Breakfasts Help Washington

Freshman DE Cornelius Washington

Freshman defensive end Cornelius Washington is listed at 217 pounds, but the 6-foot-4 native of Burke County actually reported to campus in June at 224 pounds and weighed 235 prior to preseason practices.

Georgia strength staff member Joe Tereshinski advised Washington “to every morning go to the dining hall and get a big plate full of eggs, so I’ve been trying to do that pretty regularly,” Washington said. “That contributed a lot to it and the weight room is a very big part of it.”

Washington, who finished fifth in the Class AAA 100 meters last year with a time of 11.1 seconds, is getting work on four special teams units.

It remains to be seen if he’ll crack the rotation at defensive end. On Tuesday, he was dealing with a stiff neck.

“Do you ever want to play any freshmen?” defensive ends coach Jon Fabris said. “No, but keep in mind. (Robert) Junior Geathers played. David Pollack played. Charles Johnson played as a freshman. I coach them to get them ready to play now. They understand that the very worst that is going to happen is I’ve got that much more ready for spring practice.”

– Courtesy of Athens Banner-Herald

DE Washington Has Speed & Size

Freshman DE Cornelius Washington

Athens — Asked if his reputed 10.9-second, 100-meter time was legitimate, freshman defensive end Cornelius Washington informs a reporter that he’d been “hand-timed at 10.6.” But why quibble over a few nanoseconds? The bottom line is that Washington is very fast.

And getting bigger all the time.

The 6-foot-4 Washington weighed 217 pounds when he signed with the Bulldogs out of Burke County last February and got up to 224 pounds while working out with the team in Athens over the summer. As of this weeked, Washington said he’s up to 235 pounds but that position coach Jon Fabris wants him to be “up there pretty high, like 260.”

His secret to weight gain so far?

“Coach T (Joe Tereshinski) told me to go to the dining hall every morning and get a big plate full of eggs so that’s what I’ve been doing,” Washington said. “That and pumping up in the weight room.”

Obviously the Georgia coaching staff is excited about having a player with such a combination of size and speed. And it would appear from the No. 83 jersey Washington was allotted that they’re keeping options open to play him on either side of the ball. However, Washington said he has had no discussions with coaches about getting a look at tight end, where his speed would be an obvious asset.

For now the plans are to keep Washington at his preferred spot of defensive end, where he said his speed also offers advantages.

“Mostly in pass rushing,” he said. “If I get off the ball there’s pretty much nothing a tackle or a tight end can do to stop me.”

Meanwhile, Washington is getting work on four special teams units: kickoff, kickoff return, punt and punt return. So whether or not to redshirt him could be a tough call.

“It’s iffy,” Washington said. “Whatever the coaches decide is what I’ll do. I’m just doing the best I can.”

– Courtesy of AJC.com