The Georgia Bulldogs will open spring football practice March 16. Each day between now and then, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution will break down the various position groups, analyze the personnel and examine their relative spring-practice objectives. G-Day, the annual spring intrasquad scrimmage, is scheduled for April 17 at Sanford Stadium.
SPRING FOOTBALL PREVIEW – TODAY: DEFENSIVE LINE
ATHENS — The most important development for Georgia’s 2021 defense came in the form of a Thursday afternoon tweet Jan. 7. The tweeter was the one-and-only Jordan Davis and his message was simple.
“I’ll see y’all in Charlotte.”
That meant that Georgia’s star nose guard was coming back for his senior season rather than enter the NFL draft, as everyone expected. Charlotte, N.C., is Davis’ hometown. It also happens to be where the Bulldogs will open the season against Clemson in a highly anticipated top-5 matchup Sept. 4.
And just like that, all things became possible for Georgia’s defense. Yes, the Bulldogs still have issues on that side of the ball. But Davis’ presence in the middle of the defensive front creates a domino effect from his spot on back. The 6-foot-6, 330-pound Davis is next to impossible to block one-on-one – and sometimes even double-teamed. That, then, creates advantageous matchups elsewhere.
“Two on me, somebody’s free,” Davis likes to say.
Davis’ defensive mates agree, and are quite grateful.
UGA Athletics
UGA Athletics
RETURNING STARTERS (2): Senior nose guard Jordan Davis, senior defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt
ALL EYES ON: Davis
OUTLOOK: While Davis is the clear-cut star, Georgia’s mix-and-match possibilities up front have to be exciting for defensive coordinator Dan Lanning and line coach Tray Scott to consider. While the Bulldogs remain a three-man front by design, they often play with four down-linemen on the field and they insert them by down and situation, according to each player’s specific strengths. For instance, while senior Malik Herring started most games at defensive end, sophomore Travon Walker and senior Julian Rochester played nearly as many snaps. Davis was on the center or in the A-gap probably 55% of the time, but the Bulldogs would not hesitate to sub-in freshman Jalen Carter when his superior agility and quickness called for it. Or Carter or Davis might pop outside to play a 3- or 4-technique tackle. Or Walker might move inside. ... The point is, with the exception of Herring, all those guys are back, plus some. Rochester’s going to try to make it back for a sixth season after a second knee surgery in November. Freshmen Zion Logue, Warren Brinson, Nazi Stackhouse and Bill Norton were coming on toward the end of the season. And the Bulldogs brought in three more talented D-line recruits, including Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, who 247Sports had rated as a five-star prospect. … The spring competition for a spot in that rotation is going to be intense. Well, for everybody not named Jordan Davis. It’ll probably be a quiet spring for him.
UP NEXT: Inside linebackers
PREVIOUSLY: Offensive line, quarterback, running backs, tight ends, wide receivers, special teams.
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