On how he felt the defense, particularly the No. 1 defense, performed during the scrimmage on Saturday, Aug. 29…
“I feel like did good. We got better, I would say. Conditioning wise, the stadium is different; it’s the atmosphere and how it feels there. There’s a lot more sun there instead of shade, so I felt like when we were out there, a lot of people got a lot of chances to make plays and stuff like that we probably couldn’t do, or we did it in different spurts. Overall, I feel like we did good as a defense.”
On the secondary unit collectively/how he thinks UGA’s stands against others in the country and what the DBs have done to prepare for the season…
“We don’t really compare ourselves to anybody around the country. I feel like other teams have great DBs, [and] we have great DBs. Every day, we’re just coming in to work. We come in and are just making sure we are working on ourselves and the things we aren’t great at, so basically our weaknesses and stuff like that. I feel like every DB has made a big jump from where he was last year, even the young guys like Jalen Kimber [and] Major Burns. Players like them come to practice every day and work and, consistently, things just get better. All our DBs are learning, learning fast, and I’m learning with them as I try to teach them and give them the ropes. Every day, I have fun just being able to teach them. It’s definitely fun.”
On the ways the senior class has evolved/what the feeling is amongst the seniors heading into their final season…
“I feel like that 2017 group is so special, definitely. I feel like Coach Smart had a lot to do with it by grooming all of us to be leaders, not just one strict leader. He really did groom us all to be leaders, and I feel like to this point now , now that we’re seniors, you can really see the leadership come out. We just gradually went into [leadership roles]. [Smart] didn’t have to put anybody forward to do it, we all just started to gradually own our jobs and our positions, owning their units. [We] just make sure we’re holding everybody to the standard, and I just feel like we’re all leaders now.”
Owen Condon, Redshirt Sophomore, Offensive Lineman
On how successful he thinks the Georgia offense has been thus far in generating explosive plays in practice/during scrimmages…
“I think we had a good day today in terms of getting more explosive. We had a few plays in a couple periods that were explosive, some pass plays. We had a good day running the ball, as well. Being explosive is just required for a good offense, so we’re always working on the every day.”
On what his mindset going into this season is after suffering injuries in the past/where he thinks he has improved the most…
“During quarantine and this whole off-season, I’ve cut three percent of body fat. I’ve gotten a lot leaner, and I think I’m moving a lot better and have gotten stronger, as well. I think that’s really the biggest part of my game, and then I’m always working on my feet. You can never get too good with your foot work being an offensive lineman, so those have been the biggest things I’ve worked on this off-season. I also want to make a shout out to the training staff. Mr. Ron [Courson] and his staff have helped me out a ton, getting my shoulder back and getting healthy.”
On what some of the older players have taught him to help prepare for the season…
“I consider Ben Cleveland someone who has helped me. I just like the way he practices, and I learn from him by watching him. He’s experienced – he’s been here four or five years – and he’s played almost all of them. I just try and learn everything I can from him in practice, and Justin Shaffer, as well, [and] the way he approaches practice every day and just comes out ready to work. You can never learn enough from those two, so I just try to watch them in practice and film, and I try to learn little tops to make me better.”
Jake Camarda, Junior, Punter / Kicker
On what he has seen from the place kickers and how he handles pressure…
“Everyone has been looking good, competing and kicking the ball well. Georgia is going to be in good hands field goal wise. I’m not worried about that at all. There’s always going to be pressure out there. Nobody is putting too much pressure on each other because everyone wants to compete and wants the job, but at the end of the day, we want that guy to do well for the team. There’s pressure out there, but everyone is competing, and we’re all working hard.”
On juggling both place kicking and punting…
“It isn’t extremely difficult, I did it in high school. It was never something I had an issue with.”
On what he has seen from Jared Zirkel has been handling the adjustment to college…
“I think he has been handling it very well. Zirkel is a great guy. He came in and done a good job."
On Scott Cochran and what he thinks of him…
“He works with all of us. Coach Cochran is a really great guy. He’s out there really rooting for us and wants the absolute best for us. Whether he’s getting on us or picking us up, he’s always on our side for us to get better.”
Jermaine Johnson, Senior, Linebacker
On what his perspective, as a black man, is of the social injustices happening across the country and what Georgia Football is doing to take action…
“The last few weeks have been really hard just to see everything that is going on in the news and everything. I think it has struck me, as well as all of my teammates, really hard—white or black because we are united here. We are brothers—those type of issues affect all of us. In terms of what we are doing, we as a team—team and staff—we had a very productive talk in the past couple of days. Coach Smart just let us come up and share how we are feeling. We actually had white boards—I think it was a three hour meeting—just to get a bunch of things off of our chests. Just talking as a team and as a program on what we can do to make not only ourselves feel safe but other people feel safe out in the world and in the community.”
On being back in Minnesota during quarantine and what his mentality and goals were when getting back to Athens...
