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Shattle Fenteng said he doesn't care who won't be there for Georgia in the secondary and it honestly doesn't matter who is there now.
He's going to compete to try and win a starting job.
"The way I look at it is, I don't care if they stay or leave. I mean, even if you stay I'm going to compete. I'm not scared of competition, I love it. I'm ready to compete," Fenteng said Tuesday in a telephone interview with UGASports.com. "I'm not worried about it, you know? Whether they stay or leave I'm just focused on myself. I've had all these guys asking me how I feel about Shaq Wiggins leaving, all this … I don't care because I know what I'm capable of. Even if he stayed, it didn't matter. I'm going to be out there competing to win a job."
Fenteng said he won't be messing around.
According to the former Grayson standout, defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt has told him to come in ready to win a starting job at cornerback. Although he's been mentioned as a possibly safety, Fenteng maintained corner will indeed be his future home.
Pruitt's message has been clear.
"He wants me to be the best player in the SEC," Fenteng said. "He's told me to come, come ready to work, that there's an opportunity for me here."
That would certainly seem to be the case.
Pruitt made it very clear during the spring that he doesn't have any starters, and that all positions are there for the taking.
Georgia does have senior Damian Swann, who along with Sheldon Dawson (one start) are the only Bulldogs to have ever started a game at corner on the collegiate level.
Fenteng hopes that his two years as a junior college performer at Hutchinson Community College will give him a leg up on the competition.
"I think it will give me an advantage over the freshmen," said Fenteng, who will arrive in Athens on June 28, a bit later than his fellow signees who are expected in town by June 2.
In the meantime, Fenteng said he's getting ready.
He's currently working with a personal trainer, along with watching his diet and getting a jump studying the film sent to him by Pruitt several weeks ago.
Fenteng is anxious to prove to Pruitt that he has what it takes to be an immediate contributor.
He also appreciates the approach taken by his future defensive coordinator who insists playing time will be earned because it certainly won't be given away by him for free.
"I love it. If coaches don't do that, players are going to take advantage of it, they think just because they're good that they're going to be starters," Fenteng said. "But it's all about being good on the practice field, respecting the coach. It's all about that. You're not going to be a good football team if everyone thinks they're too good and don't take to the coaching. You've got to respect your coach."
Fenteng said he was happy to see that most of his future teammates were able to respond.
"Sometimes you need a good coach to lean down on you, you know?" he said.
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