ATHENS — Kirby Smart wasn’t all that revealing when it came to some of Georgia’s still unsettled position battles.
Be it in the secondary where spots at safety and cornerback are up for grabs, or even the more obscure long snapping and kickoff duties, Georgia has its fair share of still open position battles heading into the game against Clemson.
And that comes after nearly a month of practices.
But those strenuous practices are why Georgia is confident heading into the opener against Clemson.
“You put in the work and the preparation to prepare you for the moment,” Georgia safety Malaki Starks said. “That’s what you’ve got to fall back on. We like to say ‘bleed in training until you don’t bleed in battle’ We’ve worked through ups and downs and stuff like that, but I feel very confident.”
Starks is a perfect example of why who starts an opener isn’t all that relevant. He didn’t start against Oregon as a true freshman. But he still made the most memorable play of the game, falling back as he came down with an iconic interception.
As for who starts alongside Starks at safety on Saturday, it seems that will be Dan Jackson. While freshman safety KJ Bolden has a ton of potential, as Starks did, Bolden missed a handful of practices that did set him back.
“He’s been back for 8 or 9 practices now,” Smart said. “He’s a sharp, very intelligent, very coachable kid that’s a good athlete. He hasn’t played major College Football though. He’s played major-level high school football, that’s why he’s at the highest level, but he’s an intelligent kid and that’s why I think he’ll respond well when his number is called - if it gets called on to be ready to play.”
At cornerback, Georgia will likely play the trio of Daniel Harris, Julio Humphrey and Ellis Robinson. Harris may get the start, but Georgia is going to ask all three to make plays on Saturday.
Even if Smart understands the group is likely to give up plays as well.
“They’re not going to win every battle. Not the positions you put guys in the secondary in. They’ve got good wide outs, got a good quarterback. I want to see them be resilient. I want to see response time to positive and negative things that is really quick.”
On the offensive line, Dylan Fairchild is the favorite to start at left guard, with Micah Morris rotating in. Jared Wilson, now fully healthy, will start at center.
Some of the biggest questions regarding who starts stem from the status of Trevor Etienne and Smael Mondon. Smart did not give an update on either player, as he has stated continuously that any possible suspensions will be kept in house.
Smart has often bemoaned his team’s depth this fall. Much of that can be chalked up to the youth on the Georgia roster, with the transfer portal forcing so many young players to be ready sooner.
Starks remembers the moments before his first game against Oregon and, when asked about it, didn’t seem bothered that he didn’t start.
“Really I just wanted to get in. That was really about it,” Starks said. “I just wanted to go out there and play. I didn’t want to let down the team when I had the chance to get in. Just tried to enjoy it.”
