ATHENS — Georgia hasn’t hidden from the fact that it needed to improve its pass rush.
A season ago, the Bulldogs had just 20 sacks. It was a known issue, one Kirby Smart discussed multiple times throughout the spring.
In an attempt to address the concern, Georgia brought in Auburn transfer Amaris Williams. Yet he had a disastrous spring.
It drew attention when, after an early Georgia practice, Smart praised how well tight end Elyiss Williams blocked Williams. Then Williams tore his ACL during the Bulldogs’ 13th spring practice.
Smart confirmed the injury was noncontact, and it’s clear Williams will be out for some time.
“We would never put a timetable on it,” Smart said following G-Day. “He doesn’t want to put a timetable on it. He wants to do what he can to recover and get better.”
Williams was one of two outside linebackers Georgia brought in this offseason. The other was freshman Khamari Brooks, who emerged as one of the stars of G-Day.
With Williams and outside linebacker Gabe Harris both sidelined by injuries, Brooks came away with two sacks.
“He picks up the playbook fast, and right now he’s learning multiple positions,” linebacker Quintavius Johnson said. “I kind of see him as myself, being that only freshman coming in and being able to take all those extra snaps, all those extra reps. And knowing that it all falls back on you being that freshman in the room.”
Brooks wasn’t the only Georgia linebacker to make progress this spring, as Chase Linton seemed to turn a corner. Johnson noted that Linton has put in the work in terms of adding weight and helping as a run defender.
Yet the most encouraging part of his game is what he brings to the table as a pass rusher.
“We call him ‘Cheetah,’ so he’s always running to the ball,” linebacker Justin Williams said of Linton. “So, Chase, he’s always going on a sprint as hard as he can, giving 100% effort, and so I’m so happy for him.”
Linton is entering his second season in Athens. He’ll look to make a significant leap after injuries derailed much of his freshman season.
While Georgia players weren’t allowed to tackle the quarterbacks Saturday, the pass rush showed it had some bite. While playing a vanilla defense, the Bulldogs had four sacks.
If Georgia can play at a consistent level in the fall, the pass rush worries will be quieted.
“In terms of pass rush, we’ve had some guys really grow, get better,” Smart said. “We’re going to have to get some help from our youth, too. But, you know, the pass rush is something that’s done as a group, not as one person. Chris Cole stepped it up a lot this spring. Some of the young guys have helped out, and we’ve gotten better push in the middle of the pocket.”
Getting Harris and Zayden Walker back from their injuries will give Georgia more options to attack opposing quarterbacks. While the Bulldogs might have to wait a bit longer to get a contribution from Williams, the growth of players such as Brooks and Linton have them feeling confident in what they can accomplish this fall.
“As far as spring, I think we did a heck of a job,” Williams said of the Georgia defense. “I think everybody came together with a lot of things happening, things we couldn’t control. I think we all came together, and we worked really hard this spring, honestly.”
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