UGA Sports Communications
Coach Kirby Smart
On today’s game …
“We make things so complicated. If we had cashed in on a touchdown, the game’s over. We just couldn’t put them away. Give them credit, they had us on our heels. It was like Auburn when we were tired. We’ve got to clean things up offensively. We need to run the ball and score some points.”
On holding A&M to minus-1 rushing …
“That’s awesome, but they threw for a ton. When you can’t run, you can’t win the game. That prevailed, but barely.”
On Rodrigo Blankenship …
“He’s incredible. What a great kid, what a great story. He’s given so much to our university. He’s methodical in what he does and he’s so trustworthy.”
On Jake Camarda …
“Jake flipped the field two or three times. They were huge flips. He’s booming them with hang time and finding corners.”
On the passing game …
“We struggled to be explosive. When we threw it, we threw it well in non-third down plays. On third down, we were very poor. But we did some good things on first and second down.”
On tailbacks D’Andre Swift and Brian Herrien …
“Doesn’t it seem like they sometimes just will themselves to 5-yard gains?”
On the fans …
“The fans were tremendous, especially in the second half. The atmosphere was awesome. The noise affected their communications and was a factor in their delay of games.”
Jordan Davis, Sophomore, Defensive Lineman
On the offense...
“I always have confidence in my offense. It’s a team, we’re a team. If the offense is slacking, we’ll pick it up on defense. We just always encourage them and motivate them. We just want to have one more point than the other team and that’s all that matters.”
On the fourth down stop…
“It was just an instinct play. They gave us a call. I played the call. I saw the ball and I just went and tackled it. Somebody was there to clean it up. It’s not my play to make, it was everybody’s play to make.”
Tyler Simmons, Senior, Wide Receiver
On the mindset of the offense...
“Offensive coordinator James Coley, he comes in on Mondays and we put our goals with what we want to get better with each week. We really emphasize those each day and every way. It’s all about getting better. Coley’s done a great job of just showing us the places we need to get better.”
J.R. Reed, Senior, Defensive Back
On the pregame ceremony...
“My mom and sister were here; my auntie, my dad and my brother. They were all out there happy for me. My mom probably cried afterwards. It was just really exciting. It was a special moment … It’s just pure joy to be a part of this and to be a part of a program like this.”
Texas A&M Head Coach Jimbo Fisher
Opening statement…
“It was a typical, great SEC football game. Georgia has a very good football team. Hats off to them. They do a really good job in all phases of the game, and they’ve got a really good team. Coach Kirby Smart does a really good job coaching them. I think our guys played extremely competitive. I think they played physical and played hard. We had some opportunities. I thought, early in the game, defensively, we did a good job adjusting. On offense, I think movements and some things got us early, until we got so down. Then, late in the second half, we really started picking up things in the passing game with what we did… It was a hard fought game and a back-and-forth game. It got down to a one-play game. I think we showed a lot of gut in the game as far as how we competed, how we made adjustments.
We made adjustments at halftime with some things we wanted to do offensively and defensively. The guys did it well in the game, executed and competed in the game very well, and they never gave up… Unfortunately, there are no moral victories, and we’re not here for moral victories. We played a great football team very well, but we’ve got to find that last two inches at the top of the mountain— that last two percent— that gets you over the top. That’s always hard, but we’ll keep grinding and keep getting there. I’m very proud of the kids, and the coaches did a great job in the game. I’ll do a better job of getting our guys to find that next play, or two extra plays, because my job is to coach.”
On whether he is more frustrated about this game’s outcome more than others…
“There were opportunities that could’ve gone a different way, but that’s a ballgame. You make your own breaks in life. I don’t make them for you— you’ve got to make them for yourself. You’ve got to handle your own business and do what you’ve got to do. We’ll grow from this and hopefully get better."
On what this loss says about his team’s growth and development...
"I’m proud of this team. I know wins is where you’ve ultimately got to get [your program] to, but we’re growing. We’re on pace to go where we want to go and get over that hump. I’ve got to find a way to get us over that, because that’s my job. I’m not distracted at all. I’m encouraged like crazy."
Buddy Johnson, Junior, Linebacker
On balancing the emotions of playing so well against the No. 4 team in the country with the loss...
"At the end of the day, we have to keep this team together. I think this team came out and fought hard. We didn't come out on top like we wanted to, but I think we fought hard and you could tell. This team is tough and we will keep fighting till the end. It is like battling everyday with those guys. It hurt me the most because no one has outworked us in the country. It hurt, but we just have to continue to keep working and move forward."
On if it was frustrating to not get the stop on that last drive to have one more shot at the win...
"It is very frustrating, because in the big moments, that is when it is most important. That is when guys have to step up the most and make big plays. I think there is just something we didn't do. We have to look ourselves in the mirror and make the corrections and move forward."
Anthony Hines III, Sophomore, Linebacker
On how tough this one is to swallow...
"When you play your heart out like that in an SEC battle it is extremely tough. We just have to bounce back."
On if a game like this, in a hostile environment, gets you ready for next week's game...
"This was definitely a hostile environment, very physical. Like I said, against an SEC opponent, No. 4 in the country. We are definitely looking forward to next week."
