Last week the seventh-ranked Georgia Bulldogs dismantled the Missouri Tigers and they did it without four starters on defense. Multiple sports personalities favored Missouri in the contest because of the depleted Georgia defense.
The Bulldogs were without cornerback Sanders Commings, safety Bacarri Rambo, and linebackers Alec Ogletree and Chase Vasser for the Missouri game but were also without their services in the season opener against Buffalo.
Commings and Vasser were suspended two games for disciplinary reasons. Ogletree and Rambo were also suspended during the offseason, but the team has been rather tight-lipped in regards to the length of their suspensions. Their status has been determined on a week-to-week basis so far this season.
Though not as high profile as Ogletree and Rambo, the Dawgs are grateful to have Commings and Vasser back this week for Florida Atlantic. Both players were considered starters at their respective positions before the team opened fall camp, and both are expected to make a stout defense even better.
However, they are both listed as backups on this week’s depth chart.
Sophomore Ramik Wilson has filled in for Vasser the past two weeks and is still listed as the starter. Both head coach Mark Richt and defensive coordinator Todd Grantham stated that Vasser will play a large share of snaps, but they wouldn’t commit to whether or not it would occur in a starter’s role. Either way, adding another pass rusher to one of the nation’s better linebacking corps is never a bad thing.
During the offseason, the hot topic around the Georgia Bulldogs was would Malcolm Mitchell play more on offense or on defense. What sparked this topic was Sanders’ suspension. Now that he has returned, many expected Mitchell to play more offense with Commings taking over at cornerback. This is not the case as Commings is listed as a backup to Mitchell at corner.
Where then will Sanders Commings see most of his playing time?
“We’ll always cross-train Sanders Commings to play both cornerback and safety” said Richt at Tuesday’s press conference. “He’s probably bigger than both of our safeties. He’s close to 220 pounds, and he runs and covers really well. He’s smart enough to play both positions, so we’ll train him at both.”
With Rambo expected to miss one or two more games, expect Sanders Commings to start at safety for the Bulldogs against Florida Atlantic. The plan for Sanders may change once Rambo returns, but wherever Commings plays, the Georgia defense will get a shot in the arm this weekend.
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