do a little bit of stuff differently. It’s really kind of the same thing, though.”

The biggest difference in the two spots will be hand placement.

As a defense end, Williams typically lines up with his hand in the dirt. As the outside linebacker (Jack), Williams will play as a standup rusher.

Last year, Williams finished second on the team with 4.5 sacks, a number he and Smart both hope to tick up significantly this fall.

Smart saw examples of what Williams is capable of after lining him up at Jack before the Orange Bowl against Florida State.

Against the Seminoles, Williams made four tackles, including a sack plus a forced fumble that he recorded on the same play.

In the G-Day game, Williams made six tackles and intercepted a pass. He broke up two more on tipped balls.

“He's not really at a new position. All the things he did last year, he's done this year. So, he worked last year at outside linebacker in individual period, and he worked with the defensive line,” Smart said. “So those two are like a mirror, they almost share the same responsibilities. He's done the same thing this year that he did last year. I think that's more of a souped-up answer than he's playing a different position.”

However, while Smart hopes the tweaks result in more havoc, Williams isn’t setting any goals. Except for one.

“Win the national championship. That's my goal. That's really it,” he said. “I don't want to another one. That's really what I'm focused on this year.”