Georgia Football depth chart SHAKE UP! Could a true freshman start on D WEEK 1!?!

georg's talented everywhere what if I told you that another talented freshman is going to start in the secondary and it means the greatest things possible for ug next un locked on Bulldogs podcast you are locked on Bulldogs your daily podcast on the Georgia Bulldogs part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day what is up everybody welcome back to the lockdown Bulldogs podcast I told you we'd be back together on a Friday and sure enough here we are and here's FanDuel bringing you today's episode this is the locked on Bulldogs podcast we're happy to have you we'll talk more about FanDuel in a second um he's Clint I'm Daniel uh we're keeping it tight in the intros and we are here on Friday talking about thanks for making us your first Listen by the way we appreciate first time listeners not just first time but first listener every single day you guys what about what about the people who are here every day they're every dayers they're here every day that's why we call them that um sometimes we call them something else but um that doesn't hurt anybody when we do that but we call them every dayers they know who they are they know what they do and they support the show and we appreciate them today we're talking about people who support um my addiction to watching Georgia football and that everyone life that's every well not everyone supports it but everyone gets it I tell you that like you don't this is the package you're getting okay okay today we're talking about um Kirby Smart he says many things at SEC media days we're not spending a ton of time talking about SEC media days Clint because nothing happens please please nothing happens but Kirby Smart does have plenty of opportunity in front of microphone he does make some comments and some of them have safe to say Clint caught our attention particularly comments about one certain true freshman on the roster a guy we've already been pretty excited about and a guy that um let's just say Kirby's not he's not doing anything to pour water on that fire no we're gonna talk about uh Kirby kirban we're going to give you an education on the language that Kirby uses as a head football coach and what that means wearing the shirt but I'm not I'm not wearing the shirt um kban we are fluent in it we're going to we're going to translate it and give it to you then we're going to tell you what it means for the secondary we're going to use some depth chart knowledge as well as a dismissal from the team and what it means because KJ Balden is the subject of this KJ Balden a freshman coming in every ounce of talent you could imagine five-star kid one of the top recruits in last cycle who's been on Campus Learning the system getting with Kirby and Kirby made this statement so let let me walk through really quickly about kirban Kirby does not will never can't ever give you congratulations on something you did not earn okay that's right he is not a try hard he's not gonna about hey man really really good effort today really proud of the guys re if there's not good effort he's not proud of him he will say we played flat today in practice it was horrible and poor and I need more out of them he he tells you exactly what you want to hear tells you like it is it just tells you what it is so Kirby Smart says yeah KJ Balton really impressing us he's probably now hold on hold on lock into this next part here ahead of where Malachi Starks was the same time last year or or when he was a freshman when he was a true freshman now I don't know if you know what happened at the end of it resulted in Malachi starts coming in and being one of the top safeties in the nation instantaneously top freshman safeties in the nation is that you I'll go back I'll try to say it slower no repeat it safeties in the nation I didn't say freshman I said one of the top safeties in the nation that's what he did KJ Bolton's ahead of that right now and Kirby don't blow no smoke he's ah head one step ahead um it's you might as well call him Aladdin he's so far he's so one step ahead um listen we're going to talk about KJ B then we're going to talk about what this means for the roster but let's focus here on SE in segment one on the kbane aspect of this because I think let me give you a case study in times that we've heard this before okay this is important now this is important I want you to lock in some of these involve Kirby some of these involve other coaches on Kirby's staff speaking under Kirby's Authority yes let me take you back to three years ago it's a good team all the buzz on campus was over a newcomer tight end to the roster and his name as you will obviously remember was Eric Gilbert that was his name he was the newcomer tit former five star the was around him heev L previous LSU um not commit previous previous LSU player transfers out of the LSU program after having a great freshman season F former five star Georgia was in on him it was like a Darnell Washington Eric Gilbert which one will they get they got Darnell and then all of a sudden Eric Gilbert comes home and the buzz is now we got Darnell Washington can you even believe this and Eric Gilbert were going to pair them together and so Todd monin takes the microphone and he is asked predictably by a reporter tell us about where Eric Gilbert is in Camp and Todd monin unprovoked with literally no reason to say anything about anything he just opens his mouth and out of it comes the sentence well we really like Brock Bowers this kid Brock Bowers is really good at football everyone he's really good Eric Gilbert's not him no he's not at all him forget about the Stars forget about the high school pedigree forget about all that this dude is him and then what happens That season obviously Brock Bowers comes on the scene burst on the scene like Gang Busters we heard this from