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Georgia Bulldogs: Secondary Leadership By Committee

By John Buhler

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The Georgia Bulldogs improved drastically in the defensive backfield last season under DC Jeremy Pruitt.  Georgia rarely gave up the deep ball and played within themselves in Pruitt’s new defensive scheme.  With CB Damian Swann now with the New Orleans Saints, how will the Dawgs DBs replace Swann’s leadership in the secondary in 2015?

Sophomore FS Dominick Sanders met with the media after practice yesterday to help bring some clarity to what is happening in the UGA defensive backfield heading into the 2015 season.  Sanders started many games last year in Pruitt’s young, but hard-working secondary.  Alongside Junior SS Quincy Mauger and RS Sophomore CB Aaron Davis, now officially on scholarship, Sanders will have to lead by example as returning starters in Pruitt’s secondary.

-= Related: 9 Georgia Bulldogs on All-SEC Coaches Teams =-

When asked about what the defensive backfield of the Georgia Bulldogs can do to improve in the second year under DC Jeremy Pruitt, Sanders said, “Having that high work ethic, that tempo, that momentum” will allow the DBs to play “more relaxed” in their second season with Pruitt calling the shots.

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    • Clearly a disciple of Damian Swann, Sanders plans to teach many of the freshmen in the secondary all the tricks of the trade that Damian taught him last year as a starting true freshman.  Sanders said he will let the new Dawgs know that “a lot of mistakes will be made. Just continue playing and make plays.”

    Though he is comfortable with playing the position, Dominick Sanders said that he is mostly being used at Free Safety this fall instead of STAR where he often played last season.  Sanders mentioned that Leonard Floyd, Rico McGraw, and Reggie Wilkerson are getting a lot of looks at that hybrid LB/S position so vital to the Georgia Bulldogs defense.

    I feel confident about having Aaron Davis, Quincy Mauger, and Dominick Sanders as prominent players in the Georgia Bulldogs secondary last season.  If Mauger can improve his ball skills, Davis plays with the same chip on his shoulder that he had last year when he wasn’t on scholarship, and Sanders continues to progress into the elite DB I know that he can become, Georgia really needs just one other defensive back to step up into a starting role.

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    I’m anxious to see all that lies ahead for this secondary group in 2015.  Though replacing Swann isn’t an easy task, I expect that the unit will continuously improve throughout the season.  From the looks of it, the Georgia Bulldogs’ DBs are all buying into Pruitt’s system.

    And why would they not?  It worked both in Alabama and Florida State where Pruitt was part of National Championship staffs with the Crimson Tide and the Seminoles.  Hopefully his DBs lay the foundation for a championship caliber defense here in Athens the next few seasons.  Only 9 more days until kickoff! Go Dawgs!

    Next: Georgia Bulldogs: Which WR Steps Up After JSW Injury?

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