Georgia linebacker Ramik Wilson makes a tackle during the Clemson game on Aug. 30. Wilson had injury issues during preseason camp.SEC WEEKLY HONORS• Offense: Missouri quarterback Maty Mauk, who threw for five touchdowns and ran for one in the 49-24 win at Toledo.• Defense: Ole Miss cornerback Cliff Coleman, who returned an interception 39 yards for a score in the 41-3 win over Vanderbilt.• Special teams: South Carolina kicker Elliott Fry, who made all four field-goal attempts in the 33-23 win over East Carolina.• Freshman: Tennessee tailback Jalen Hurd, who had 23 carries for 83 yards and a score in the 34-19 win over Arkansas State.• Offensive lineman: Florida's Max Garcia, who graded out at 97 percent in the 65-0 rout of Eastern Michigan.• Defensive lineman: Mississippi State's Preston Smith, who had a 21-yard interception return for a score in the 47-34 win over UAB.
Georgia inside linebacker Ramik Wilson had a surreal junior season, going from a relative unknown to the leading tackler in the Southeastern Conference.
Wilson's start to his senior year has been an adventure of a different sort, as the 6-foot-2, 232-pounder from Tampa, Fla., has dealt with an injury and reduced playing time under new coordinator Jeremy Pruitt. His injury occurred last month, when he suffered a concussion in preseason camp.
"That was my first concussion, and hopefully it was my last," Wilson said recently by phone. "It's something I don't ever want to experience again. I'm not looking back or worrying about it. I'm just going out there to play."
After missing nearly 10 days of practice, Wilson had to get his conditioning to where it was before the setback. He was listed on the second team behind Tim Kimbrough leading up to the Clemson game but wound up starting in the 45-21 win over the Tigers.
Wilson made seven tackles in the opener, but he had his share of sideline time as well with Kimbrough and fellow backup Reggie Carter taking the field.
"I thought Ramik played well, and I think he'll only get better as the season goes on," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt said. "I think that everybody on the defense played hard overall, with Ramik being one of them, but I think it was wise that we did some substituting all the way across the board. I don't know if we've subbed the middle linebackers in the past couple of years, but we did that early and often and I think that helped Ramik."
Said Wilson: "I was at 100 percent, but the coaches just put me in during certain situations."
Wilson and Amarlo Herrera ranked 1-2 in the SEC last season in tackles, with Wilson amassing 133 and Herrera 112. Herrera led the Bulldogs in the opener with 12 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.
The Bulldogs, who visit South Carolina this week, held Clemson to 15 second-half yards and minus-19 in the fourth quarter.
"That was one of the best halves we've played in a long time, but we have the potential to do that both halves," Wilson said. "I thought we played great, but we want to play to our full potential, so we still have a lot of work to do to get to where we want to be."
Bowman resurfacing
Former Ridgeland High standout Devin Bowman was made available to the media following Monday night's practice. Bowman did not record a tackle in nine games last season, when he played almost entirely on special teams, but he earned a starting cornerback spot against Clemson.
"I guess I just really bought into what Pruitt had going," Bowman told reporters. "When he came in, he was hard on us. I just bought into what he had to say and what he had going on. I just worked my butt off. Now look at me."
Odds and ends
The Bulldogs practiced Monday for two hours in full pads, which will be their heaviest workout of the week. ... Georgia will be the last league team to have a game televised by the SEC Network when Troy visits next week for a noon kickoff.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.