Sunday, October 31, 2021

Georgia-Missouri Kickoff Set

The Saturday, November 6th, Southeastern Conference football game between Georgia and Missouri in Athens will kick off at 12:00 noon ET and be televised by ESPN according to an announcement Sunday by the SEC office.

The other games with kickoff times being held until today include Auburn at Texas A&M (3:30 p.m. CBS) and LSU at Alabama (7:00 p.m. ESPN.

Saturday, October 30, 2021

Dawgs Win The East

With todays 34-7 dismantling of the Florida Gators in Jacksonville and tonight's win by Mississippi State over Kentucky, the Dawgs have locked up the SEC East.

The Dawgs will face the west division winner on December 4th in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta at 4 pm on CBS.

The SEC West looks like it may come down to the Iron Bowl to determine who will play the Dawgs. As we enter the month of November though, there are five teams still with a mathematical shot at the the title.

Post Game Quotes

Coach Kirby Smart

On today’s game and the win against Florida …

“There was great excitement, great energy. Our fans really impacted the game. They helped us get them for a few offsides. The turnovers were the difference in the game. We had a few, too, but theirs were in their territory, and that was probably the biggest difference in the game.”

On how well the running backs played today …

“They ran really tough. We are trying to get Kenny McIntosh back all the way healthy and Zamir White and James Cook took it over. They did a really good job with really physical runs. We did a good job upfront running the counter, and I am really proud of the way those guys played.”

On Stetson Bennett and his resiliency …

“He does a really good job on some plays, and then you are holding your breath when he holds the ball. He has to make good decisions down the field. We can’t give the ball away. When it is not there – we are pretty good on the next down, so let’s play for the next down and not worry about that play. Making good decisions can be helpful with that. His legs and mobility were a big part of the game plan and he made two really good plays with his feet.”

On Georgia’s defense and the sequence right before the half …

“That changed the game. That momentum right before the half was just huge. It is what our guys do – they are havoc guys that cause problems, frustrate the quarterback and try to find different ways to affect the quarterback. Those turnovers are so big.”

Stetson Bennett, Senior, Quarterback

On the defense performance to close out the half …

“The defense came out… We were struggling. We really didn’t play that great of a game offensively, the whole time. That starts with me, I didn’t play my best game at all. They came out, got us turnovers, and we capitalized on those turnovers. That’s what we had to do. Nakobe Dean getting that pick-six at the end was the icing on the cake, for the first half. It was a complete momentum change. It was 3-0, until that happened.”

Nolan Smith, Junior, Linebacker

On the defense performance to close out the half …

“It’s just momentum swings. Anyone could have done it. The Nakobe Dean pick-six was a momentum swing. When momentum goes the other way, guys feed off of each other. We always talk about connection. You feel it, and if you don’t see it on the sideline you would be absolutely absurd. I’m cheering the offense on when their up, and they are cheering us on. It’s all about connection and team comradery. Being together as one. We say, ‘One band, one sound.’ I was saying that before the game.”

On Stetson Bennett …

“Stetson Bennett. The Mailman. One thing about Stetson, he just works. He doesn’t listen to the noise. He’s a blue-collar guy. When you talk about trusting a guy, I trust him. He goes out there and works, puts his best foot forward every day. Even though it may not look pretty to y’all, he’s getting the job done.”

On the interception …

“This is my first game having an interception. That was really exciting for me.”

Coach Dan Mullen

Opening statement… 

“Obviously, a tough game for us against a very good football team. I give them a lot of credit. They have very talented players and they play with great effort. They take advantage of opportunities. They play really good team football and you have to give them a lot of credit. Looking at us right now, we’re not where we want to be. I’m certainly not where I want to be and our players certainly are not where they want to be at this point of the season. It’s a mindset right now that we have to go change. Football is a great team sport, the ultimate team sport. As the head coach, the mindset of the team falls on me… Where we’re at, the attitude, the approach and everything falls on me. Obviously, I know we’re two-thirds of the way through the season right now. I’m certainly not pleased with where we are and I know our players are not pleased with where we are. I know Gator Nation is not pleased with where we are with the standards and expectations within this program. But, in this final third of the season, that’s on me to get this fixed. The approach I take and mindset that we play with, that’s on me to get fixed and I certainly plan on doing that – on changing where we’re at right now with us, creating some positive energy and some confidence for us, and the expectations to feed off of each other. I’m going to work and make sure I get that right.” 

On the fans who are feeling the program isn’t going on the right trajectory… 

“Here’s the deal – as you start slipping and the rope is slipping, you go on a little rope pull. It really pertains to everything… It pertains to individual games. At times we play really well, and then the rope slips and we kind of let a lot of it go. Against good teams, you can’t do that. Offense, defense - The entire team has to grasp the rope. There are going to be ebbs and flows in the course of each game. As the rope slips throughout your hands, you can either let it drop, which isn’t the answer and won’t fix anything. Then, you’re going to feel that burn and you’re not going to squeeze as tight because of that burn, and that’s not going to fix anything. Or, you can just grab on tight, you hold on, you dig your heels in and you start pulling in the other direction. But a negative attitude or dropping the rope doesn’t fix anything. Grasping the rope does, holding on tight does, and squeezing as it’s burning does. I will say something about me – I don’t drop the rope. I’m not going to even let you rip it out of my hands. You can drag me around by my face if you want, but I’m going to squeeze it and I’m not going to let any inch of that rope go… And I know our players won’t either. For Gator Nation, we have one-third of the season left. Listen, this is not where I want to be right now. At 4-4, this is not where they want to be. But we still have one-third of this season left and we’ll see what we define ourselves by at the end of this season.”

