re: Kirby Smart's Coaching Chops

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Dean is the toughest replacement, imo, even though he was the 3rd rounder.

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JDJ has the most experience and most success of the top 3 ILB. There are plenty of reasons for UGA optimism (again, Roquan Smith did it as a sophomore, same for Monty Rice, and same for Nakobe Dean).
That said, nakobe was the butkus winner. I don't expect JDJ to win that this season.

You are correct that Smael will have the Tindall role and Marshall the Walker role this season. Tindall had huge questions of filling gaps and overrunning plays prior to 2021. There were some questions for Quay coming into 2021. It is the same for Marshall and Mondon..

I don't think the coaches are going to expect Pop, Smael, or Trez to be Dean, Walker, and Tindall. The playcalls will be different and to our strengths. But because the playcalls will be different doesn't mean that we can't get the same results (shut down the run game and force obvious pass situations).