Georgia inside linebacker Channing Tindall will return to his hometown on Saturday night as No. 13 Georgia sets to face off against South Carolina in Williams-Brice Stadium.
As a Columbia, South Carolina native, Tindall said on Monday in an interview that he’s grown up watching this SEC East rivalry game.
“This one game is always marked down on my calendar every year, and it’s always a good experience going back home,” Tindall said. “My father is a Dawgs fan. My mother went to the University of South Carolina. So, that rivalry has always been pretty big in my family. When I was a child, I went to games and watched Todd Gurley play against Marcus Lattimore, who were some of the greatest people out there. It’s very exciting for me. Now that I get to play in this, it’s just a better feeling.”
The former four-star prospect out of Spring Valley High School was recruited by the Gamecocks and former head coach Will Muschamp. Tindall said that he felt honored to be recruited by the hometown team, although he wanted to go out and venture outside of the state.
“I grew up in South Carolina, but I wanted to explore more,” Tindall said. “I’d been at home my whole life, so I wanted to get outside of my home. I didn’t want to be too far away, so Georgia just checked all the boxes for me when I was looking out of state.”
Georgia’s defense has struggled as of late due to injuries but will be facing a dinged up South Carolina offense that is basically one dimensional. Tindall remains confident that the Bulldogs’ defense will be ready as he will more than likely see more playing time. He said that he’s seen progress through the last couple of weeks in the unit and himself.
“It feels really good,” Tindall said. “There was a lot I needed to work on. I’m starting to see little flashes within myself. Whether it’s reading keys or dropping out of coverage. Just seeing that success, you strive for it more and more. It’s like a hunger and an addiction type of thing.”
He explained why he thinks that he’s been able to elevate his game while playing in a complex defensive scheme.
“A lot of film work and looking deep within myself,” he said. “Being honest about what I need to do to progress. I don’t feel like I was taking the necessary steps before to get where I was. Now, I feel like I’m starting to do that by looking at more film and just doing the little things.”
On Friday, Tindall was named as a captain for Saturday’s matchup against the Gamecocks.