ATHENS — The Georgia Bulldogs conducted two hours of preseason practice in helmets and pads at the Woodruff Practice Fields under blue skies and temperatures as high as 90-degrees.
Preseason practice made its 2018 debut on Friday, followed by Fan Day in Sanford Stadium on Saturday. The first practice in pads and helmets took place on Sunday, before the Bulldogs’ fourth outing on Monday.
Representatives of the Georgia defense spoke to the media after practice. The top-rated defensive unit from 2017 will be fueled by the return of four veteran starters Jonathan Ledbetter, J.R. Reed, Tyler Clark and Deandre Baker.
Roles will also be filled this year by key components of last season’s defense, including seniors Juwan Taylor, Julian Rochester and Jarvis Wilson.
Taylor, who saw most of his snaps on special teams in 2017, also added 13 total tackles. He named the depth at the inside linebacker position a testament to the wealth of young talent in the Bulldog locker room.
“It’s great competition,” Taylor said. “It actually pushes you harder. Younger guys look up to you. You’ve got to set the standard.”
Rochester, a defensive lineman with 22 stops in 2017 – 2.5 for a loss – spoke to the same standard, upheld by a routinely preached message by defensive line coach Tray Scott.
“Consistency,” Rochester said. “Claiming consistency. If I can’t be consistent, it’s hard to be good. With defense, you’ve got to be consistent up front.”
The newcomers have produced a fresh look in every group – from the defensive line to the secondary to the linebackers. Wilson, who learned from a strong secondary group last year, has watched a new contingent raise the bar in 2018.
“They’re all working hard,” Wilson said. “The competition is good. Everybody is competing hard. It’s making everybody better.”
The Bulldogs return to the field on Tuesday for the fifth day of pre-season camp, leading up to Georgia’s first game on Sept. 1 against Austin Peay in Sanford Stadium.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2018/8/699940/bulldogs-embark-on-preseason-camp