“Personally, I was very determined. I don’t think I put my best on film last year, personally. Going into this season and especially coming into the spring I was really excited to prove some things and work hard and just get better at some things I need to get better at—be whatever I needed to be for the team. Over quarantine I was just keeping my head down and working hard. I mean, I came from [Junior College] so it wasn’t really anything new. My dad had actually purchased some weights and other things in his garage. So, I keeping my head down and calling Coach Sinclair asking what I can do just to get better in terms of some speed stuff because you know I am a football player at the end of the day, so I can’t just be lifting weights. I don’t know—I was just trying to bounce things off of my coach of what I can do better while I’m not there. I was really focused on not falling behind because I know it’s easy for some guys to fall in that slump over that time. That was really what I was trying not to do.”
On from his perspective of what he brings to the table in a talented outside linebacker group...
“I honestly just try to ask my coaches what I can do better every single day, after practice. I try to be what I can for my team whether that be on special teams—everything like that. At this level, everyone has attributes. It comes down to technique and will and how much passion you give to the game and how committed you are to the program. I just ask my teammates and my coaches what I can do to get better every day. Whatever happens after that, happens.”
“During quarantine and this whole off-season, I’ve cut three percent of body fat. I’ve gotten a lot leaner, and I think I’m moving a lot better and have gotten stronger, as well. I think that’s really the biggest part of my game, and then I’m always working on my feet. You can never get too good with your foot work being an offensive lineman, so those have been the biggest things I’ve worked on this off-season. I also want to make a shout out to the training staff. Mr. Ron [Courson] and his staff have helped me out a ton, getting my shoulder back and getting healthy.”
On what some of the older players have taught him to help prepare for the season…
“I consider Ben Cleveland someone who has helped me. I just like the way he practices, and I learn from him by watching him. He’s experienced – he’s been here four or five years – and he’s played almost all of them. I just try and learn everything I can from him in practice, and Justin Shaffer, as well, [and] the way he approaches practice every day and just comes out ready to work. You can never learn enough from those two, so I just try to watch them in practice and film, and I try to learn little tops to make me better.”
Jake Camarda, Junior, Punter / Kicker
On what he has seen from the place kickers and how he handles pressure…
“Everyone has been looking good, competing and kicking the ball well. Georgia is going to be in good hands field goal wise. I’m not worried about that at all. There’s always going to be pressure out there. Nobody is putting too much pressure on each other because everyone wants to compete and wants the job, but at the end of the day, we want that guy to do well for the team. There’s pressure out there, but everyone is competing, and we’re all working hard.”
On juggling both place kicking and punting…
“It isn’t extremely difficult, I did it in high school. It was never something I had an issue with.”
On what he has seen from Jared Zirkel has been handling the adjustment to college…
“I think he has been handling it very well. Zirkel is a great guy. He came in and done a good job."
On Scott Cochran and what he thinks of him…
“He works with all of us. Coach Cochran is a really great guy. He’s out there really rooting for us and wants the absolute best for us. Whether he’s getting on us or picking us up, he’s always on our side for us to get better.”
Jermaine Johnson, Senior, Linebacker
On what his perspective, as a black man, is of the social injustices happening across the country and what Georgia Football is doing to take action…
“The last few weeks have been really hard just to see everything that is going on in the news and everything. I think it has struck me, as well as all of my teammates, really hard—white or black because we are united here. We are brothers—those type of issues affect all of us. In terms of what we are doing, we as a team—team and staff—we had a very productive talk in the past couple of days. Coach Smart just let us come up and share how we are feeling. We actually had white boards—I think it was a three hour meeting—just to get a bunch of things off of our chests. Just talking as a team and as a program on what we can do to make not only ourselves feel safe but other people feel safe out in the world and in the community.”
On being back in Minnesota during quarantine and what his mentality and goals were when getting back to Athens...
“Personally, I was very determined. I don’t think I put my best on film last year, personally. Going into this season and especially coming into the spring I was really excited to prove some things and work hard and just get better at some things I need to get better at—be whatever I needed to be for the team. Over quarantine I was just keeping my head down and working hard. I mean, I came from [Junior College] so it wasn’t really anything new. My dad had actually purchased some weights and other things in his garage. So, I keeping my head down and calling Coach Sinclair asking what I can do just to get better in terms of some speed stuff because you know I am a football player at the end of the day, so I can’t just be lifting weights. I don’t know—I was just trying to bounce things off of my coach of what I can do better while I’m not there. I was really focused on not falling behind because I know it’s easy for some guys to fall in that slump over that time. That was really what I was trying not to do.”
On from his perspective of what he brings to the table in a talented outside linebacker group...
“I honestly just try to ask my coaches what I can do better every single day, after practice. I try to be what I can for my team whether that be on special teams—everything like that. At this level, everyone has attributes. It comes down to technique and will and how much passion you give to the game and how committed you are to the program. I just ask my teammates and my coaches what I can do to get better every day. Whatever happens after that, happens.”
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