ATHENS — Even before Chaz Chambliss was dealing with a hamstring injury, it was hard not to notice Damon Wilson out at Georgia practice.
The sophomore outside linebacker is noticeably bigger this fall. Wilson looks far closer to 240 pounds than the 230 pounds he entered Athens at.
Wilson felt the need to bulk up so that he could become a more complete linebacker.
“Damon’s been good,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said. “He’s been able to be a contributing factor more on first and second down. I think learning his assignment — like, he could go play on third down and play with reckless abandon and do a really good job last year. Now, first and second down he knows what to do, he understands it, he has better keys, he has better strike, he can hold up against a really physical tackle. He’s improved.”
Wilson missed Georgia’s bowl game due to a knee injury that required surgery. Despite arriving with 5-star hype, Wilson didn’t have an obvious role for the Bulldogs. He finished with just 4 tackles in 12 games and had only 0.5 sack. And it’s not like the outside linebacker room was overflowing with talent either a season ago.
Georgia saw three outside linebackers transfer out of the program this offseason, paving a shorter path to the field for Wilson.
But Wilson was still going to have to do the work both mentally and physically to get to a point where he could help Georgia. On the eve of the 2024 season, Wilson seems to have done that.
“There’s always a gap of knowing the offense or knowing the defense and learning the defense,” hybrid linebacker Jalon Walker said. “I feel like Damon had the opportunity to really know and learn the defense through the offseason and that prepares him to be an even better player than he is now.”
With Georgia thinner at outside linebacker, the Bulldogs have moved players like Walker and Williams to the position to increase depth at the position. Williams and Walker though are more likely to help the position when it comes to obvious pass-rushing situations.
Chambliss ability to stand up against the run on first and second downs is why he has been the starter at outside linebacker for Georgia.
Georgia defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann credited Wilson for attacking his weaknesses this offseason, pointing to his ability to play against the run. Tight ends coach Todd Hartley added that Wilson has been giving the offense problems with his ability to rush off the edge.
He’s made clear improvements in all aspects of his game thus far into camp.
Chambliss should be good to go by the start of the season, with Smart noting he’s begun making more progress at Monday’s practice.
But with a second scrimmage this weekend, Wilson has another opportunity to showcase how much improvement he’s made and state his case for being a bigger part of the Georgia defense this fall.
“Just by merely being here and going through the spring he’s improved,” Smart said. “He’s also gotten a good bit of work with Chaz and some of the injuries we’ve had there.”