Kirby Smart about ston Fleming Bennett ston Bennett the fourth you don't forget all the times all of the JT Daniels all of the Dewan matthys for crying out loud the man head he it flapped open onto the table all the Jamie Newman talk and and all the time all the while Kirby Smart just said St Bennett gives us the best chance to win ston Bennett gives us the best chance to win ston Bennett and you all didn't want to believe him yall didn't want to take him at his word but when Kirby and Company come out and say things like this where there's smoke there is usually a big old fire because they don't do this often they a handful they will come out and say so and so needs to work harder which means that so and so is working harder is in and he'll say they're behind on the progress they're not where they want want to be you know what that means Clint that means that's an important player this is if so and so needs to work harder what you should hear is this person is really good and really important to georg's football team Richard lount is a great example of this really good football player and really important for Georgia's success moving forward but that's not what they're saying about KJ Balden they're saying he he's it he's better than our best okay hold on let me I'll just let me simplify they said he's better than our current best defensive player maybe best player on the team possibly talent wise he's the best player on the team thank you there's almost no doubt in my mind about that we have one who's better than where he was three years ago yeah and three years ago by the way he bust on the scene at Oregon how do you do in that Oregon game Clinton anything anything noteworthy in your brain it right now drop turn around in coverage jump up I point the ball David Tyre that ball on the air he caught it on his helmet I believe now we're gonna talk about KJ Balden we're gonna talk about Malachi Stars we're gonna talk about what this means for georg's football team all of that and much more coming up right after this fashion drive and patience the formula for winning Championship is also what keeps your ride or die 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as he should be um he's in an impact guy he is the leader on defense I know we have talented linebackers maybe the most talented group and maybe one of the least talented group as defensive backs however with Malachi starts back there he's gonna be right in that ship all day long so Kirby Smart says KJ Balton look out for him really important note because on the other safety we got Dan Jackson who we love and is going to blame meaningful snaps okay yeah but we got several guys but Dan jck so we got Dan Jackson we got the transfer Jake Pope we mentioned him on a recent episode I think he's a contender to get some of these snaps we've got several guys like competing in there we got Kiron Jones he's in there competing we got David we got David Daniel he's in there was in there competing and so there's there's plenty of guys that are that are in the mix here mhm we feel like the things we know about the secondary are that dalen Everett and Julian Humphrey are the two starting Corners correct to open the season so we feel Ellis Robinson's going to play this season Kirby likes to play three corners that's not going to hurt him at all it's not going to hurt his feelings at all to play three corners Ellis Robinson is going to play the season how much he plays early will depend on his development let's talk about some other things we know we we feel like well we know that we know that Malachi Starks is the best defensive back in the SEC and so he's going to be on the field and we feel like that we know although this still if you go listen to our last episode I talked about why George is not going to go undefeated this season and um so if you're interested in some pain go ahead and check it out we feel like that we know that Jon El Aguero is going to start at that star position very important position on Kirby Smart's defense we feel like it's Joon Nell's to lose there are other guys in that mix I think Kiren Jones is probably in that mix as well I think there are some other guys that are probably going to be factors at that position but we feel like that's jonell's to lose which only really leaves in the secondary which is the biggest position of uncertainty on the roster it only really leaves one uncertain position and you felt like you had these veterans in the veterans like Dan Jackson you felt like you had these transfers coming in like Jake Pope and you feel like you had some returning talent coming back none of which really lit a fire under you and then there's this true freshman KJ Balden and for Kirby to come out and say this I would say to you Clint this is for a Georgia fan the best case scenario if you could choose any true freshman for Kirby Smart to say this about and mean it I think it's KJ Balton am I wrong you're not line when you're talking about need it it's in the secondary and he even Kirby even said it later on we we have thin depth at safety we surely do what he said was we we don't have as much player or Talent at safety but don't worry because the talent we do have is better than the best talent we have on the team so he was giving us he was giving us encouragement at the same time of giving us maybe a little bucket worthy talk um but you're exactly right I don't need Ellis Robinson need I don't need that him to start day war I'm fine with who we have I'm G to roll with that I believe in their ability and coverage star I think ago is going to he's going to step up I mean we didn't see it last year all Camp is raving about this kid so far and the star position we've talked about integral in what Kirby Smart wants to do Lord have mercy yes it is so but if if you're asking me whereas a a freshman might be able to not hide because there's no