Malaki Starks Looking to Take the Next Step in Year Two

After starting 14 games as a freshman, Georgia sophomore safety Malaki Starks is determined to take his game to the next level in 2023.

After starting 14 games as a freshman a year ago during Georgia's run to a second-consecutive national championship, Malaki Starks enters the 2023 season as one of the headliners of what is once again projected to be a dominant Georgia defense. Starks met with the media for the first time this season on Tuesday and spoke about his journey at Georgia and his expectations for the coming season.

As a freshman thrust into the starting lineup in game two for an eventual national championship team, Starks experienced his share of ups and downs. The highlight plays were numerable, but, as one would expect, the freshman mistakes were there, too. Starks admits that, as is the case with most freshman that earns the opportunity to play significant snaps, his head was spinning for much of the 2022 season, leaving him to focus almost exclusively on his job, independent of what was happening around him.

"Last year, I was kind of just doing my job and what I was doing, coming in as a freshman just trying to learn and get on the field."

Georgia safety Malaki Starks goes through drills during one of Georgia's fall camp practices. Starks is on a mission to improve his already impressive play as a sophomore

However, with a year full of starting experience under his belt, including playing in some of the most high profile games of the 2022 season, the expectations for Starks entering his sophomore season are sky high, as he was recently named a preseason AP First Team All-American. Starks, for his part, is aware that added expectations come with increased responsibility for him to take his game to the next level, and the Jefferson, Georgia native is on a mission to do just that in his second season in Athens.

"I've really tried to dive in, I want to know not just what I'm doing, but what they guy beside me is doing and why he is doing it because that will help me play better," Starks said. "If I know what and why he's doing it, I can know and trust that he's going to be where he is supposed to be at and if he's not I have the ability to speak up and correct him and he has the same to do with me."

As for what he is specifically focusing on, the sophomore safety explained it is the nuances of playing the position that he is zeroed in on as the 2023 season approaches.

"I would say recognizing formations and just really diving in and learning football. Being here with Coach Schumann, Coach Muschamp and Coach Smart, you have no choice but to learn football. So, I would say just understanding the game of football better. I focused on every aspect I could work on - footwork, recognizing defenses and offenses, trying to communicate better. Really just everything because you can always improve on something, so I have been trying to take every aspect of my game and bump it up."

Georgia Co-Defensive Coordinator Glenn Schumann walks across the Georgia practice field. Starks is focused on soaking up knowledge from the "legends" on Georgia's defensive coaching staff like Schumann. photo- Tony Walsh

According to Starks, his quest to elevate his game is made easier by the presence of two "legends" on the Georgia defensive coaching staff.

"I've been meeting with Schu [Schumann] and Muschamp, I mean legends really, and just trying to really dive in and soak up their knowledge because they have so much. I mean it's crazy how much that you can learn if you just try to soak it up."

For a Georgia secondary replacing two multi-year starters from the past two national championship teams, Starks' growth looms large for the Bulldogs' chances to extend their national championship run for an unprecedented third-consecutive season, and the star sophomore is determined to do his part to make that a reality.