Want to get on the good side of Kirby Smart? Effort and toughness will win him over every time.
That’s what sophomore linebacker Chaz Chambliss has apparently done.
Smart was not in the best of moods following what he termed poor Tuesday’s practice, but he perked up when asked about Chambliss, whose willingness to give that little bit extra is helping to set him apart in Smart's eyes.
“Consistency, toughness, he’s everything a football coach wants,” Smart said. “He does whatever is asked. He's the last guy off the field every day. He stays out there after for extra work. He's probably mad today that he's got media to do. When I get up from the office, he's out there still hitting the sled. He's one of the hardest workers I've ever been around.”
It’s the only way he knows how to be. When asked what he works on during his daily post-practice routine, Chambliss shrugged.
“Depending on what I was good on in practice or what reps I need to get back. If I didn't strike good enough, after practice, I will hit the sleds,” he said. “If I feel like my pass rush was lacking, then I will go hit the pass rush sleds or work with coach after practice. It is all depending on the practice before or the game plan that week."
For those who know Chambliss, this certainly comes as no surprise.
The former four-star from Carrollton High learned very quickly that if he was going to excel in football, then the effort to go beyond what most are willing to do was going to be the key to unlocking that success.
“My high school coach always told me don’t do the bare minimum,” Chambliss said. “Always do extra.”
Another example of that is the many roles Chambliss plays.
Along with being one of the top backups to starting Sam linebacker Robert Beal Jr., Chambliss is a starter on virtually every special teams unit, the lone exception being the Bulldogs’ punt team.
He’s starting to earn more and more playing time on defense as well.
“He's just a tough competitor that you want in your program,” Smart said. “He's got to continue to improve, be able to make some plays and rush the passer but he's a really solid run player for us. He does a good job.”
Chambliss credits the lessons he’s learned from Nolan Smith and Beal for that.
Nicknamed the “White Wolf,” the opportunity to pick their brain on a daily basis at practice is something he tries to do every day.
“Nolan has been playing since he’s a freshman. He knows the ins and outs of the defense, he knows how to play, he knows all the small things of the game,” he said. “I just listen to him and Beal. Getting advice from them is the best thing I can do and hope it rubs off on me.”
First-year outside linebacker coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe gets his share of credit, too.
“He’s had a big impact,” Chambliss said. “He played at Colorado, was a four-year lettermen there so he’s able to give you the inside version of how it is and not just the playbook and how it is on the whiteboard.”
Chambliss is also one of tight end Brock Bowers’ closest friends on the team.
Along with backup quarterback Brock Vandagriff, the trio has formed a unique bond, one that actually began while still in high school when they first go to know each other taking part in various camps and on recruiting visits.
It’s that relationship that affords Chambliss the opportunity to poke a little fun at Bowers, who has apparently adapted to life in the south quicker than one might think.
“(Bowers) is from the country of California,” said Chambliss, cracking a slight smile. “But he came in, he could hunt, he could fish, so there was not much of a culture shock for him. He’s transitioned well.”
So too, has Chambliss, albeit in a different way.
As the Bulldogs prepare for Saturday’s game against Samford (4 p.m., SEC Network), Chambliss does not believe he and his teammates will have any problem being ready to play.
"I think we practice to a standard every day,” he said. “When it comes to how we practice and how we play, everyone on this team is held to a standard, no matter what string it is.”