Perry Riley and Kelvin Sheppard are not worried about any potential communication problems when they debut as starting linebackers this season.The two Georgia natives have had quite some time — about 12 years — to work out any issues on the field.Riley and Sheppard first hit the gridiron together as 9-year-olds in a Pop Warner football league.They parted ways in middle school but reunited as starting linebackers for Stephenson High School in Ellenwood, Ga.”It makes this whole process a lot easier,” Riley said. “I know everything about him. I know his strengths and weaknesses.”Riley, a 6-foot-1-inch, 232-pound junior, and Sheppard, a 6-foot-3-inch, 223-pound redshirt sophomore, join middle linebacker and third-year starter Darry Beckwith to complete the linebacker trio.Riley replaces Luke Sanders at outside linebacker, while Sheppard will fill the big shoes of Ali Highsmith at the weakside position. Highsmith signed with the Arizona Cardinals after boasting a team-high 101 tackles during his senior season.”That’s my guy,” Sheppard said. “He was the host for my recruiting trip to LSU. He was such a mentor to me.”Co-defensive coordinator Bradley Dale Peveto said the 2008 group reminds him of the 2006 season, when then-juniors Highsmith and Sanders started alongside Beckwith, a sophomore.”We were very young, but we had a lot of talent,” Peveto said. “[This year is] as talented a linebacker group as we’ve had.”Beckwith said he’s not concerned about the group’s youth.”When I first started playing, getting adapted to the speed of the game [was difficult],” he said. “When you first get in there, the speed of the game is a little bit faster. They’re not going to have a problem getting adjusted to the offenses and stuff because they’ve been here for two or three years.”Riley and Sheppard say they’re eager to prove their worth after studying under Beckwith and Highsmith.”I’ve finally made it,” Sheppard said. “Everyone is relying on you now. You have to go in there and prove that you’re the guy. It does cause a little nervousness.”Riley and Sheppard say they’ve worked to improve their field vision.”The coaches have been teaching us to see the whole scheme — the quarterback, the linemen, everybody,” Riley said. “You can’t just have your eyes on one.”Sheppard said he worked to correct his biggest weakness: a natural tendency to go to the football.”Before I would just go to the ball, but now I’m working on reading other positions,” he said. “Like now I look at reading the guard and the tackle to see if they’re pulling back. It’s learned through a lot of films and walk throughs.”Peveto also considers junior Jacob Cutrera, who started in place of an injured Beckwith for two games in 2007, as part of the core linebacker group. “We’re going to move him around,” Peveto said. “He can back up any one of the three positions.”The coaching staff remains optimistic about several youngsters, including redshirt freshman Shomari Clemons and true freshmen Ryan Baker and Kellen Theriot. “Ryan Baker will probably play,” coach Les Miles said. “He’s certainly a [special] teams guy. He’s got great speed and is very aggressive.”—-Contact Amy Brittain at [email protected].