ATHENS — Malaki Starks wasted little time in making an impact for Georgia on Saturday, as he snared an interception in his first career game. The freshman safety also led the team in tackles and defensive snaps played.

But if you thought the coaches were going to ease up on the talented freshman, you would be mistaken. During Georgia’s full-pad practice on Tuesday, Kirby Smart seemed to take a special interest in Starks and how he was practicing. The coach wasn’t shy about wanting Starks to play faster or move quicker between drills.

Starks is clearly going to be a big piece of the Georgia defense. While this weekend’s game against Samford might not have the same stakes as last week’s game, Smart knows it will be another critical opportunity for Starks to grow as a young player.

Read more at DawgNation.com.

©2022 Cox Media Group