Coach Kirby Smart
Thoughts on the game:
“The offense really saved us.They did a tremendous job converting third downs, making plays and answering the bell. We had two deflating plays defensively and the offense had the backs of the defense.”
On continuing to improve:
“I was a little disappointed in some of the things we didn’t do well. We just can’t do that to beat really good teams. … We did some poor things tonight that cold get us beat in the future. … We’ve got to continue to improve. Offensively, we still have series where we shoot ourselves in the foot. What if we execute at the highest level? Defensively, what if we keep the players in front of us? How good could we be? We’ll keep showing things to the players and hopefully get better.”
On this week’s schedule:
“They have to embrace work if they want to be champions. We’ll find out about this team this week. Some call it an off week, some call it a bye week, we call it a work week. The seniors carry that load. They drive that message home. It’s their team and the young guys need to listen.”
On Florida in two weeks:
“It’s a great atmosphere and a great rivalry. It’s a great tradition game.”
On the open date:
“It’s been seven weeks in a row in our league along with Notre Dame and Appalachian State. We need some rest and recovery. It’s coming at a great time. We’ve got some healing to do. It’s tough and it wears on your depth. We’ve got to get some guys healthy.”
Redshirt Sophomore PK Rodrigo Blankenship
On making adjustments with his kickoffs...
“My mind just wasn’t right, wasn’t where it needed to be and wasn’t in the right place at the beginning of the game. I’ve got the best teammates in the country. They got me back into it and got me into a groove. Everyone on that sideline, we’re all our brother’s keepers and we all have each other’s back. When someone’s struggling, you get on ‘em and you get ‘em back on track.”
On his 4-of-4 performance on field goals, which matched his career best performance vs. Kentucky in 2016...
“It’s my job to try and make as many touchbacks as I can and try and make as many field goals as they send me out there for. I’m just thinking that if I can do something to contribute to the team effort towards a great victory, that’s what I’m going to do.”
Junior ILB Roquan Smith
On defensive halftime adjustments…
“We had to make some adjustments. [Missouri] was doing a lot of nice protections and then just taking shots and it was fast ball shots. We just have to make those adjustments at halftime and did a little bit better in the second half, but we still have room to improve.”
On the offensive test that Missouri posed...
“They definitely have a great offense. They’re averaging like 400, 500 yards a game [469 entering the game]. We knew they had a great offense, but we have a great defense, too. We felt like it was gonna be a stalemate, but they made a few plays on us and we just have to get better.” On the bye week and next test vs. Florida... “There’s no days off. It’s the bye week and we’ll go and enjoy this for 24 hours. Then throughout the bye week we’re gonna do some things, a lot of things, to work on ourselves and we’re gonna focus on Florida. We’re excited for the opportunity.”
Senior NT John Atkins
On the leadership and experience among the defense…
“It’s very different this year. The guys, we’ve been together now for some years now. Me, Davin Bellamy and Lorenzo Carter, we’re kinda like... what we said in the locker room earlier before the game is it’s a different vibe. The vibe that we have now, I haven’t felt that on other teams.”
On freshman quarterback Jake Fromm’s leadership and poise…
“I expect that with all of my teammates because we practice it. The way we practice is the way you’re gonna play. I feel like with Jake — in the locker room he’s on my row, and he’s always just talking and happy. I’ve never really seen pressure get to him, that’s one thing I can say about him.
On the importance of the bye week for recovery and preparation...
“It’s real important. Right now, we’re low on numbers, but a lot of guys will come back on this bye week and right now we can use this bye week to get our bodies right. It’s gonna be a big bye week and it’s gonna be a work week.”
Missouri head coach Barry Odom
On the Georgia team as a whole...
"I want to give credit to Georgia and Kirby Smart. They did a heck of a job, they have a really good team. As complete of a team as I've seen in a long time. I've known [Georgia offensive line coach] Sam Pittman for a long time, and I respect the job that he's done everywhere he's been. I think that offensive line is playing really, really well, at a high level.’’
