Kirby Smart on Georgia football pass rush after Amaris Williams ACL injury

Amaris Williams debut in a Georgia football uniform was limited to wearing a jersey on the sideline as a spectator at the Bulldogs’ spring game with a brace on his right leg and using a crutch.

Coach Kirby Smart confirmed after the G-Day spring game on Saturday, April 18 that the Auburn transfer sustained an ACL injury in practice this week.

That could sideline him for the season, but Smart didn’t rule out a return before then.

“I don’t know how long he’s out,” Smart said. “You never know how long it is with the ACL. George (Pickens) was able to come back and play. He had a similar injury. You can never put a timetable on it. He doesn’t want to put a timetable. He wants to do what he can to recover and get better.”

Pickens, the now NFL star wide receiver, sustained a torn ACL on March 23, 2021, and returned against Georgia Tech just over eight months later.

“It’s unfortunate because it was noncontact,” Smart said of Williams. “I counted we’ve had eight or nine in 11 years maybe, seven or eight in 11 years and all but one have been noncontact. That’s the ways those are. You know they are usually celebration injuries when you’re stopping or starting. His was very much that way.”

Williams was Georgia’s only transfer pass rush addition, an area the Bulldogs are looking for more productivity in 2026.

He had 2 sacks and 14 tackles in a backup role last season in his second year at Auburn.

“We’ve got guys that got to step up,” safety KJ Bolden said after the final spring scrimmage of the spring. “We’ve got guys on the team that are really good at pass rushing. Sorry for the loss of Amaris, he’s a guy we really needed, but next guy up

Georgia had 20 sacks last season and ranked 117th in the nation in sacks per game at 1.4.

It returns players who combined for 13 sacks last season led by linebackers Chris Cole’s 4.5 and Raylen Wilson’s 2.5.

Georgia’s defense combined for four sacks in the Red’s 27-17 victory over the Black on G-Day although quarterbacks aren’t tackled to the ground like in a game.

Freshman Khamari Brooks from North Oconee had two sacks, redshirt freshman outside linebacker Isaiah Gibson had one and inside linebacker AJ Kruah had one.

Brooks went around right tackle Michael Uini on one of his sacks.

“We’ve had some guys really grow, get better,” Smart said of the pass rush. “We’re going to have to get some help from our youth, too. The pass rush is something that’s done as a group, not as one person.”

Outside linebacker Quintavius Johnson and inside linebacker Zayden Walker, who each had 2 sacks last season, and defensive end Gabe Harris who had one, return.

“I feel like we’ve seen a lot of improvement in our pass rush game up front, including with the inside backers just having packages where everybody could rush, everybody could produce during the rush,” Johnson said.

Smart said Cole stepped up this spring and the interior of the defensive line has provided more push led by sophomore Elijah Griffin.

“EJ is not the same player he was last year,” Smart said. “He’s given us some push. It’s something you always want to get better at but I’m very pleased where we are.”

Redshirt freshman outside linebacker Chase Linton was a name that came up often this spring and again Saturday by left tackle Earnest Greene when asked if any player that has grown up this spring.

Linton had four tackles and a pass breakup Saturday.

“He’s kind of a different player than he was last year,” Greene said. “He’s quick, he can bend. He’s kind of savvy with his moves. … I definitely feel like he’s one of the guys I’m kind of happy to see his growth from year one to year two.”  

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Amaris Williams ACL injury and impact on Georgia football pass rush