University of Georgia Athletics
Quick Chat: Malaki Starks
September 19, 2023 | Football, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
One of the benefits of going to college in your hometown, or close to it, is the chance to head home to see the family when you have a few hours free. Or maybe the chance to enjoy some of mom's cooking. Or, as Georgia sophomore safety Malaki Starks did on Sunday, head home to nearby Jefferson, Ga., with his laundry.
Starks had three pass breakups in the top-ranked Bulldogs' 24-14 victory last Saturday, and he's second on the team with 11 tackles this season heading into this week's game against UAB. He also had an interception against Ball State, the third of his career.
During a Quick Chat before practice Monday, Starks talked about being close to home, his days as a standout track and field athlete at Jefferson High School (he won a state championship in the long jump), and much more. Here's some of what he had to say:Â
Frierson: We're sitting in front of the new track and field locker room as we do this, and I know you were a successful track athlete in high school. What was your favorite event?
Starks: I love track. I got into it because of my older sister, she ran track, and I wanted to do everything that she did. My favorite event changed a lot. In middle school, it was high jump; I was very good at it. My favorite event from my freshman year to my junior year would be the 100. I hated the 200, but I learned to love it. And I love long jump. I was a triple jump fan, but it did too much to my knees, so I switched over to long jump. Long jump was my baby.
Frierson: Is there one event that you wish you could have kept pursuing to see how good you could have been? Champ Bailey had the long jump record here for years.
Starks: Yeah, I call him Uncle Champ; I'm pretty tight with him.
I'd say the long jump. My only year doing it, my junior year, I had jumped like a 24-7, and I didn't have a jumping coach, so I was just doing what I thought was right. I would love to see how far I could have gone with it.
Frierson: What do you do to get away from football and school for a while?
Starks: I like to spend time with family — very big on family. I'll occasionally play video games or go for a hike or something. I like to be out in nature; I love going swimming. And being with people that I love.
Frierson: How nice is it to be pretty close to home?
Starks: I go home pretty often, I'd say. Being so close, it's great to go home for a meal or just to see the family. When I go home, I'm a homebody, so just being able to do that helps me separate my mind from everything else.
Frierson: Do you take your laundry home with you every once in a while?
Starks: [Laughs] I do most of my laundry, but I will say, I took some laundry home yesterday (Sunday). I walked in the house and my mom looked at me. She said, "Don't you have your own apartment?" I was like, "Yeah, but why would I run up my water bill when I can just run up yours." [Laughs]
Frierson: Did she still make you do it?
Starks: She'll do if for me every now and then.
Frierson: Who is the funniest guy on this year's team?
Starks: Probably either Tykee Smith or Ty Ingram-Dawkins. It's just their character — they're both one-of-one. They always have that aura about them; when you see them you can't help but laugh. They're going to say something or do something. It's just how they are.
Frierson: I would imagine one of the biggest adjustments you have to make when you get to Georgia is learning how to practice the way they want you to. How long did it take you to get comfortable with Georgia's practices?
Starks: I'd say probably the middle of fall camp my freshman year. I got here early, in the spring, and it took me a while. It's very fast-paced, it's very different, and just being able to understand how things go around here. I give a ton of credit to Dan Jackson and Chris Smith, who helped me when I first got here. They took me under their wing and showed me the ropes. Just being able to learn from them and just take it day by day helped a lot.
Frierson: Georgia has a lot of impressive streaks going, like 20 straight wins and 30 straight regular-season wins, and you've never lost a game in college. Is there a way to appreciate a streak while not letting it get in the way of what you're trying to do each day?
Starks: It's always good to acknowledge it, knowing that's what you've done, that's what you've accomplished. It's always a good feeling, but if you focus on it too long, it can be taken away. I just think being in the moment, being where your feet are — we say that a lot here — just helps us stay in that moment.
Even though we do appreciate some of the streaks that we have here, just being where our feet are allows us to keep going.
Frierson: Do you think having to come back from a 14-3 deficit against South Carolina is a good thing long-term, because you had to come out and win the game in the second half?
Starks: Yes. I say that because it really showed us what kind of team we have. We hadn't really been tested this season, and that showed us what kind of team we have, and going forward, we know what we can do and what we can accomplish.
Obviously, we never want to be in that situation, but I think it's what we needed.
Frierson: Do you have any specific pregame rituals or things you do? Or do you just kind of show up and play?
Starks: I kind of just show up and play. I call my mom and my dad before every game. I pray before I go out there and warm up on the field, and that's about it.
Frierson: It's your fourth straight home game Saturday, which means your fourth straight Dawg Walk. Are you like Jalon Walker in that you get excited about dressing up each time?
Starks: I'll dress up every now and then, but I'm really just a show-up-and-play type of guy.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
Assistant Sports Communications Director John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