On how the Georgia defense adjusted in the second half...
"Well they adjusted a little bit on what they're doing coverage-wise. They loosened up coverage-wise. When you're as good as they are, and they can put five or six in the box and stop the run, and then change the things they're doing coverage-wise, that changes how you play it offensively.’’
On the Georgia football program...
"They're a really good team. That's what I want Mizzou to be, from a game day atmosphere, to a roster, to all the above. And that's my vision on where we're going. It's going to take time, but absolutely, that can be done. That football team is really good in every area, and that's what I'm striving for."
On the Missouri pass rush...
"In our man-to-man coverage we weren't very good, and we went to more of a zone concept, and we didn't get enough rush in time to be able to cover up all the zones. And the quarterback played well, and they've got tremendous skill too. I was hoping we could get a little more pressure there on a couple things, and it didn't happen, and then they just had time. When you look at match-up wise, there aren't many, when you look at this true matchup-wise, and you say we've got the advantage there. With that you've got to be creative enough.’’
On the Georgia run game...
"I think the way that they play, there's a little bit of an element of tempo in there, which stresses you. Their offensive line is just, they're not overly huge when you look at some of the lines in the country, but they're physical and they play really hard. They're tough. Their backs, they're not looking to avoid contact. They're looking to, they're looking for contact. I respect that, the way they play the game."
Linebacker Terez Hall
On defense tonight…
‘’We couldn’t get it off the field, that was the main thing. That was basically it, you had to stick to the scheme, do your job, you can’t do extra. If you do extra you’re going to get beat on big plays and that’s what happened. You have to jump out of the gap and have a big run. That’s all. The scheme worked because they didn’t have nothing but once you start hopping out of the gap trying to make plays on your own, not getting out the field on third down, that’s what you get right there. There weren’t better than any other team we’ve played before. They’re just like any other team.’’
Staying on the scheme in the first quarter…
‘’We stayed in it then maybe the drilling got to pumping and those guys tried to make all of the plays. You just have to know your assignment and you have to do what the coach put out there for you.’’
On playing in Georgia...
‘’It’s the same old, same old. Like I told you in Florida, i don’t care if we go out and play Rockbridge High School or any other team. Playing in Georgia really doesn’t mean anything. I just came to play football.’’
On playing pass defense…
‘’We just have to get better that’s all. It’s going to come with practice and you have to believe we can get there. We’re going to make something happen. That’s the main thing, we just have to get up the field on third down. I don’t think they were a better team than us, I don’t think so personally.’’
Defensive Tackle Terry Becker
Did the team get worn down as the game went on?
‘’I wouldn’t say they wore us down but I think they just kept with it and that’s their strong point and they went with it. It went in their favor.’’
On improving on third downs…
‘’I mean we have to see what we have to do tomorrow. Watch film and just go from there.’’
On playing pass defense without getting a rush on the QB…
‘’It’s pretty tough because we have to have pressure. Talking about the secondary it varies, they have to do the same thing on the back end. They have to hold up and let us get it home and vice versa.’’
Quarterback Drew Lock
On the defense and what they changed…
‘’I think giving some looks at what they did last year, when they went cover two they didn’t sprint off the hash, kind of open their hips up, played tight, and that’s where I messed up on my pick. Saw a safety open his hips so I knew I would be able to play the other side as I peaked it I should have felt him squeeze on it and got outside my one, my receiver on the left, but I think they adjusted giving us some different fronts. Trying to mix things up out there, kind of confuse us up front but I think we handled it well.’’
On when there isn’t much of a running game…
‘’They like to be balanced out every single game but sometimes it’s going to fall into the hands of maybe the passing game and sometimes into the running game. I think you have to find ways to adjust and they did a good job of that tonight. Recognizing different match-up’s and trying to get the ball in the guys hands.’’
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