Impressive Freshmen Stepping Up Big For Kirby Smart And UGA Football
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ATHENS - Georgia Bulldog football coach Kirby Smart has said it many, many times now.
“You can play as a freshman at the University of Georgia”.
Now he’s obviously not saying it to quarterbacks, for good reason, but he’s saying it to just about everyone else.
The No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs are once again SEC Champions and we saw plenty of freshmen make an impact in one of the biggest games of the college football season.
In the secondary we saw true freshman Resean Dinkins make his first career start as a Bulldog. Against Alabama. In the SEC Championship game. The summer enrollee got to Athens later than the rest of his class but he’s clearly ready to not only play, but make an impact.
The rangy, instinctive safety knows what he’s doing, plays with physicality and has a nose for the football. He only made one tackle against Alabama, but that “27” was all over the place on defense.
Then there’s freshman Zayden Walker. The former five-star linebacker has gotten better and better over the season and is already proving to be a major weapon when attacking the quarterback. Against Alabama, Walker spied Ty Simpson on a 4th quarter pass and closed on him like a lion the second he left the pocket. Walker showed outstanding burst and closing speed, throwing Simpson to the ground with ease. His potential and playmaking ability is already easy to see.
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Of course Elijah Griffin also continues to make an impact on the defensive line. Another former five-star, Griffin has easily lived up to the hype so far this season, and while he may not be lighting up the stat sheet, his impact is consistently felt when he’s on the field. He plays hard, does his job, and creates pressure from the inside. He’s tough to handle and has the potential to be one of the league’s best next season.
Freshman outside linebacker Chase Linton is also emerging and made his first career tackle against Alabama. He’s also seen the field in each of Georgia’s last three games.
On offense we’ve seen freshmen all over the field all season long. On the offensive line, the Bulldogs have played two freshmen consistently all season long. Massive lineman Juan Gaston Jr has seen action at both right guard and right tackle throughout the season. Not only has he played, but he’s excelled. Atlanta native Dontrell Glover has also played all season long and has been able to contribute at a high level at both guard positions. What those two have done this year is nothing short of remarkable.
At wide receiver, both Talyn Taylor and CJ Wiley, two highly-ranked prospects in high school, saw the field against Alabama. Taylor was close to scoring an easy touchdown in the second half but the ball was tipped at the line of scrimmage. Neither made a reception in the game, but both got quality big-game experience and have an opportunity to have giant sophomore seasons next year.
At running back, Bo Walker may not have played against Alabama, but he impressed against both Mississippi State and Charlotte in the second half of the season.
At tight end, freshmen Ethan Barbour and Elyiss Williams were both involved in the game-plan to start the season. Barbour suffered a season-ending injury against Austin Peay early in the season, but the early playing time he earned was a great sign of what’s to come. As for Williams, the big pass-catcher has improved his blocking throughout the season and has grown more and more as he sees the field. The former Camden County standout has caught seven passes this season for 117 yards and one touchdown.
