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Kirby Smart impressed with three Georgia defensive linemen
By Adam Spencer
Published:
In order for the Georgia Bulldogs to have a shot at an SEC East title this season, the defensive line is going to have to step up.
Depth along the line has been a concern for Georgia coach Kirby Smart, but he said on Tuesday that he’s been impressed with three freshmen so far:
“The three defensive linemen are rolling in there with the threes and fours and their energy — they are playing a lot harder than the other guys,” Smart told reporters after Tuesday’s practice. “Which tells me they are hungrier than the o-line. Tyler Clark, Michail Carter, and David Marshall, all three. They’re playing with good motors and playing hard, which was probably the biggest pleasant surprise because of our depth issue there.”
As always, quotes like this should be taken with a grain of salt. After all, it’s only day two of practice.
Still, even if the freshmen only make their way up to backup status before the season starts, it never hurts to have competent players waiting in the wings.
And, to his credit, Smart did acknowledge that the freshmen have a long way to go before they crack the starting lineup:
“They’ve got to sustain it and they’ve got to do it with the big boy pads on,” Smart said.
With only a month to go before the season opener against North Carolina, getting as many reps as possible will be crucial for the freshmen to continue developing into players who can make an impact in 2016.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
