Georgia Bulldogs 23 for '23: No. 21 Chaz Chambliss
We’re less than a month away from the start of fall camp for Georgia, and what better time to take a look at the most important players for the Bulldogs in 2023?
Important can have different definitions. Some players’ importance for this season is based on their past performance and ability to repeat that this fall. For others, it’s about their potential and what living up to it would mean for Georgia and its chances at winning a third straight National Championship.
We continue the countdown from 23 to 1 today with No. 21 on our list, junior outside linebacker Chaz Chambliss.
Chaz Chambliss
Position: Outside Linebacker
Class: Junior
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 250 pounds
Hometown (High School): Carrollton, Ga. (Carrollton)
Yesterday we told you why Marvin Jones Jr. was important to the outside linebacker room. Today, it’s his running mate Chaz Chambliss that gets the attention.
Chambliss played in 12 of 15 games last year, missing a little bit of time due to injury. He totaled just 16 tackles, but played his best on the biggest stages. In Georgia’s matchup against No. 1 Tennessee, Chambliss put up a career-high four tackles. That came just one week after setting a new career-high with three stops versus Florida, thrown into the action when Nolan Smith went down with an injury. That included a sack, one of 2.0 he had on the year with the other coming in the SEC Championship Game. Chambliss also had three tackles in the National Championship Game against TCU.
The stat line isn’t going to blow you away by any means, but keep in mind, the first half of the season he was a backup to Smith and battled injuries. Then, in the second half of the year, he shared the stage with Robert Beal. Now with both Smith and Beal gone, it’s Chambliss that’s the veteran in a room full of freshmen and sophomores.
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Chambliss is going to be in there on first and second downs. He knows where to be and what to do, and that’s going to get him a long way. While pass rush might not be his expertise, he’s able to set the edge well and keep plays from getting outside, allowing Georgia’s talented defensive linemen and linebackers to make the plays. That’s not the most glorious role, but it’s important.
Chambliss is also important for leadership. Georgia’s outside linebacker room is incredibly talented. There are two five-stars and three others who were ranked in the top-100 either by the On3 Industry Ranking or the On300 as recruits. That’s the future for Georgia, but in the present, Chambliss certainly can provide a presence that not only helps guide those guys toward success this season and on down the road, but also one that helps the Bulldogs on the field and in their pursuit on a third straight national title.
Know the Quote
“I feel like a whole different player from the beginning to the end,” Chambliss said this spring on the experience he gained last season. “From Oregon to Ohio State to TCU, it feels like a whole different game.”
“Just being there for the young guys like they were there for me,” he added on his new role in the outside linebacker room without Smith and Beal around as veterans. “They were there for me and were helping me get through all the times I had as a freshman because that’s a long journey to when you get to playing shape. Right now, it’s just embracing that role and trying to help the young guys.”
