Derion Kendrick Clemson georgia football football

Derion Kendrick has played in big games before. He’s started in three College Football Playoff games. He’s won championship games in Bank of America Stadium, where no. 5 Georgia will take on No. 3 Clemson on Saturday.

In terms of stakes, the transfer cornerback has played in games with more on the line. But from a personal standpoint, Saturday’s game against Kendrick’s former team will carry a good bit of extra weight for the new Bulldog.

“The hurdle is more of the emotional side of playing your teammates and your old family,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “It can be kind of a knee-jerker and tough at times.”

Kendrick was dismissed from the Clemson program back in March and ended up enrolling at Goergia in June. He fills a big need for the Bulldogs, as Georgia has to replace much of its 2020 secondary as four members were drafted and two more transferred to Power 5 programs this offseason.

He’s widely expected to start at cornerback for the Bulldogs come Saturday, with the other starting cornerback spot being a bigger mystery at this point in time.

According to Kendrick’s new teammates, the cornerback has had no real issues coming in and playing the way Georgia wants him to.

“I love DK. Since he’s been here, me and him talk a lot of trash to each other in practices,” fellow transfer JT Daniels said of Kendrick. “We have a really good relationship. I really like him. He’s a really good ball player.”

Nakobe Dean was also impressed with how well he adapted to Georgia’s culture.

“A lot of guys who are transfer it takes them a minute to buy-in to the team or get acquainted with the teammates,” Dean said. “He sort of hopped in and seemed like one of us right away.”

The Bulldogs will need Kendrick to play well against his old team, where he started 23 games over the previous two seasons. Kendrick was named First-Team All-ACC for his play a season ago, even though he went to struggle in Clemson’s loss to Ohio State to end the year.

Kendrick also has countless practice reps against the likes of Justyn Ross, Joe Ngata and Frank Ladson, all wide receivers he’s likely to see on Saturday. Kendrick also got to see Clemson starter DJ Uiagalelei up close last season, as he will be starting his third career game for the Tigers.

“He has one of the biggest arms I have ever seen, he is very talented, very hard to defend,” Smart said of the Clemson quarterback.

The familiarity makes for an interesting subplot. While Smart downplayed how much Kendrick will be able to help from a schematic standpoint, the coach did acknowledge Kendrick has a strong knowledge of Clemson’s personnel.

All that shared history though can make things complicated. Smart himself understands what Kendrick is going through.

“We’re watching cut-ups of Clemson at times and it’s awkward at times to find yourself sitting there,” Smart said. “I’ve been through that, when we played Georiga when I was at Alabama or you play someone the year after you’ve been there. It makes you feel different because you have a personal touch to it.

“He’s got to be able to separate all that, block it out and go perform.”

Dabo Swinney has said numerous times this offseason that he’s happy Kendrick has found a good home with the Bulldogs. There doesn’t seem to be any bad blood between Kendrick and his former program. He’s likely still got strong relationships with many of his former teammates.

But on Saturday he’ll have to put all that aside to help play a key role for his new team.

And it’s a role many on the Georgia side are glad that he is in.

“He works hard, he loves football, it’s important to him and he’s bought into it,” Smart said. “I’m excited to see him go play.”

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