ATHENS, Ga. – Sophomore cornerback Deandre Baker has been a pleasant surprise this year on Georgia’s defense.
A backup at the beginning of the season, Baker has started six of the last seven games, including each of the last four. He had a team-high 10 tackles against Florida and snagged his second interception last week against Louisiana-Lafayette, but none of that will matter Saturday when the Bulldogs host rival Georgia Tech.
Baker has never faced the triple-option offense – in college, high school or youth football – not that toddlers these days are taught the importance of the fullback dive.
“I have no experience against it at all,” Baker said this week. “On film it looks pretty hard, but we’ve practiced it against the scout team. I’m looking forward to it. This should be a good, competitive game.”
The 5-foot-11, 174-pounder from Miami will not be alone inside Sanford Stadium, as the Bulldogs could have as many as eight defensive starters who did not start in last year’s 13-7 win over the Yellow Jackets in Atlanta. Defensive backs Aaron Davis, Malkom Parrish and Dominick Sanders are Georgia’s lone defenders who started last year at Tech and last week against Louisiana-Lafayette, and the two most prominent outside linebackers, Davin Bellamy and Lorenzo Carter, were backups last season to Leonard Floyd and Jordan Jenkins.