ATHENS — Georgia asks a lot of its linebackers, both inside and outside.

So for someone like Chris Cole, who does both for the Georgia Bulldogs, he’s got a lot on his plate as he tries to improve as a playmaker.

Cole has 26 tackles on the season. He ranks second on the team in tackles for loss with 4.0 and is tied for the team-high in sacks with 3.0.

“He’s a juice guy, he’s a freak athlete,” defensive lineman Jordan Hall said of Coe. “I really don’t have too many bad things to say about Chris. I mean, he’s just all around freak of nature, you know what I’m saying? Like he’s fast, physical, sure tackler, you know what I’m saying, he can cover. He’s one of those guys that you want on your team, you’re glad he’s on your team, on your side of the ball.”

As a true sophomore, Cole has already shown he can do a lot for the Bulldogs. But for a defense that is struggling, Georgia needs even more from Cole, along with the defensive front.

Georgia ranks last in the SEC in both sacks and tackles for loss. The Bulldogs haven’t been very disruptive this season, with only 8.0 sacks and 27 tackles for loss in seven games.

Which is why it needs Cole to go to another level as Georgia enters the final stretch of its schedule.

“Chris is growing as a rusher and an inside backer,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “That’s been a big emphasis for us is for him to be able to play on the edge, but also still play at inside backer. He even played early in the season, and we still use him in some things, against 12 personnel where he walks out and plays more of a Star, outside backer type position, so he’s had three roles and he’s developed in those while maintaining his special teams status of a really good player on special teams.”

Cole has had opportunities to add to his sack and tackle for loss totals. He had a free shot at Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss on the opening drive of the game.

Yet Cole couldn’t bring Chambliss down and the Ole Miss quarterback scampered for a short touchdown. It was a tough play for Cole, but the one Georgia needs him to make if the Georgia defense is to get back on track.

“Good defenses have few missed tackles,” Smart said. “When you look at the two of our lesser performances, there were a lot of missed tackles. The first thing you start with is that. You’ve got to tackle well. That starts with being in position to make the tackle, not being out of position. But tackling well is key.”

Chambliss is a good bit smaller than Florida quarterback DJ Lagway. Yet Cole will be tasked with harassing and bringing down the Florida quarterback.

“Really hard to tackle when it comes to, if you do get through on the rush, if you ever get through, now I gotta finish,” Smart said. “Finishing on a guy that size is harder than you think, in terms of his escapability and ability to lengthen plays and do things. He’s done a good job. He’s improved.”

Cole and Lagway were both 5-star prospects in the 2024 recruiting cycle. To date, they’ve both flashed moments of brilliance while having some growing pains as well.

That’s to be expected with all Florida and Georgia ask of their respective talents.

While Florida hopes Lagway becomes the program-changing quarterback he was projected to be, Georgia needs Cole to become a more disruptive difference-maker on its defense.

“I think he’s just doing a good job. He’s taking the reps, and it all starts with reps,” Allen said of Cole. “You know, obviously, knowing the call, making the call, but he can go out there and rush too. So that’s something he kind of just honed on his craft, and he’s done.”

CJ Allen impressed with how Chris Cole has developed