Jamie Lindley knew that he was an unknown on a team filled with high profile names and four-star recruits.

The freshman kicker’s name is nowhere to be found in Georgia’s 2008 media guide, and his name was only added to Georgia sports communication’s Web site recently and with no biography attached.

But against South Carolina, Lindley took the leap from relative obscurity to Division-I football when he stepped on the field for a kickoff after Heisman contender Knowshon Moreno scored Georgia’s lone touchdown in the third quarter.

Many people might not have known or even noticed that No. 99 came onto the field for the kickoff at that time of the game, and that’s something Lindley completely understands.

“I don’t blame you,” Lindley, said. “Nobody knew much about me when I was coming in here.”

Even cornerback and kickoff returner Ramarcus Brown, who catches Lindley’s kicks in practice, doesn’t know much about him.

“I really can’t tell you much about Jamie because I’m not really looking at who’s kicking the ball and they all wear different numbers,” Brown said. “I’m not familiar when he kicks and when he doesn’t kick.”

Lindley came to Georgia as a preferred walk-on and wasn’t offered that option until National Signing Day, the day letters of intent were due. Lindley had received scholarship offers from Arkansas and Memphis, but was going to spurn both of those FBS schools for Wofford.

However, when it was time for Lindley to sign his letter of intent with Wofford, Georgia special teams coach Jon Fabris offered Lindley the walk-on spot.

“Coach Fabris told me they’d like me to come in as a preferred walk-on and that was it for me,” Lindley said. “I made my decision right then, so here I am.”

Lindley said the decision was fairly easy since he grew up a huge Georgia fan. His first memory of a Georgia football experience was driving down to Auburn to see the Bulldogs take on the Tigers in 2002, when Michael Johnson caught what would be a game-winning touchdown from former quarterback David Greene on a fourth-and-15 late in the final quarter.

“I was there because my sister went to Auburn and so we were up there visiting her,” he said. “I was there in the stands with all the Auburn fans and when Michael Johnson caught that pass I went crazy or whatever because I was a Georgia fan. And everyone kind of looked at me weird.”

Lindley decided to come to Georgia even though he already knew that highly-touted kicker Blair Walsh had been offered a scholarship.

“I knew Blair was coming in before I came and I knew he was a great kicker,” Lindley said. “I kicked with him before, I’d seen his highlight tapes and he’s awesome. But I didn’t want to go somewhere else to where I felt it would be easier for me to play.”

Lindley’s scenario was familiar to what punter Brian Mimbs encountered when he elected to walk on at Georgia. Mimbs, who came to Georgia as a placekicker, was behind Andy Bailey and Brandon Coutu before moving to punter.

“I think Jamie and I became good friends because I could relate to him because we had a similar situation,” Mimbs said. “I came in behind a kicker on scholarship and so has he.”

However, Mimbs was quick to add that Lindley got the chance to play a lot earlier than he did. Lindley has been in a tight battle with Walsh for kickoffs, and got his first crack at it Saturday.

“I figured I could come in here and compete and do something,” Lindley said. “And right now I’m competing for kickoffs. That’s awesome for me. It really is a dream I’ve always wanted to do.”