Mykel Williams, head coach Kirby Smart, and defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann were on the same page after all.

While content playing the 3-technique on the Bulldogs’ defensive line, the Columbus native went to his coaches after the SEC Championship to ask about the possibility of playing some outside linebacker.

The opportunity to provide some versatility not only could potentially be a boon to Georgia’s defense but also make Williams more coveted by NFL teams.

“I mentioned it to Coach Smart and Coach Schumann, and they agreed with me,” Williams said. “But it was something they planned to do already.”

Smart and Schumann wasted no time putting the plan into action.

Williams lined up at Jack linebacker in the Orange Bowl against the Seminoles and enjoyed his most productive game of the year.

Check out these numbers: A season-high four tackles, 1.5 tackles (including a sack) for loss, and a forced fumble which he also happened to recover. For good measure, Williams also broke up a pass.

“I’m just glad they had the confidence in me to go out there and we had the result that we did,” Williams said. “It was a big confidence boost.”

With spring practice underway, Williams is receiving more work at the position.

“Sometimes, because you see things in the game, each game you decide what’s best for our team relative to what they do. You cross-train a lot of guys. You see that in the secondary a lot where guys play corner, but they also play nickel. Guys play safety and nickel or dime. Linebackers play inside or outside. We do that in our front, as well,” Schumann said at the Orange Bowl. “He’s trained to play on the edge a lot of times in his role. As a D-end, he’s on the edge already. There’s actually been times this year that he’s played in specialty roles that way. He definitely is an athletic enough guy that has enough length that he can potentially do that.”

To be clear, Williams is not making a position switch.

He still practices under the tutelage of Tray Scott as a 3-technique, but will also work with the outside linebackers, coached by Chidera Uzo-Diribe.

“I do meet with Chidera separately,” said Williams, who is trying to improve his hand speed, pad level, and get-off. “It’s basically the same thing I’m going to need at both positions.”

The differences in the positions are subtle.

Basically, Williams plays defensive end with his hand in the dirt. At the Jack linebacker, he does it standing up.

“In our system, I’ll just be standing up more,” Williams said. “There are not many differences. I may drop a little bit more, but really, I’m just standing up more.”