place to hide in the SEC and on the defense of Georgia you can't hide but if you're going to get support you're telling me I have a Guerero CJ Allen in front of you and Malachi Starks behind you and two very competent Corner cover Corners with Ellis Robinson waiting in the wing it's a perfect setup for him to just come in and React to what he does best physicality reading reacting an abject Speed and Agility that we don't see most often from guys in the secondary it's the perfect scenario Edge Defenders and defensive lineman freshman that that's not a that's where you go to die as a freshman linebacker CJ Allen we got mad at him late in the season but I mean really unfair of us to be mad at a freshman starting in the SEC at should have been out there shouldn't have been out there that's why I say most important position because you look at yeah you got guys like Chris Cole you got guys like Justin Williams you got guys like Ellis Robinson but georg's got yes we're gonna need Ellis Robson you know to play this season as we mentioned but you look at that linebacker position georg's got CJ railen and smile that's you'd be fine if that was if none of those guys get hurt pencil me in for that for this season right yeah pencil me in and and Chris Cole and Justin William just learn and develop because next year your time's coming because smilees going off to the NFL and you and you get you guys be ready to step right in but the one spot where you felt like a true freshman could come in and immediately make a big impact on this team was KJ B which is why the flip was so big when it happened the recruiting was so big when it happened and now lo and behold that's the guy that Kirby Smart's talking about and again Kirby Smart doesn't just talk that's not what he's about it's almost you can almost feel how painful it is for him to say like this to be in front of the media okay so for him to come out with such high praise gives us a ton of optimism I'm going to Clint on the spot we're going to talk about the depth chart we're going to talk about what's there um and then I'm going to put Clint on the spot I'm gonna ask him whether or not KJ balton's GNA start game one against Clemson and um you'll have to wait and see what he has to say but first let's tell you about this I love sports I love them so much I never want stop but as playoffs wind down we get fewer games and sports aren't sportsing like I want them to but don't worry the playoffs also Ed long long time about a month ago FanDuel lets me keep the sportsing going whenever I want all to do is open the app and dream up any bets anytime I'm in the mood and the summer FanDuel is hooking up customers with a boost or a bonus daily that's right there's something for everyone every day all summer long head over to fanduel.com and start making the most out of your summer FanDuel offic official sports betting partner of Major League Baseball before I get put on the spot let's talk about the depth chart we do have to a few things uh really quick every dayers At Last of the third segment you're the special kind of every dayers you you know who you are and you're the best of the best best of the every dayers um uh we had the depth chart that's what we're doing we're talking about the depth chart we had a dismissal from the team Daniel yeah yeah yeah that's right much maligned uh antagonists of Georgia will say Kirby's not doing anything about speeding and racing um care he doesn't care which means a you're stupid b he doesn't tell you what's happening inside his program he doesn't owe you see he's doing classes nil money is being with withheld for Clauses based upon performance and actually doing things he's dismissing guys from the club as he said I don't know of another school in America that has let go of a player because of a car incident which is true by the way so yeah I mean Auburn literally has built their roster taking on criminals like onto their you I'll tell you what you tell me the last time Auburn won a national championship without the aid of someone kicked off another team that they just came in and swooped right up you tell me previously in handcuffs yeah so you name that person and then we'll we'll start uh so part of that is David Daniel is off the squad now removed from Georgia for his involvement in the racing again uh please be the fan that understands Ridiculous by the way it's ridiculous that this is still happening just so we're totally clear yes I'm sorry if that wasn't clear before The Stance ridiculous of lockon Bulldogs the official stance so that nobody gets this Twisted at all it's absurd this is a problem absolutely and it needs to be fixed immediately you know what else is true go ahead the Alabama fans in the comments are still idiots they both the things Clint can be true two things I named I named a feral cat after one of our Alabama commenters just this cat that has no purpose in life but wanders around my backyard his name's Randall um Scully ready you hear that cats are getting named after other people where you been Where Have You Been Scully we miss you you w talking about a 199 that's Scully right there Scully ready that's a guy uh he had he led police on a on a chase which unfortunately is probably the most severe of them is why he was selected to be the one dismissed from the team glad Kirby is doing something about it which means Dan Jackson is now the most senior he is the most senior by far but but the next closest you got to do some digging Daniel to get the next closest person on the team team that has seniority in this system I mean yeah that's since I said so in the second segment I said was you know for you know in reference to to David Daniel competing for those spots I really think you know you're looking at and and you know some of these guys are going to be cross trainining at Star but you're looking at potentially Kiron Jones