Malaki Starks

ATLANTA — True freshmen typically don’t make a sudden or major impact on Kirby Smart’s Georgia defenses, but Malaki Starks is certainly not the typical freshman.

Starks has not only started every game at safety alongside veteran Chris Smith, but he actually leads the Bulldogs in snaps played, per PFF metrics.

“It’s something I dreamed about,” Starks said at the CFP Peach Bowl Semifinal media day on Thursday at the College Football Hall of Fame.

“I don’t think anybody would know they were going to do it, until they do it.”

Starks will be one of the key players when the No. 1-ranked Bulldogs clash with No. 4 Ohio State at 8 p.m. on Saturday in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The Buckeyes are known for their explosive offense, and it will be up to Starks to help keep them under wraps.

“I’d say middle of the season, I’m still trying to get comfortable, it’s a complicated system,” Starks explained on Thursday, asked about when he started to feel comfortable that he had the defense down.

“So I’m learning each and every day. and trying to improve on all of my stuff.”

That’s likely why Smart and co-defensive coordinator Will Muschamp have seen to it that Starks gets as much work as possible.

Here are the top snaps leaders on defense:

SS Malaki Starks, 732

CB Kamari Lassiter, 710

CB Kelee Ringo, 710

FS Chris Smith, 699

LB Jamon Dumas-Johnson, 591

LB Smael Mondon, 549

DB Javon Bullard, 540

Starks served notice early this season that he would be a difference-maker, making a soaring interception that helped spark Georgia to a 49-3 win over Oregon.

“The practices are harder than the games, and that’s because Coach Smart wants to make sure when you get in the game, it’s slower,” Starks said.

“When I get in the game, I don’t feel any stress, I feel like I can just do my assignment and what I’ve been coached to do.”

Even when things don’t go perfect, Smart has shown the confidence to stand behind Starks, as he did after the 50-30 win over LSU in the SEC title game.

“There were some opportunities that they didn’t just make plays, we just didn’t make plays,” Smart said. “Malaki had a couple of tough plays. He makes those plays every day in practice. I would bet money on Malaki (making those plays) a thousand times.

“He misjudged the ball and the kid is crushed for it. But you know what, he’s going to be a better football player for having experienced it.”

Starks said he has learned to flush such mistakes and not allow them to factor into the next play.

It has helped to have a veteran like Smith to help him direct the traffic in the secondary this season, but by the start of 2023, Starks knows he’ll have to have a stronger voice.

“Being a safety, you are the quarterback of the defense, so everything flows from the top down from safety to the D-Line,” Starks said.

“So it’s learning how to communicate. That’s the biggest thing I’ve been learning to do, gaining that confidence to talk to my teammates.”

Starks has earned Freshman All-American honors this season, and he’s likely to pop up on 2023 preseason All-American lists.

But he yearns for much, much more.

Ohio State scouting report, Part Two: OSU arrives with ‘second chance at life’

“I want to be known as one of the greatest to play at the University of Georgia, and I want to be known for not just my football skills, but my character, also,” Starks said.

“I want the ball every play, my mindset is when the ball in the air, it’s mine. So I want to be known as a player who was always near the ball.”

Starks will have a prime-time opportunity to forge that identity on Saturday night against Ohio State.