For now, Georgia’s Josh Harvey-Clemons making his mark on special teams
While awaiting a spot on defense, Josh Harvey-Clemons is making his presence known on Georgia's special teams. (UGA photo by Evan Stichler)
ATHENS – Initially, Josh Harvey-Clemons was not at all enamored with the thought of playing special teams for Georgia.
“At first I wasn’t really going all out in it because I really didn’t want to be on it,” said Harvey-Clemons, a 5-star recruit out of Valdosta. “ I wanted to be on defense. But Coach talked it up to me. We were watching film of like the LSU game when Tyrann Matthieu ran that punt back and he was just stressing how important it is.”
Harvey-Clemons has changed his tune since then. The 6-foot-5, 215-pound freshman is a starter on three of the Bulldogs special teams units, getting repped on another, and this week was named Georgia’s special teams captain for the Kentucky game.
Being named a captain as a true freshman is a rare honor in Bulldog annals. The last to do it was linebacker Rennie Curran in 2007.
“I didn’t realize (what a big deal it was) at first,” Harvey-Clemons said. “Coach told us in a team meeting and he was saying how rare it is. I really was shocked. I didn’t have that many opportunities in the South Carolina game so I wasn’t really expecting it. I was real honored.”
On defense, Harvey-Clemons plays safety and nickelback. But his snaps there have been few and far between. But he is on the Bulldogs’ No. 1 units for kickoff, kickoff return and punt returns and lately has been getting reps on the punt team as well. He enters the Kentucky game with 8 tackles and has one tackle for loss.
“I was really proud that he was able to be named captain, which is really a statement as a true freshman,” defensive coordinator Todd Grantham said. “Special teams is a place you can play as fast as you can, then you’re out. He’s got the size, the strength. I’ve been really pleased with his progress.”
Harvey-Clemons projected as an outside linebacker or rush end when he signed with the Bulldogs out of Lowndes High. But unlike fellow signee and close friend Jordan Jenkins, Harvey-Clemons hasn’t packed on the pounds since arriving at UGA in June. He’s only about 10 pounds up from his high school weight.
Georgia is comfortable if he never gets much heavier because he has exceptional speed and shown strong potential in the secondary and also as an occasional wide receiver. But the belief is he’ll eventually grow into standout defensive player close to the line of scrimmage.
“He’s got a lot of ability,” head coach Mark Richt said. “He’s a great example of a very talented guy that just needs more reps on defense for the coaches to get comfortable playing him there on a consistent basis. But when he does, and you add another year’s worth of muscle and conditioning and knowledge, he’s going to be a heck of a football player. But if we threw him out there right now it would be tough on him, no matter how talented he is. That’s kind of what Kentucky’s been through a little bit. They’ve thrown some guys in there faster than they probably would like to do.”
With his current defensive position well-manned, Harvey-Clemons’ primary role this first season is going to be as a special teams specialist. It’s a part he is now at peace with playing.
“I talked to my granddad about it and he said, ‘Just work hard on special teams and make plays while you’re out there while you have an opportunity to be out there,’” Harvey-Clemons said. “So I just took that to heart and try to go hard any time I get a chance to go out there on any special teams.”
That approach is working well so far.
MORE ON GEORGIA FOOTBALL
- Freshman Jordan Jenkins says he’s ready if Jarvis Jones can’t play
- Bobo: Bulldogs need to back to running back with Gurley, Marshall
- Georgia’s defense looking to stem tide of big plays
- Notebook: Defensive star Jarvis Jones ‘questionable’ for Kentucky
- Schultz: Does Bulldogs’ NFL talent have their heads somewhere else?
- A quick look at Georgia’s next opponent: Kentucky
- Bulldogs players and coaches talking about moving forward
- With ultimate goal still intact, Dogs focus on ‘winning every game’
- South Carolina loss boost Georgia’s chances in East
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
66 comments Add your comment
kingdaddy
October 18th, 2012
5:10 pm
@Tell Me Again
We love our foo-bah, but yes you are correct about your post. We have a country to save and children and grandchildren to raise. We have bills to pay and deadlines to meet. We have lessons to teach and people to love and protect. All these things are more important than any football game but, in the course of our busy lives, sometimes we need to take a break from the realities of these priorities. We are serious in our lives and our relaxation is important too. Glad you brought it to our attention that we have to realize where our priorities lie…btw, good post TellMe…
Joey
October 18th, 2012
5:22 pm
tell me again,
I never presume to know more than any football coach. It IS a game, entertainment, but when a staff is gettin $6M to compete with neighboring states and programs, it SHOULD be taken for granted that UGA will compete with the top SEC programs. We haven’t, and it ain’t the players’ fault that we haven’t in several years.
If it’s just entertainment, or fun, McGarity should just hire Buford High’s staff for $300,000 and see what they can do. It would probably embarrass a certain high paid staff . . .
.
kingdaddy
October 18th, 2012
5:39 pm
Joey
Hilarious bro. Send that to McGarity and let us know what he thinks. We can use the extra dollars we save to improve our facilities. Maybe some extra trashcans on campus..
