Chaz Chambliss epitomizes Georgia’s senior class as it nears a record

ATHENS — It happened so fast during the course of Saturday night’s that many might not have noticed.

Late in the fourth quarter, on first-and-goal at the Tennessee 2-yard line, Georgia lined up in the I-formation. Lining up in that “I” was No. 32.

Chaz Chambliss, a full-time outside linebacker on the Bulldogs’ defense, has been doing some part-time work in practice as a fullback. Georgia finally got to unleash him in a game Saturday.

As lead blocker for running back Nate Frazier, Chambliss met Volunteers linebacker Will Brooks in the hole at right tackle and cleared the way for Frazier to score untouched. The play capped 12-play, 92-yard that consumed nearly half of the fourth quarter and assured victory for 12th-ranked Georgia.

This angle of Nate Frazier’s TD 🔥🔥🔥#GoDawgs | @NateUA1_ pic.twitter.com/OnrT8j2T9g
— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) November 17, 2024

It was just another way for Chambliss to contribute to the Bulldogs’ cause. While he earns his money setting the edge for Georgia’s defense, the senior from Carrollton always has always been willing to help anyway. A long-time contributor on special teams, Chambliss now can add fullback to his resume.

“He’s tough, he’s physical,” said Georgia coach Kirby Smart, using his two favorite words for football. “When we had the offensive-line injuries, we were forced to find a kind of another fullback body-type.”

Right guard Micah Morris had been manning the fullback position for the special “jumbo package” the Bulldogs utilize in short-yardage situations. But the 6-foot-6, 330-pound Morris was sidelined Saturday with a leg injury, as he has been for a couple of weeks now. So, Georgia turned to the 6-2, 250-pound Chambliss who, as it turns out, played a little fullback at Carrollton High back in the day.

To be clear, though, being an edge-rusher is the reason Chambliss is at Georgia. And he’s been doing a fine job of that, by the way.

ExploreMore AJC coverage of the Bulldogs

Entering the 11th game of the season Saturday against Massachusetts (12:45 p.m., SEC Network), Chambliss is tied with Jalon Walker for the team lead in both sacks (5.5) and tackles for loss (7.5) He’s also eighth on the team with 31 total tackles and has recorded 10 quarterback pressures.

It’s all part of what has been an ideal senior season for Chambliss, who is expected to start his 22nd game at Georgia on Saturday.

Saturday also happens to be Senior Day for the Bulldogs. So, Chambliss will be among at 17 seniors who will be recognized in pregame ceremonies.

Georgia decided to conduct Senior Day on Saturday rather than in the final game of the regular season against Georgia Tech. That one will be at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 29, a Friday.

Chambliss epitomizes a senior class that, barring a disastrous end to the season, will go out as the class with the most wins in school history. They already lead all of FBS with a 50-4 record over these past four seasons. The Bulldogs’ next victory will break a tie with the 2023 class, which was also 50-4 over four seasons.

With two more games remaining in the regular season and the hope for several more in the postseason, the 2024 class should have an opportunity to obliterate the record. Guys like Chambliss are a big reason for that.

Asked Monday to describe Chambliss as a football player, Smart mentioned “work ethic, buy-in, leadership, and film study.”

“Chaz knows what people are running before we do as coordinators sometimes because he looks at so much tape,” Smart said. “And he uses those cues to help him and make plays.”

Chambliss led the Bulldogs with two sacks Saturday. The Georgia defense sacked Tennessee quarterback Nick Iamaleava five times.

“He benefited a little bit Saturday,” Smart said of Chambliss. “All sacks are not necessarily your play. Sometimes somebody else did a really good job and forced the guy to you. But he capitalized on opportunities. And I love the way he’s working and playing with toughness.”

Hard work and toughness are attributes that Chambliss’ coaches and teammates have long cited as keys to his success. A backup and special-teams regular his first two seasons, Chambliss started all 14 games for the Bulldogs last season. He has started seven of the 10 games this season while rotating with Jalon Walker and Mykel Williams in a more multiple-look defense.

Chambliss asserted himself this year to become a more vocal leader.

“Chaz is definitely the leader of our defense,” junior cornerback Daylen Everette said. “He’s not really the most vocal guy, but just seeing what he does and how he attacks practice. Even after practice, he’s out there an extra hour doing extra stuff. People on the team see that. He’s the type of person who makes other people want to do it.”

Off the field, Chambliss is quiet-spoken but intense. In the offseason he competes as an MMA fighter. That or coaching seem like natural fits if pro football doesn’t work out.

For now, Chambliss is focused on nothing but trying get Georgia back into the championship picture. He already owns two national championship rings and an SEC championship ring and would like nothing better than to add to his collection.

As for his accomplishments over four seasons with the Bulldogs, Chambliss credits those who came before him.

“I came in under a bunch of great players,” said Chambliss, a 4-star prospect in the 2021 recruiting class. “They developed me into what I am today and I still talk to them. Nolan (Smith) kind of took me under his wing; (Robert) Beal took me under his wing. Those guys led me in the direction I needed to go. Without those guys I wouldn’t be where I am.”