Dogs to lean on D-line experience

ATHENS — Georgia might not place a defensive lineman on any All-American teams, but coach Kirby Smart doesn’t believe that means Georgia can’t be dominant up front.

What the Bulldogs lack in star power this season, Smart thinks they’ll make up for in depth and experience. To start with, there are a lot of them. Georgia has scholarships committed to 14 defensive linemen, including five to 2019 signees. But it’s the lettermen that the Bulldogs are counting on to get the hard work done.

There are plenty to choose from. Georgia’s defensive line features six seniors, one of whom has already graduated in nose guard Michael Barnett. At this point, the late-blooming Barnett would have to be considered one of the top four linemen on the defensive front. He, Tyler Clark, Julian Rochester and David Marshall have played in 148 games for Georgia, so none of those guys will be wide-eyed under the lights in the season opener.

“There’s not one dominant player on that defensive front,” Smart said. “There’s a lot of good, solid players. A lot of experience.”

Most players in the group were highly recruited when they came to Georgia, but only Jordan Davis has earned any postseason accolades: freshman All-American and All-SEC after a torrid second half last season. Clark would have to be considered the most likely player to come through for the Bulldogs. The senior has done it before on a big stage, with his tackle for loss in a late-game, goalline situation against Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl at the end of the 2017 season. Clark’s production actually went down as a junior last season, but he reportedly has had the best preseason camp of his career.

Defensive line was an obvious priority for coaches after last season. The Dogs brought in a junior college transfer and four freshmen, but the biggest fuss surrounded 5-star signee Travon Walker of Thomaston. Asked if anybody on the line had stood out to him during camp, starting right tackle Isaiah Wilson didn’t hesitate to invoke Walker’s name. Smart and defensive coordinator Dan Lanning have spoken highly of Walker as well.

All of the new additions have flashed at times during preseason practice. It’s the consistency factor that has the coaching staff concerned heading into Game 1. “They’re not where the older guys are yet; you can’t be,” Smart said.