ATHENS — The buzz around freshman safety KJ Bolden has been muted a bit entering the season-opener against Clemson.
That’s probably a good thing for Bolden. Especially for a player who head coach Kirby Smart compared to All-American Malaki Starks before a single fall practice, much less a game.
“Well he missed some time, and that probably set him back some,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “There was about a 4 or 5 day spell there during camp where he didn’t get to practice. He’s been back for 8 or 9 practices now. He’s a sharp, very intelligent, very coachable kid that’s a good athlete.”
Starks knows perhaps better than anyone what Bolden is going through in these final days prior to the season-opener against Clemson.
Starks didn’t start the first game of his college career, which took place in the same building as Saturday’s game against the Tigers.
It did not take Starks long though to make an impact. In the second quarter, Starks announced himself to all of college football with an acrobatic interception.
Starks plans to reiterate to Bolden and others that you don’t need to be Superman, even if you have some of the ability to do so.
“You never really know if you’re ready until you’re in the moment,” Starks said. “You put in the preparation. You have trust and faith in the work that you put in to prepare for the moment. I’ve just been telling them the same thing that people were telling me: just take it day by day, play by play, see a little but don’t see too much and enjoy it.
“You only get one shot. Just enjoy it while you’ve got it and just be calm. You’re not out there by yourself. You’ve got plenty of other guys with you so you’re not on an island.”
Starting in place of Bolden will likely be Dan Jackson, with JaCorey Thomas factoring in at the safety position also.
Even if Bolden doesn’t play as well as Starks did to open the season, the future is still very bright for the freshman. Starks noted how the Buford, Ga., product soaks concepts up like a sponge and that you can see real improvement from the young safety.
“He hasn’t played major College Football though,” Smart said of Bolden. “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.”
It would be a major surprise if Bolden wasn’t a factor in some way on Saturday. Even with the Bulldogs having some veteran help, Bolden possesses elite athleticism that made him one of the best prospects in the country for the 2024 recruiting cycle.
And while Smart didn’t specifically say that safeties can play as freshmen, Starks and Lewis Cine serve as proof that it can be done.
“I just wanted to go out there and play,” Starks said. “I didn’t want to let down the team when I had the chance to get in. Just tried to enjoy it. I talked to my mom that morning, and she told me, ‘You only get one chance to be a freshman so enjoy it while you’ve got it.’
“Really just being in the moment and being where my feet were and not getting too far ahead of myself. It’s kind of the same message that I’ve been relaying to them.”
Bolden will be one of a handful of freshmen Georgia is counting on against the very talented Tigers as well. Saturday’s game is set for a 12 p.m. ET start, with ABC broadcasting the game.
