Bowl games have always been valued by coaches as dual-purpose situations. Not only is a program attempting to win a game on a national stage, but it's afforded extra practice opportunities. In many cases, these practices are a chance for younger players to make some significant strides forward.

Kirby Smart acknowledged some players who caught the staff's eye during Georgia's Orange Bowl preparations.

"Yeah, we've had some really quality -- especially early on, getting after it and letting guys scrimmage and go play," Smart said. "So many of these young guys are coming off COVID high school careers where they got shortened seasons, they didn't get spring practices, they were unable to have a spring here. So there's been some guys that have done some good things."

Here are a few:

MICAH MORRIS

A member of the Class of 2021, Morris is a 6-foot-6, 330-pound freshman from Kingsland Georgia. Morris was the first name mentioned by Smart as a player that has stood out in bowl practices. "I thought that Micah Morris has really stepped up and played well on the offensive line, both guard and tackle," Smart said. The former four-star appears to be positioning himself for a battle for the starting lineup in the spring.

DYLAN FAIRCHILD

Smart also singled out former West Forsyth football standout and heavyweight wrestling state champion Dylan Fairchild. Like Morris, Fairchild was a Class of 2021 signee and is starting to round into form according to Georgia's head ball coach. "Dylan Fairchild has played well, really physical," Smart said. "Both those guys (Morris and Fairchild) are going to be high-quality, really good football players."

SMAEL MONDON & JAMON DUMAS-JOHNSON (aka Pop)

Georgia is losing a ton of players from the linebacking core after the 2021 season. Both inside linebacker and outside linebacker are positions that will need talent to emerge. Former five-star Class of 2021 signee Smael Mondon figures prominently in those plans to replace talent and production.

Mondon is an inside linebacker with the speed and versatility to play outside linebacker as well. Mondon has been used on special teams a good bit this season but particularly has impressed during bowl preparations.

Jamon Dumas-Johnson has flashed on the gridiron every opportunity he's gotten this season. Dumas-Johnson is referred to by Coach Smart and his teammates as "Pop". Pop already has a pick-six to his credit in his young Georgia career. The linebacker from Hyattsville, Maryland looks to be the next great inside linebacker in line for Georgia to follow in the footsteps of Roquan Smith, Tae Crowder, and NaKobe Dean.

" (We have) Seen a lot of promise out of Smael and Pop at linebacker," Smart said. "Those are guys that we're counting on for the future, and they've gotten a lot better."

THE YOUNG SECONDARY GUYS

Javon Bullard and Kamari Lassiter have seen the field more than others when it comes to the young crop of defensive backs that Georgia brought in via the Class of 2021. Smart didn't single those two out but did comment on the young defensive back group as a whole. One would assume that Nyland Green and David Daniel figure into the comment below as well.

"The young DBs got a lot of reps in the last two weeks," Smart said. "They've gotten a lot of work all year, mostly as twos, but they've gotten a lot of work here in the last couple weeks of scrimmage and did some things."

Smart went on to summarize the whole by depth players during bowl practices in general.

"There's been a good group of guys that have gotten quality work, Smart said. "A couple of our walk-ons from last year have made plays and done things that are going to help us. We go back, go to the core fundamentals and go back through special teams and try to teach and develop these guys, because so many of them, they want to play at the next level and part of the special teams aspect is big, and try to go back and really compete and have fun, and those guys have done a great job of that."