Kirby Smart on Malaki Starks' interception vs. Clemson: 'He reminds me of Champ'
The Georgia offense broke out in the second half of Saturday’s game against Clemson, but the defense stole the show. The Bulldogs held the Tigers to just three points, and Malaki Starks made the highlight-reel play of the day with an interception in the fourth quarter.
That gave Georgia the ball back and set up another touchdown drive. The play drew high praise from Kirby Smart, and he offered a lofty comparison for Starks.
“That play he made was elite,” Smart told ABC’s Molly McGrath after the game. “I didn’t think he could get there and he found a way to contort his body and go up and get a ball. Unbelievable ball skills. Reminds me of Champ [Bailey] when Champ played. Just a great person.”
Bailey and Smart played together at Georgia from 1996-98. During that time, Bailey was a two-time first team All-SEC selection and a unanimous All-American before going No. 7 overall in the NFL Draft. He shined on both sides of the bal, but had eight interceptions over his three years.
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Starks’ pick on Saturday gave him six through two years and a game at Georgia. He was part of a staunch Bulldogs defensive attack as Clemson totaled just 188 yards of offense. Smart also noted the way UGA attacked the Tigers and how that contributed to the dominant showing.
“I liked our adjustments,” Smart said. “I think our coaching staff did a great job in the second half offensively. The defense played with relentless effort.
“We talked all the time about playing this team – you’ve got to out-physical them, you’ve got to out-hustle them and you’ve got to out-discipline them. I thought we did all three of those today. I was really proud of our guys.”
Kirby Smart: Nate Frazier has ‘got a long way to go’
As Trevor Etienne sat out due to a suspension, freshman Nate Frazier took the bulk of the carries for Georgia. He rose to the occasion, taking 11 carries for 83 yards and a touchdown in his first career game.
Kirby Smart acknowledged Frazier’s performance, but said there’s still plenty of room for growth. He, along with Cash Jones, helped anchor the shorthanded rushing attack en route to the blowout victory.
“He’s got a long way to go,” Smart said. “We’re not ready to anoint anybody or say anything great. He had some really good blocking in front of him. He did a tremendous job. He’s got to continue to work to get better so that we can trust him and put him in other things.
“And we’ve got other backs that are really good players, too. Cash Jones had the pickup of the day on a blitz pickup, and nobody’s talking about that. That kid’s been in our program for four or five years picking people up on a blitz, and it mattered today.”