in the mix back there but then you're looking at Thunder Dan Jackson and Jake Pope like these are really these are the guys that at least on paper scream day one option I'm gonna tell you the five return take KJ Balden out of it okay I'm gonna tell you he's not returning so yeah there you go yeah that's what I mean so I'm gonna tell you the four people while returning means you know maybe I'm gonna include Jake Pope in this sure he played last year he was on a team last year last yeah Malachi Starks jakori Thomas Dan Jackson Jake Pope okay those are the safeties mhm right now not freshman yeah and jakori Thomas could factor into the mix very well could be I I'm not saying he's not going to factor in the mix but I am saying Mal AR is Head and Shoulder above that Jake Pope Dan Jackson are depth additions I I feel nervous if they are going up the second best receiver if they're in man coverage coming down on a slot opposite the other star all right I'mma put you on the spot here we go there we go game one against Clemson you know Clemson you've heard of him right I have Kade kumnick is their quarterback mixed results at best they have any wide receivers over there at Clemson they've they've had some decent recruiting classes but what's the Clemson wide receiver situation like in recent years it has not been great not great Clemson's got a solid defense very yeah points will be at a premium very much you don't want to make any mistakes I'm trying to lead the witness right now yeah somebody should object somebody should be objecting right now points will be at a premium you don't want to make any big mistakes yeah who do you feel more comfortable seeing Trot out there on in on snap one of the Season Dan Jackson or KJ Balden snap one and only snap one that's all we're talking about I love you thunder Dan you have served dog Nation admirably well I take nothing he doesn't mean it he doesn't mean Dan I do he doesn't even remember how you sprinted down the field on that pick six and threw the block of all time my favorite block that's ever been thrown ever nothing just lit that fool up on the good frun of it and you were that was a celebratory take a block man that was so good wanted it KJ Balton is starting snap one Daniel here's why and here's why I want him to okay that's the question yeah I want more Talent on the field yeah mental ability huge in football we all know this ability to know the plays make adjustments Kirby Smart does not run a vanilla defense he runs a very very good defense that makes you think make reads makes coverage calls and changes but again I already I've already laid part of my rebuttal to leading the witness if I may testify a little bit here if I may get a hanky out you have CJ Allen monden and Jano Guero who will be Stout against the run in the pass coverage Speedy erasers all over the place Malachi Starks and two good safeties the weakest point quote weakest point is going to be KJ Balton if that's your weak point Daniel holy heck he's going to make up in recovery he's a track star he's a track athlete triple jump kid who was I think third in the state or something like that at one point when he did it in Georgia this kid has what it takes to just get out there read react and go C ball hit ball he has that ability okay will he need some coaching in that yes is Kade kumnick actually a great quarterback to do that against I think so is clemon I think so I think if you're gonna put him out there now if all of a sudden we had an opening week against Texas Dan Jackson Dan Jackson Dan Dan all day long is what I'm gonna say Clemson I'm okay taking a flyer on KJ Balon if this is Alabama if this is even Missouri I think cook is a is a good quarterback I think drink got some things going on if this is Missouri I don't like that as well but I'm fine with this being KJ especially against Clemson yeah I don't I don't necessarily disagree with you it's nice that Dan Jackson is there I'll say that because playing a lot in this game yeah there's a safety net Factor there I do think how well Jake Pope progresses is a story to watch this year in Camp I think I'll have my eyes on that quite a bit because I would love it if another safety emerged and passed Dan Jackson in terms of reli in terms of talent and reliability that would be better more good players again is better than fewer good players and so that will always be our stance but I don't disagree with you you go back to Malachi Starks what was it that helped Malachi Starks succeed on the field well it was a ridiculous amount of talent uhuh KJ Balden has that check and an underrated aspect of Malachi Stark's suc sucess Clinton and I don't think you'll disagree with that with this is that he had a very talented and very experienced safety standing right next to him on the field all the time on every play well guess what KJ Bolton's gonna have if he trots out there snap one he's going to have a very talented much more talented in fact and very experienced like Malachi Starks now in a couple years he's seen it all he's played a lot of football games that's right he has he is a veteran of veterans in the SEC he's gonna be able to talk KJ through and he knows what it's like to be in that position he's going to be able to know where to push him where to guide him where what he's probably not thinking of all of these things it's a connection that they're going to have and just like Malachi Starks and Jr Reed or whatever you're gonna have a connection between Malachi Starks and KJ Balden I think that's going to make me feel a lot more comfortable with the true freshman out there lot more comfortable uh he is Daniel I am Clint thank you for every dayers who listen all the way to the loyal third segment listeners we appreciate you all this has been locked on Bulldogs part locked on podcast Network your team every single day we'll see you guys next time time see you