Almost every year going into spring practice, there seems to be a position group or two that merits concern due to depth. UGA’s 2016 spring practice is no different as there are number of injuries to the line backing corps that could make depth at inside linebacker an issue for Georgia.
In Georgia’s opening day of spring practice on Tuesday, Head Coach Kirby Smart was asked what position had the biggest question marks as of right now:
“I’ve got questions at every position as far as depth. The majors, I’d probably say inside linebacker because of some injuries.”
Linebacker Reggie Carter only played in one last year due to his shoulder injury, and as a result, he took a medical redshirt, allowing him to retain two more years of eligibility. Roquan Smith injured his left wrist which required surgery to repair which means limited playing time for the fleet footed sophomore linebacker this spring, and junior linebacker Shaun McGee will also see limited practice time as he recovers and rehabs from arthroscopic knee surgery.
Head Coach Kirby Smart stated:
“So when you start saying these guys, they’re not out but they’re not completely in either. That scares me a little bit because it’s not a position of great depth anyway.”
So who does that leave Georgia with as far as healthy bodies to compete this spring at the inside linebacker position?
Natrez Patrick, a 6 foot 3 linebacker from the recruiting class of 2015 who is pushing 250 lbs, will look to establish himself as a potential starter after playing in 11 of Georgia’s 13 games last year as a freshman, starting two of those including the bowl game where he had a solid performance.
Another class of 2015 signee, Juwan Taylor, will also see significant playing time this spring. The 6 foot 1, 215 lbs linebacker played in 9 games as a freshman and had 7 total tackles for the Bulldogs.
Senior Tim Kimbrough is back after being suspended for the TaxSlayer.com bowl game due to what was termed “disciplinary reasons” by the previous coaching staff. Kimbrough was Georgia’s third leading tackler in 2015 with 67 total tackles last season and started a 7 games for the Bulldogs. Kirby Smart said Kimbrough has been given a clean slate by he and the new coaching staff, and he expects him to compete and fully participate this spring and fall.
Senior Ryne Rankin is available as well as walk-on senior Ridge Underwood.
It is possible sophomore Nick Moore could be moved back to ILB. Moore was switched to FB for 2015 during the fall after several injuries created depth concerns at that position. He has good size at 6-3 and 245 lbs, and he could definitely come in and help out this spring.
Could the coaching staff look to an outside linebacker to help inside? That position group isn’t exactly stacked with depth either after losing starters Jordan Jenkins and Leonard Floyd to the NFL . Senior LB Chuks Amaechi injured his labrum and had to have surgery; so, he will be very limited this spring if he practices at all.
The task for Kirby Smart and his defensive coordinator Mel Tucker and inside linebackers’ coach Glen Schumann is to replace senior Jake Ganus and find a “quarterback” for the defense at that inside linebacker position in what appears to be a depleted position group headed into spring practice.