Chaz Chambliss bringing Georgia teammates along with his work ethic
Georgia linebacker Chaz Chambliss has built up his reputation as a hard worker in his year-and-a-half on campus. It’s an approach that started for the Carrollton, Ga. native long before arriving in Athens, but has carried over into college and gotten the attention of his teammates and coaches alike.
“Consistency, toughness, everything a football coach wants. He does whatever is asked,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said about Chambliss on Tuesday. “He’s the last guy off the field every day, he stays out there after for extra work. He’s probably mad today that he’s got media to do.”
“When I get up from office, he’s out there still hitting the sled,” he continued. “He’s one of the hardest workers I’ve ever been around. He and Brock [Bowers] spent their freshman year, staying out there after practice doing one on ones every day. He’s just a tough competitor that you want in your program. He’s got to continue to improve, be able to make some plays and rush the passer but he’s a really solid run player for us. He does a good job.”
That kind of work ethic is something that has rubbed off on others. As Smart said, Chambliss and Bowers would stick around after practice to work together. Those two are best friends off the field as well. And another one of their classmates, sophomore cornerback Kamari Lassiter, said that Chambliss has made him better too.
“Chaz is a guy that makes you want to go harder,” Lassiter said. “Every day after practice, Chaz is always getting extra work., he’s one of the last guys in the facility. I would say that Chaz Chambliss has made me better because he’s pushed me. ‘Oh he’s getting extra work. Maybe I should get some extra work.'”
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As for Chambliss, he doesn’t think much of it. There’s nothing special to it. It’s just what he does and what he’s always done.
“My high school coach told me, ‘Don’t do the bare minimum.’ So I’m always doing extra,” Chambliss said.
“It all depends on the game plan for that week,” he continued. “Depending on what I was good at in practice and what reps I need to get back. If I didn’t strike good enough, after practice I hit the sleds. If I feel like my pass rush was lacking, I’ll do hit the pass rush sleds and work with coach after practice. It’s all dependent on the practice before and the game plan that week.”
Chambliss isn’t the starter in the outside linebacker room, behind a pair of seniors on the depth chart in Nolan Smith and Robert Beal. Still, he’s a big part of Georgia’s game plan each and every single week as a vital member of the Bulldogs’ special teams units and a situational pass rusher. Chambliss and the Bulldogs take on FCS opponent Samford this week at 4:00 p.m. ET on the SEC Network.
