ATHENS — Quintavius Johnson understands the dreams that Vanderbilt’s Jared Curtis will bring into Sanford Stadium on Saturday.

There was a time Johnson saw the role of star quarterback in his future, so he might one day have the ball in his hands every offensive play and help lead a team to a championship.

The positional plan changed for Johnson — once a 6-foot-2, 215-pound quarterback at Mays High School in Atlanta — when his growth spurted and dictated he move himself to the defensive side of the ball as 6-4, 255-pound edge rusher.

Johnson’s championship dreams, however, are stronger than ever, and at 12:45 p.m. on Saturday Curtis represents an opposing quarterback threatening to get in the way of Johnson’s team title goals.

Johnson will look for what would be his first sack of the season on Saturday, and at the very least he will want to add to his total of seven tackles and 1.5 tackles-for-loss through the first four games of this season.

“It’s not always going to be a sack,” Johnson said of the need to create havoc. “It could be getting him off the spot, or keeping him in a trap.”

Johnson is one of three players to watch against the Commodores, along with receiver/special teams ace London Humphreys and middle linebacker Raylen Wilson.

Curtis possesses scrambling abilities, which Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea said he’ll be ready to use should the Georgia pass rushers get out of their lane.

Then there’s also the issue of tackling the 6-3, 235-pound Curtis, as UGA coach Kirby Smart noted earlier in the week.

“I don’t know if one person has tackled him yet,” Smart said. “He’s strong. He’s quick. He’s powerful …. “

Wilson could be assigned to “spy” Curtis at times and give chase and attempt to tackle should the athletic Vanderbilt quarterback escape the rush or extend the play.

Wilson could be one of the few UGA defensive players who can take the Vanderbilt quarterback down one-on-one.

Johnson said the Bulldogs will rely on their team pursuit to take care of that aspect of Curtis’ game.

“It starts throughout the week, running to the ball for your teammates,” Johnson said, “so if your teammate doesn’t make the tackle, you are there if anything was to go wrong.”

Curtis has been sacked seven times this season, while the UGA defense ranks tied for eighth in the SEC and 27th in the nation with 11 sacks on the season.

Offensively, Humphreys is due for some work in the receiving game having only caught four passes for 23 yards through the first four games.

Vanderbilt had a punt blocked at Auburn last week, and Humphreys has already blocked a punt this season, at Arkansas.