Bitter GRAN-DAD
October 18th, 2012
5:42 pm
I TOLD THAT BOY————-I’ll DRIVE to athens and kick somebody’s A$$
—if he dont start soon——BLAhahahahahahahahahah—go dawgs
JC
October 18th, 2012
5:53 pm
@ Tell me again
I couldnt disagree more with you.. This is big time college football with millions of dollars on the line. I dont think it is too much to ask to have a competitive product on the field week in and week out. No matter how you want to spin it.. The big game blow outs that happen seeming every year are inexcusable.
kingdaddy
October 18th, 2012
6:03 pm
JC
I took it to mean that some of our peeps get too serious about football. That is just a nice way to tell some of us to lighten-up. Not everyone, just some. They know who they are, I mean we know who we are, lol…
JC
October 18th, 2012
6:10 pm
I hear you King.. But I took it to mean he used to get upset about UGA underperforming, but now he is “above” it and he is in some way superior to the rest of us passionate UGA fans who want to be competitive in big games and contend for championships. He sounds too much like CMR to me. The attitude of mediocrity.
kingdaddy
October 18th, 2012
6:30 pm
JC
LOL, I hear ya bro. I’ve heard enough and I’m over sitting back and taking it. I’m still licking some wounds myself, but the negative posters have had their say and now its time to get back to work. Time to play game #7, then move on to #8 and so forth. You can only beat a hurt Dawg so long before he runs away or comes after ya. It’s called “Bite or Flight” and this Dawg will BITE…
BreakingNews
October 18th, 2012
6:57 pm
GTBob:
After the season your joke of a team has had, why do you even bother coming on here running your mouth?
Cdpridg
October 18th, 2012
7:00 pm
Hoping we see plenty of bite Sat…too Jville to hopefully Atl. More than anything I would like to see the coaches prepare 4qtrs of football in every phase of the game and then the players to execute that plan against a upper echelon program. Hopefully that is not too much to ask!
kingdaddy
October 18th, 2012
8:11 pm
Cdpridg
I just want us to beat UF so the negative post will slow down. That is the only thing that will work. Beat a good team instead of getting embarrassed. Time to send trolls back to their sites…
Mr. Smith &
October 18th, 2012
11:36 pm
Enter your comments here
G-Dawg
October 19th, 2012
9:40 am
Well, you can hate fans all you want…but i’ve fought for this coaching staff for years, and we continue to get blown out in high profile games. The overall attitude of the team is a direct reflection of the coaching staff…they lead the charge!! If you think its Bobo’s play calling winning games…then you just dont get the big picture. Its talent verse schedule..anyone can run up the score on lesser teams and lesser talent. And i’ve read the articles by Kiper as well, but after that one game vs Mizzou..you havent heard or seen any news about Jones. I’ve also heard them saying Matt Barkley was the best QB in the nation since last year…but now they’re sayign its Geno Smith from WV. Its the flavor of the week with them. Fact is, i saw Jujuan James handle Jones, one on one for an entire game. And Spurrier’s zone blocking took Jones and the whole Dline outta the gameplan as well. Jones is a beast, and is definitely first round material…but its about getting the most outta this team..and the 3-4 isnt stopping anyone….how do you jump from top 5 in defense…to 50 in just 2 games!! The number dont lie! All i’m simply suggesting is move him to WLB in a 4-3..depending on opposing teams schemes. Our 3 man front is not getting the job done…and Grantham hasnt gotten any pressure on the QB against quality opponents. hence why Bray and Shaw looked all american against us!! If anyone has proven to be the #1 draft pick in my opinion…its Clowney!! So basically you cant kiss my arse with you piss poor attitude son!! Just because i question how the team is being run…or the abundant talents is being utilized, doesnt mean i’m a fairweather fan. I support my team and players…but will question playcalling and schemes when we have seen the same thing not work for 5 consecutive years.
dawgs01
October 19th, 2012
11:17 am
Everyone is frustrated with this defense. i think it has all fans of uga scratching their head what happened over the summer. I think Grantham has a complicated scheme that has our players thinking way to much whenever you think on the field is slows you down. Football is best played fast. You know the coaches always say we are gonna rep this till you can do it in your sleep meaning it is second nature no thinking like tying your shoes as a young kid they have to think about it making it take a second as you got older you just tie the shoes without thinking what your doing. Defense has to be played without sitting there thinking if he does this and this then i do that and that or that then the ball is snapped and your still thinking instead of just reacting as soon as it is snapped. i am frustrated as hell in this defense the d line is slow off the snap and everyone knows on the d line the first one off the ball wins and thats how you beat double teams and penetrate the backfield. John jenkins has not done much and jones has been nothing the past few weeks and rambo is overrated.
The future UGA football coach
October 20th, 2012
8:36 am
UGA’s next ball coach will recruit o and d linemen. He will know those two areas f the team are where SEC titles are won.
UGA always has 4 and 5 star skill players but 3 star overall talent on their o line.
The Matt Staffords or the AJ Greens or the Aaron Murray’s have not won spit for UGA. That says it all.
QB Murray set UGA passing record
October 21st, 2012
11:00 am
Murray is the all time ball chunker at UGA with TD throws,etc.
Lookat the UGA records for TITLES. Excepting David Green’s era, UGA NEVER WON SEC by passing the ball. Butts had Zeke Bratkowski and Johnny Rauch who played and coached in the NFL but I do not believe they won the SEC and not until Eric Zier, did UGA throw it all around the lot and we STILL DID not win much, beyond Citrus Bowl over mouthy and Ohio State.
UGA plays in a power league and we lack LOS power. It is this simple. CMR wants to be FSU north and they back then would not have beemmore than routine 7-3 in the SEC.