ATHENS — There are a number of different ways you can work on improving as a player.
Rarely though do you pick an exercise that involves more violence than football.
Yet that is what Chaz Chambliss has done as he practices MMA.
“I’ve been cross-training for the past three offseasons,” Chambliss said. “The coaches suggested it for hands and for body positioning and all of that, and I really like it.”
Chambliss hasn’t had any official bouts but he has thought about it as a career after his days as a football player come to an end. That or working in physical therapy.
For now, Chambliss is leading the outside linebacker room for Georgia. It’s a young room following the transfer of Marvin Jones Jr., Darris Smith and CJ Madden.
So while the Bulldogs are counting on the likes of Damon Wilson, Sam M’Pemba and Quintavious Johnson, the Bulldogs will lean on the veteran Chambliss.
“I think I had great leaders in front of of me that taught me how to lead,” Chambliss said. “Nolan, Beal, all those guys, they just taught me what it meant to be a leader in that room. You know, it’s not necessarily just being over-controlling but being somebody that the guys can look to for advice — giving them advice that they might not otherwise have that comes with experience. You know, just trying to take care over that room and hold everybody accountable to what the standard of the room is.”
Teammates recognize that Chambliss has massive shoes to fill given Georgia’s pedigree at outside linebacker.
“He’s holding that standard to his ability,” Jalon Walker said of Chambliss “He’s doing a great job leading the room, doing a great job keeping the young guys accountable, holding anybody accountable for this team. He’s a leader and face of our team. I’m glad to call him one of my brothers.”
They’ve consistently been impressed by Chambliss’ effort level, as well as his blossoming leadership skills.
“Every time you’re going against him, you know you’re getting his best effort,” tight end Oscar Delp said. “He’s going 100 percent every time you’re going against him. You have to be ready and bring it all with you every time you go. He’s a really good player. He’s a competitor and he does not like losing reps. You have to be ready every time you go against Chaz.”
Chambliss started every game for Georgia last season, totaling 20 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss and an interception.
Georgia has gotten creative at the outside linebacker position, shuffling Jalon Walker, Mykel Williams and Joseph Jonah-Ajonye into the position group this spring. Those three all bring value as pass rushers, whereas Chambliss is at his best as a run defender.
“I want to improve in the run game [with] my hands,” Chambliss said. “I have a tendency to use my head in striking blocks. You know, getting more separation because I realized in some of the games that I would get caught up on some tackles because I let them get into my chest before I pressed them out.”
If Georgia’s defense is going to return to its elite form of recent years, Chambliss knows he’s going to have to get better. Getting in the octagon helps him do that during the offseason.
And the hope is that will help when he steps on the field this fall for the Bulldogs.
“Just training and just trying to carry over that into my game because there’s multiple pros that have done it,” Chambliss said.