BYU Football DB George Udo ‘Cleared And Ready To Go’ For Upcoming Season
Jun 28, 2021, 4:06 PM | Updated: 4:40 pm
HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 16: George Udo #7 of the BYU Cougars intercepts a pass intended for Marquez Stevenson #5 of the Houston Cougars on a two point attempt in the second half at TDECU Stadium on October 16, 2020 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
(Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
PROVO, Utah – A rising star in the BYU football defense is George Udo. During BYU’s magical 11-1 season, Udo had a breakout year recording 25 tackles and three sacks.
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But before the conclusion of that breakout year, Udo battled injuries late in the season. First, he suffered an injury the required medical attention in the Cougars win over Boise State last November; then, one month later was out for the season finale bowl win against UCF.
Due to that injury, Udo missed all of BYU’s spring practices this past March.
The injury appears to be in the rearview mirror as he gets ready for the upcoming 2021 season.
Cleared and ready to go. Time to get back to work!!🏈
— George Udo (@GeorgeUdo18) June 28, 2021
George Udo is a versatile athlete in the BYU football defense
Udo shared on Twitter on Monday, “Cleared and ready to go. Time to get back to work!!”
Udo proved to be a versatile athlete in BYU’s defense last year that finished fourth nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 15.3 points per game to its opponents.
BYU boasts 18 different defensive positions on their weekly depth charts, and you can point to times where Udo played in many of those spots. For example, Udo played five different positions in 2020 (Nickel, Cinco, Flash linebacker, Strong Safety, and Cornerback).
George Udo being "cleared and ready to go" for the upcoming season is big for #BYU.
I asked Ed Lamb this off-season about Udo's versatility and where he fits in the 2021 defense.#BYUFootball @kslsports https://t.co/6QpY2mtnvt pic.twitter.com/iO0XDinw4a
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) June 28, 2021
“He’s played so many different things. But, you know, last year, he really settled in at the Nickel position, and I still think that’s his home,” said BYU safeties coach Ed Lamb to KSL Sports in May when asked where Udo fits in BYU’s defense in 2021.
“…He may be a guy that we do need to make a move. The versatility that you’re talking about, if we lost a couple of bodies at the safety or the cornerback or the linebacker position, he’s played a versatile enough role that his understanding of all those positions is getting to the point where I think he can bounce around a bit.”
Regardless of where he ends up in BYU’s defense, expect Udo, a former three-star recruit out of Walnut Creek, California, to make his contributions felt during the 2021 season.
“If you’re asking about THE plan. The plan is to keep him where he’s at,” Lamb said. “He had great development last year and I think he’s really on an upward trajectory of his career.”
BYU football players report to training camp on August 4th with practices for the 2021 season beginning on August 5th.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12-3 pm) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.
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