Kamari Lassiter credits development to relationship with Kelee Ringo: ‘That’s my brother’

ATHENS – Kamari Lassiter and the Georgia secondary have grown up a lot this season. He’s had to, being thrust into a starting role as a starter opposite Kelee Ringo, hero of last season’s national championship game.

It’s what the young cornerback has been trying to do since he arrived in Athens as a member of the 2021 class. And he’s proven to be a quick study, learning from one of the SEC’s best in Ringo.

“Being in the SEC, it’s imperative that you have to be physical at every position, from the front line over to that back end,” Lassiter said. “So that’s something that we work on in practice daily, just being physical on the perimeter because the perimeter is just as important as the line of scrimmage.”

Related: WATCH: Kirby Smart, Kelee Ringo share heartfelt moment after beating Tennessee: ‘Thanks for believing in me’

That physicality will be tested once again this week, though in a different manner as the Bulldogs face Mississippi State.

Quarterback Will Rogers leads the SEC in both passing yards and touchdowns. But while Tennessee loves to take shots down the field, Mississippi State’s offense thrives by attacking short parts of the field and forcing opposing defenses to consistently make tackles.

It’s an offense that you can’t play man against either, as Georgia will have to play much more zone defense given Mike Leach’s Air Raid offense.

“I feel like every situation somebody attacks, there’s been somebody in your exact situation,” Ringo said. “[When] you think it’s too much for you or you think that you’re not going to be able to get through it, there’s been other people that have figured out a way.

“So, I just try to find success in any situation I get into because I feel like other people have, as well.”

Ringo and Lassiter will have their hands full once again on Saturday. That seems to be the case every week, especially as Georgia navigates its trickest part of the season.

But as has been the case with every game this season, both Lassiter and Ringo will attack their tough assignments head-on and together.

“He’s a tough kid. Really physical, really prideful,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said of Lassiter A kid from Tuscaloosa. He’s from right over there near Starkville, and he’s a really hard worker. I’ve known him since he was a ninth or tenth grader, and he loves football. I think he’s improved a lot.”