Georgia defenders share why viral video was just leadership exemplified
Trailing 10-0 on the road at Missouri, a conversation between Georgia linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson and cornerback Kamari Lassiter was caught on camera. Dumas-Johnson was doing all the talking, and the clip went viral with many seeing it as a sign of division between the two Bulldog defenders. But according to both parties involved, it was just two players passionate about the game.
“I just see it as two players who want to win,” Lassiter said. “Pop, he’s trying to be a leader and doing whatever he can to help us win, and me, I’m just going to listen to him. He’s the middle linebacker. He makes a lot of the calls, and he’s one of the leaders on this defense. That’s a guy I respect. We came in together, we’ve got a really good relationship, so it’s nothing. It just blew up because of the way it looked, but nobody’s on the field except for us.”
“Me and Kamari, we’re close. We came in together. We’re two years in together. I don’t know what people are trying to make about that. Coach says it’s leadership, and I agree, but who says I can’t get one like that,” Dumas-Johnson added. “I expect somebody to hold me accountable too if I mess up on a play. It’s just love at the end of the day. It’s accountability, it’s leadership like you said.”
Kirby Smart is also okay with the way that whole situation went down. In fact, in the fallout of the viral video, Smart praised the way that Dumas-Johnson has learned how to direct his energy as a young player growing into a leader. The Georgia head coach sees it as a sign of leadership, not a situation where one player was tearing another down. And when it comes to his general philosophy on players delivering the message, he’s okay with that too.
“It’s great when players deliver messages and talk to guys, as long as they do it the right way and they do it for the right reason,” Smart said. “He (Dumas-Johnson) was frustrated that he (Lassiter) came out of coverage in scramble, and really, in a lot of ways, Kamari wasn’t wrong. He was the force player, he was the flat player. It’s one of those deals he should have plastered and stayed on him. He didn’t, it was a mistake.”
“We talk all the time in our organization about being able to accept criticism and accept leadership. It’s just as important as it is to have leaders in your program as it is to have people that will accept leadership and not defy it or not crumble when people confront them,” Smart continued. “I thought he handled that well, and he’s had the same thing where he’s gotten on people, because he certainly has great work ethic and earned the right to hold people to our standard.”
Georgia hosts Vanderbilt this Saturday for the homecoming game at Sanford Stadium. Kickoff time between the hedges is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
