[Tuck4Bama]

The middle linebacker position has been a focal point of Georgia's defense this preseason.

Brandon Miller shifted to the position in the spring and shifted back to strongside linebacker this month. Dannell Ellerbe now is manning the middle.

Quietly, junior Marcus Washington has been preparing for the role of understudy at the position after missing spring practices while recovering from a knee injury suffered last Nov. 15.

"When I got injured, there were a lot of things running through my mind," Washington said. "First of all, was I ever going to be able to come back? When I came back, was I ever going to see snaps?"

Transition in the middle for Georgia 08/22/07