As UGASports continues its preseason spring position breakdowns, it’s time to hop over to defense.
We’ll start with defensive tackle/nose guard, the focal points for any 3-4 defensive scheme. Granted, the Bulldogs play a lot more multiple than base sets, but nevertheless, you need big, strong men at the point of attack for the rest of the defense to work as effectively as it can.
The ability to take on double teams, eat up space, and make plays at the line of scrimmage are crucial to Georgia’s defensive success. So having the right personnel is vital.
It took a while last season, but ultimately freshman Jordan Davis proved to be just what the Bulldogs were looking for.
Davis, a former three-star recruit, was considered a bit raw and wasn’t expected to make much of contribution during his first year, but through hard work, he dropped the necessary weight to be able to play. Soon after that, he proved to be the best man for the job, ultimately surpassing veterans Julian Rochester and Michael Barnett at nose.
At defensive tackle, senior Tyler Clark brings a lot of veteran leadership, while junior Devonte Wyatt played very well at the end of last season. Senior Michail Carter and junior Netori Johnson provided other options.
Davis, however, will be the key to the whole group.
With spring practice starting on March 19, Davis, who battled back issues at the end of last year, has a chance to really put his stamp on the position.
2018 Analysis
It wasn’t as if Davis came out of nowhere to become a legitimate force at nose guard for Georgia last fall. But his rise to significance was as impressive as any we’ve seen in some time.
For the first quarter of the season, the former three-star was relegated to scout team, the last man seen going through warm-up reps with the rest of the defensive line during media viewing. Even Kirby Smart suggested early on that the North Carolina native was a big work-in-progress.
What Smart didn’t mention was how hard Davis was working—so much so that Davis ultimately forced his head coach’s hand. He convinced Smart by the time Georgia played Vanderbilt that he was ready to handle the rigors of the SEC. At this point, he'd only seen spot duty against Austin Peay and Middle Tennessee.
Davis went on to start three straight games against Florida, Kentucky, and Auburn, along with the SEC title game against Alabama, before suffering a back injury that knocked him out of the Sugar Bowl.
When he played, Davis was highly effective, as he finished with 25 tackles, including a season-high seven at LSU.
In taking over the starting role, Davis moved ahead of the likes of Rochester and Barnett, who remained integral parts of the rotation.
Key Departures
The Bulldogs graduated senior DaQuan Hawkins Muckle, but the Atlanta native only played in five games last year, making just four tackles.
Key Newcomers
The Bulldogs haven’t designated which position their incoming freshmen will play, although Zion Logue, Travon Walker, Bill Norton and Tymon Mitchell each certainly have the frame and could make quick impacts.
However, the trio does not arrive until May, so for the time being, it will be the aforementioned veterans who will receive most of the opportunities this spring—although early enrollee Tramel Walthour will be getting a jump on his younger competition.
2019 Outlook
Davis has a chance to become an All-SEC caliber player at the position, possibly as early as this year.
His back issues, however, are a bit of a concern. Word has been there might be some lingering effects from the initial injuries he suffered late last year.
We’ll know more once we meet with Smart on the first day of practice. Davis will also need to make sure he keeps his weight in line. But considering how hard he worked last year to lose what’s believed to have been approximately 35 pounds, that’s not a huge concern.
Rochester and Barnett will continue to play big parts as well, although Rochester may be better suited for defensive tackle as opposed to a true zero technique.
One thing to keep in mind when talking about Georgia’s defensive line: Because everything the Bulldogs do is so matchup driven, there will be occasions when they go with smaller groupings, depending on the situation.
Fortunately, Georgia figures to have plenty of options to make it work.
