Georgia held its sixth spring football practice Thursday afternoon and will pass the halfway mark after Saturday’s scrimmage.
Learning the 3-4 defensive scheme admittedly has been a challenge for the Bulldogs, with some struggling more than others. Darryl Gamble made nine starts last season at inside linebacker in a 4-3 system and is now one of two middle linebackers, so he believes he has it easier than most.
“Really, there is not a huge difference,” Gamble said. “I’m still playing everything from the inside out. It’s just different terminology, and that’s about it. I think those going through the biggest changes are the defensive ends that are used to playing actual end and are now playing more like a defensive tackle.”
Gamble added that the goal this spring is to get a good grasp of the 3-4 to where defenders “can hit fall camp running in stride.” Georgia apparently showed some progress in that regard during Thursday’s two-hour workout inside Sanford Stadium.
Thursday also marked the start of Georgia’s annual spring football coaching clinic, which will have former Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy as this morning’s featured speaker.
“I think the defense is starting to catch on to what coaches are looking for,” Bulldogs coach Mark Richt said after practice. “It was a lot more competitive with offense and defense. I thought the defense was lagging behind because of the knowledge part, but they are picking it up. Saturday is going to be a pretty good test.”
Gamble entered his final spring in Athens expecting to be among the team leaders following the loss of six defensive starters from a year ago. Richt quickly singled him out as such, along with offensive tackle Clint Boling and fellow middle linebacker Akeem Dent.
The 6-foot-2, 250-pound Gamble has produced his share of impact plays in his career, most notably a forced fumble at Vanderbilt that turned Georgia’s 2007 season around and two interceptions for touchdowns at LSU in ’08. Such moments evaporated last year, however, after Gamble repeatedly made noise in preseason camp and forced a fumble in the second game against South Carolina.
He produced 47 tackles last season after tallying 60 as a sophomore.
“I think any competitor will look back at what they did wrong so they won’t do it again,” Gamble said. “I’ve always had a knack for the ball, but things have kind of stopped going that way. I keep looking back at what I’m doing wrong, but I know the time will come again when I can make a play. Hopefully I will make it happen.
“Last season was not up to expectations. As a team we didn’t do as well, so obviously I must not have done too well either.”