Georgia true freshman report: 11 first-year Bulldogs played vs. Oregon
Georgia couldn’t have asked for a better start to the 2022 season. The Bulldogs jumped all over No. 11 Oregon, grabbing a 28-3 halftime lead and building on it to win 49-3 inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
UGA turned to a number of true freshman to play meaningful minutes with one getting the start on defense and another making a massive impact. The blowout gave Kirby Smart and company a chance to get plenty of others in the game. Below, DawgsHQ provides a full rundown, including snap counts from Pro Football Focus, of which freshmen played and how they performed.
***Inside linebacker E.J. Lightsey is listed on the participation report and was credited with one assisted tackle but that is an error in the official stats.
RB Branson Robinson (5 snaps): Robinson benefitted from the blowout, getting some run late in the game carrying the football two times for 13 yards.
WR Dillon Bell (12 snaps): We expected Bell to play more as trusted sources believed he’d be a part of the rotation. He didn’t register on the stat sheet but he did see some action that will pay off down the road.
WR De’Nylon Morrissette (4 snaps): The former four-star prospect is healthy now after battling a knee injury during preseason camp. He’s still trying to get up to speed after missing some time.
TE Oscar Delp (12 snaps): Based on when he got into the game, Delp appeared to be the Bulldogs No. 3 tight end. He was first up after Brock Bowers and Darnell Washington. He didn’t, however, out snap Arik Gilbert (13 snaps) or register on the stat sheet.
DE Mykel Williams (29 snaps): DawgsHQ reported prior to the game that Williams was expected to start and that he did. He posted just one solo tackle and, as evidenced by the snap count, saw plenty of action.
DL Christen Miller (19 snaps): The lopsided score allowed Miller to get his feet wet. He didn’t post any tackle numbers but he played quite a bit in the second half.
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EDGE Marvin Jones Jr. (6 snaps): One of the prized signees in UGA’s 2022 class, Jones didn’t get much run until later on in the game. He didn’t have a tackle.
ILB Jalon Walker (5 snaps): Here’s another guy we expected to play more. Walker wasn’t a part of Georgia’s linebacker rotation but he did see action later on the game.
S Malaki Starks (52 snaps): The Jefferson, Ga. native didn’t get the start but he sure did play a lot. He was UGA’s leading tackler with eight total stops, five solo, and created the Bulldogs’ first turnover of the season. It was a very impressive interception in the first quarter and it’s just a matter of time before Starks is manning the starting free safety position.
CB Daylen Everrette (22 snaps): Everette didn’t post a tackle but he played quite a bit. That’s not at all surprising considering what we had heard about him during the preseason. He’s an ultra-talented defender who will push those in front of him throughout the season.
P Brett Thorson: Georgia punted just once and it was Thorson who handled that duty. His lone boot went for 53 yards and came down inside the Oregon 20-yard line.
