Jarvis Jones has a lot on his mind.

This is what goes through the head of Georgia’s star OLB before every play:

So he started dissecting plays like a skilled surgeon and decided to break his game down into steps. They came during the 17 or so seconds that it took for an offense to line up and get set to the two-to-three seconds it took for a play to take place.

Here’s a quick look at what went through Jones on any given play:

Pre-snap:

Look at the formation and the personnel — he should know what each player can and can’t do and what plays can be run.

Line up and find tendencies of linemen — he should determine whether linemen (especially the left tackle) are in a pass set or a run set. He should know how long it takes them to get out of their stances and where most of their weight is planted.

Remember the snap count — this is crucial to providing the most disruptive pressure possible.

Snap:

Get off the ball and remember technique — quick moves are essential and making sure he has a move to give a tackle and one to combat his retaliation will make or break his progress.

Quarterback movements — is it a five-step or seven-step drop? Is it play-action? Or is it a run?

Whoa.  As he puts it, “That’s a whole lot in a little bit of time.”

He expects to be better and stronger next year.  A little more help taking some of the attention off wouldn’t hurt either.

… Building off of last season will be hard, Jones said, and he expects to receive much more attention from opposing offenses. He noticed in the last two games of the season when LSU and Michigan State game planned his side more than other teams had.

Hopefully, Jones’ work ethic and Grantham’s ability to adjust will address that.