2013 Georgia Football Season Preview: Defense

Oct 27, 2012; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Jordan Jenkins (59) tackles Florida Gators wide receiver Solomon Patton (83) at EverBank Field. The Bulldogs won 17-9. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Liles-USA TODAY Sports

After falling one play short of the National Championship game in 2012, the Georgia Bulldogs find themselves ranked in the top-5 for 2013. In the first installment of our UGA football preview, we’ll take a glance at the under-hyped side of the ball for this year, the defense. Let’s get it going.

Defensive Line

This is a deep, deep position group. That wouldn’t normally be the case when a college team plays a 3-4 scheme, but the Dawgs are loaded despite the departure of John Jenkins and Kwame Geathers. At tackle, UGA is strong in both spots on two-deep with Chris Mayes and Mike Thornton. They would likely both start if the team switched to a 4-3 for any reason, but Mayes (a JUCO transfer) is the monster 320+ pounder that is the prototypical nose man. However, Thornton is the listed starter after playing in every game last year, and he’ll have first crack. Want a sleeper? How about John Atkins, who is nearly 330 pounds as a true freshman, and his presence proves, again, that the depth is strong.

At the end spot, Garrison Smith is the only returning “starter” on the defensive line, and he’s the senior leader. Alongside him, UGA has one of the biggest defensive ends in recent memory, as the nearly 340-pound monster that is redshirt freshman John Taylor is technically listed at end. I have no idea how he would be as an edge rusher, but he eats up blocks and is fairly athletic. On the other end, Sterling Bailey and Ray Drew each have some scattered playing time on their resume, and both are capable of 5+ sacks even from a 3-4 alignment.

Linebackers

Jarvis Jones and Alec Ogletree aren’t walking through that door (copyright, Rick Pitino), but there is still talent behind them. Sophomore Jordan Jenkins takes the mantle as the most explosive player in the linebacking corps, and at outside linebacker, he’s a stud in the making. He had 23 “hurries” last year that led to 5 sacks, and he’s the best pure pass rusher on the roster. Jenkins will be key to everything that Todd Grantham does defensively, and as such, the spotlight is huge on him. At the other OLB spot, James DeLoach gets the early nod. He’s a huge player at LB at 270 pounds, and he’s got high-end speed. If there was an injury/demotion to either outside guy, sophomore Josh Dawson is probably the next in line, and he played in 13 games last year as a true freshman out of Tucker.

On the inside, the Amarlo Herrera show takes hold. Herrera is the other returning regular at linebacker, and he put up 70 tackles as a sophomore last season. I’m not sure he’s a star, but Herrera will be in the right place at the right time, and that’s extremely valuable to a young defense. Next to him, Ramik Wilson (another junior) gets the nod, and he’s another useful, rangy player. Behind them? It’s a bit unclear, as both listed backups are true freshman in Reggie Carter and Leonard Floyd. It’s time to pray for health.

Secondary

First, Josh Harvey-Clemons is suspended for the season opener, and that’s a huge blow. Harvey-Clemons is the penciled-in starter at strong safety after appearing in all 14 games last year, and he’s the best bet to be the elite player in the secondary for Georgia. His loss against Clemson will certainly be felt, but once he returns, he’s a potential All-SEC talent. The other safety spot is currently occupied by a true freshman in Tray Matthews, but his presence doesn’t come along with the same fear that a true freshman would normally bring. That is because Matthews beat out legitimate competition in Connor Norman, and Matthews is a monster. Look for him to bring immediate impact, and down the line, he could be an NFL player. As far as backups go, Corey Moore joins the aforementioned Norman, and both guys wouldn’t be disastrous if called into action.

Corner is a potential trouble spot for UGA, but it won’t be because of Damian Swain. Swain returns as a starter after playing all 14 games as a sophomore. At 5-foot-11, he has solid size, and he’s the clear #1 guy who will face off against the opposition’s best in an attempt to hold them down. The other side is the real question mark, however, as true freshman Brendan Langley is listed as the starter for Clemson, beating out sophomore Sheldon Dawson. I would imagine that both guys will see the field quite a bit, but Langley is exactly 18 years old, and while he’s huge at 6-foot-1, I can’t imagine him being fully ready for the SEC.

Special Teams

While we’re here, let’s go ahead and take on the special teams.

Kicker Marshall Morgan made 8 field goals as a freshman last year, but many believe (it hasn’t been confirmed by anyone, including Mark Richt) that he’s suspended to start the season as a result of an arrest. If he can’t go, the listed backup is Adam Erickson, and he’s never attempted a kick at UGA.

Collin Barber is the returning starter at punter, and Bulldog fans should get used to that name, as he is slotted in as just a sophomore. No issues here.

In the return game, the electric Malcolm Mitchell is set to handle both kickoff and punt duties. He hasn’t broken anything in a major way on special teams, but the two-way star is highly talented, and fully capable of taking a kick or two to the house in the Fall.

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With the abject talent on the other side of the ball (we’ll get there in part 2), this defense is going to come under scrutiny during the 2013 season. However, the talent is certainly there despite the high-profile departures, and the ceiling is very high in Athens.

Stay tuned for part 2 of the UGA preview, when we take on the offense and make a prediction for the 2013 campaign.