Why Georgia football is turning to true freshmen for expanded roles in season's home stretch
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Georgia football is closing out its regular season with a November stretch where it is finding expanded roles for some true freshmen for a team that has grown accustomed to tight SEC games.
Coaches turned to inside linebacker Zayden Walker, tight end Elyiss Williams and wide receiver Landon Roldan early in the 42-21 win at Mississippi State on Saturday Nov. 8.
“Honestly, we can’t make it through the year without a number of guys,” coach Kirby Smart said on Monday Nov. 10, “and those guys are more ready to play now than they were earlier in the year.”
The team already has relied on first-year players for major roles, including offensive guard starter Dontrell Glover, offensive tackle Juan Gaston and defensive lineman Elijah Griffin.
Smart said the freshmen who are now getting more snaps are taking advantage of opportunity, some because of injuries.
“Cumulative reps we’re big on here,” said Smart, whose fifth-ranked team is getting ready for a game against No. 10 Texas Saturday. “The cumulative reps that each one of those guys has taken has grown.”
Walker, a 5-star recruit from Schley County in Ellaville, played a season-high 12 snaps saturday. He came in as a pass rusher on third downs for a team that has had trouble producing sacks.
The 6-foot-2, 225-pound Waker didn’t have one of Georgia’s 3 sacks on the day, but he had 3 tackles, including on a play when he dropped and made a tackle on a short pass that forced a punt.
“He’s a heck of a football player,” Smart said. “He had a tough missed tackle on the quarterback draw, but he’s one of the guys that flashes in terms of size, speed. He needs confidence in his ability, but I like his work ethic.”
Walker had played just 15 total snaps before Saturday in blowout wins over Marshall, Austin Peay and Kentucky, according to Pro Football Focus.
“If he continues to grow, he’s like one of these planes taking off,” Smart said. “He’s starting to elevate. He’s starting to get better, and where can it go? He’s got a high ceiling if he continues to work hard.”
Williams logged a season-high in snaps with 25 in a game when tight end Lawson Luckie left with a head injury.
The 6-7, 255-pound Camden County product has been an inviting target already this season. He had 5 catches for 85 yards, including a 23-yard touchdown against Marshall, before Saturday.
Gunner Stockton completed a 24-yard pass to a leaping Williams on a third-and-8 to set up a Chauncey Bowens 4-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter.
“He is an accelerating player,” Smart said. “Elyiss, I’ve never seen a kid go on the scout team, go as hard as he did, and get better as fast as he did. I’m like, ‘Hey guys, this guy’s a really good player. He’s a weapon.’ They want to keep putting him on the scout team to get him better. I’m like, I don’t want to lose him. I want him to keep playing and utilize his skill set.”
Roldan, who starred at nearby North Oconee High, only played against Marshall and Kentucky before the Florida game, but Smart said he had good practices in the lead-up to facing the Gators.
Stockton aired a deep ball to him against Florida that did not connect. Against Mississippi State, Georgia ran a jet sweep to Roldan early in the game that was stopped for a 1-yard loss. He played a season-high 14 snaps in the game.
“Some people’s progression is just different than others,” Smart said, “but as they grow and get better and they get put in these tough situations in practice, they grow confidence.”
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: How Georgia freshmen Zayden Walker and Elyiss Williams are making impact
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