Georgia's young linebackers to be counted on again vs. Alabama

ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson is doubtful for Saturday’s SEC Championship Game against Alabama, and that once again means the pressure is on a pair of freshmen to fill his shoes. CJ Allen has started each of the three games Dumas-Johnson has been absent for while Raylen Wilson has been an important part of the rotation too. It’s not ideal, but the Bulldogs are making it work.

When Kirby Smart pointed out the fact that the two freshmen were playing about 50 percent of the team’s snaps on Saturday during his postgame press conference, he wasn’t doing so as an excuse. While having more experience on the field would absolutely help, especially against an Alabama run game that’s excelled as of late, averaging over 200 yards a game in the back half of the season, Smart knows that the duo of Allen and Wilson is a special one.

“Yeah, they’ve grown up. They had to grow up fast, man. I mean, you talk about getting thrown into the fire at the Ole Miss, Tennessee, Georgia Tech. They’ve had to play in three games that were really tough, physical games, and prep, each game was different in terms of style. It’s not like they’ve gone this style, this style, this style. They went from Ole Miss to Tennessee to Georgia Tech and three completely different offenses to prepare for,” Smart said. “They’re young guys. They make mistakes, but they also have a quiet confidence about them. They’re good athletes, and they’re well coached.”

On the season, Allen ranks seventh on the team in tackles with 33 stops. Of those, 21 have come in the last three games including his lone tackle for loss on the year coming against Ole Miss.

As for Wilson, his statistics haven’t been quite as strong as Allen’s, totaling just 12 tackles on the season with five in the last three games. Still, both have blown their teammates away.

“From winter workouts when we just started going out there, transitioning in to 7-on-7 and little padless type of drills, I knew that these guys were going to be the next good Georgia linebackers,” Kendall Milton said.

“Seeing them at practice, seeing how good they run, seeing how after practice they’re straight to the film room and put all the extra effort into it. They came in trying to learn from Smael and Pop, and I feel like they took everything as part of a learning process, trying to gain the experience,” he continued. “They weren’t really focusing on wanting to come in and start day one. That wasn’t their focus. It was more, ‘What can I do to be the best I can be in my position?’ They’ve both taken that to heart. Seeing how they first came in to where they are now, both getting very valuable playing time helping us to be able to win big games, I’m proud of my guys.”

Players on the defensive side of the ball see it even more often. They understand how important the role of an inside linebacker is in the middle of the entire defense and have an even greater appreciation for what’s been asked of the freshmen.

“Those guys come in to work. Coach Schumann does an amazing job of getting guys ready to fill big shoes,” Javon Bullard said. “Being a linebacker at Georgia comes with a lot. You’ve got to make calls. You’re talking to the d-line, to the secondary, outside ‘backers, corners at times, so it’s big shoes to fill, but they’ve embraced that role. They come in to practice to work day in and day out. Of course everybody makes mistakes here and there, but those guys, they learn quick and have bought in to the standard that we try to practice with and try to play with. Those guys have a very bright future here.”

That future that Bullard says is ‘very bright’ seems to be now. Allen has won SEC Freshman of the Week twice already including this week for his showing this past Saturday against Georgia Tech. Wilson played a season-high snap total in the win over the Yellow Jackets. But, as Smart points out, Georgia will need both them to be on their A-game again this week against Alabama.

“I’m really proud of what they’ve been able to do, and we need them to play well to get defensive stops,” Smart said. “When you’re playing with freshmen at that position, I think anybody in the country will tell you, it’s a little like playing with the quarterback there. You just don’t want to have to play with freshmen there, but they are the guys that are up, and they’ve done a good job.”

Kickoff between the Bulldogs and Crimson Tide is set for 4:00 p.m. ET on CBS. Georgia, as of publication, is considered to be a favorite of anywhere between 4.5 and 6.5 points according to VegasInsider.