Dawg's Defense Crushes Gators

UGA Sports Communications

Fueled by a 21-point burst before halftime, the University of Georgia remained unbeaten with a decisive 34-7 victory over Florida Saturday afternoon before 76,141 spectators at TIAA Bank Field and a CBS national television audience.

Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett finished 10-for-19 for 161 yards and one touchdown, while tailback Zamir White tallied a season-high 105 yards on 14 carries and wideout Kearis Jackson led in receiving with three catches for 59 yards. Overall, Georgia (8-0, 6-0 SEC) finished with 354 yards, with Florida (4-4, 2-4 SEC) outgaining the Dawgs by one yard. Linebacker Quay Walker led the Georgia defense with a career-high 13 tackles with safety Lewis Cine pitching in with eight.

“There was great excitement, great energy,” said coach Kirby Smart following the game. “Our fans really impacted the game. They helped us get them for a few offsides. The turnovers were the difference in the game. We had a few, too, but theirs were in their territory, and that was probably the biggest difference in the game.”

Georgia moved quickly on its opening drive following a 31-yard kickoff return from Jackson, picking up three first downs on its first four plays to reach the Florida 19-yard line. Unfortunately for the Dawgs, the drive came away without points as Bennett was flagged for intentional grounding on third-and-1, followed by a missed 46-yard field goal by Jack Podlesny.

After forcing a Florida three-and-out, the Dawgs again entered Gator territory, but another third down penalty stalled the drive. The defenses continued to excel until Florida tailback Dameon Pierce rushed up the middle for a 19-yard gain to the Georgia 36-yard line. Like the Dawgs before, the Gators did not score on the drive as Jace Christmann’s 51-yard attempt missed as the first quarter clock expired.

As the second quarter opened, the Georgia offense came to life starting with a 12-yard completion from Bennett to Jackson, eventually entering the red zone on a 20-yard scamper from Bennett to the 7-yard line. However, another stall forced the Dawgs to settle for a 21-yard Podlesny field goal, capping off an 11-play, 63-yard drive. On the ensuing Florida drive, Gator starting quarterback Anthony Richardson converted on fourth-and-2 at the Georgia 40, but a combined sack by Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis led to a fourth down stop.

Taking over at the Florida 34-yard line, Bennett found Darnell Washington for a 32-yard completion, but on the subsequent play, Bennett’s deep ball was picked off by Rashad Torrence at the 4-yard line. With Florida near its goal line, the Georgia defense stepped up as Nolan Smith stripped Richardson and set the Dawgs up at the 11-yard line. In one play, Georgia capitalized as James Cook rushed for a touchdown to make the score 10-0.

On the following drive, Smith notched another turnover as he picked off Richardson’s second down pass off the deflection by Travon Walker, with pressure coming from Nakobe Dean. Georgia again took just one play to convert as Bennett hit Jackson for a falling, 36-yard touchdown in the left corner of the end zone. The scoring barrage concluded as Dean picked off Richardson and returned it for a 50-yard touchdown, the third pick-six of the season for the Dawgs. With three touchdowns in the final 2:22 of the half, Georgia headed to the locker room with a 24-0 lead.

Georgia’s first drive of the second half ended prematurely as Kenny McIntosh fumbled at the Georgia 49-yard line. Powered by an 18-yard Pierce rush, Florida reached the Georgia 6, but Emory Jones’ third down pass was blocked at the line by Kelee Ringo, leading to a miss from 23 yards out by Christmann. Looking to seal the game, Brock Bowers picked up 38 yards on a nifty throw from Bennett with Podlesny later connecting on a 42-yard field goal.

The Gators again reached Dawg territory to open the fourth quarter but were once more stifled as Dean broke up Jones’ fourth-down pass. On the ensuing drive, Bennett was picked off for the second time by Torrence at the Florida 11. Florida moved down the field on a prolonged drive using Jones’ passing game, but he used his legs to score from two yards out with 2:49 remaining in the game. Nonetheless, the Dawgs added one more score to wrap up the day as White scored from 42 yards out.

“The running backs ran really tough,” said Smart. “We are trying to get Kenny McIntosh back all the way healthy and Zamir White and James Cook took it over. They did a really good job with really physical runs. We did a good job upfront running the counter, and I am really proud of the way those guys played.”

Georgia returns home next week as it plays host to Missouri (4-4, 1-3 SEC) on Saturday, November 6th at Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium. The kickoff time and TV network for the game will be announced Sunday.

Post Game Notes

Dominating Game Again For The Defense: Top-ranked Georgia, which came in leading the nation in Scoring Defense (6.6 points per game), held UF scoreless until 2:49 left in the game and won 34-7 to improve to 8-0, 6-0 SEC. It was the lowest point total by Florida in the Dan Mullen era. UF came in averaging 34.4 points a game. Today was the fifth time this season that the Dawg defense has blanked a team in the first half.

Georgia now has allowed just five TDs this year and 53 points (6.6 ppg). The 53 points through eight games is the lowest in a season at this point since 1971 (46 points). The Dawgs forced three turnovers that led to 21 points including a pick-six by junior Nakobe Dean that covered 50 yards. It was his first TD and second career INT. The Dawg defense has four TDs this year. Under Kirby Smart, the Dawgs have 23 defense or special teams scores since 2016. Georgia improved to 20-1 when they register a non-offensive score in the Smart era.

Junior LB Nolan Smith caused and recovered a UF fumble at the UF 11. It was Smith’s second caused fumble this year and of his career. It led to an 11-yard TD run by senior James Cook and a 10-0 lead with 2:16 left. On UF’s next possession, Smith came up with his first career interception, getting it at the UF 36 after it was tipped by Travon Walker. It led to an immediate TD as Bennett snagged a 36-yard pass from Bennett for a 17-0 lead with 1:35 left in the first half. The leading tackler was Quay Walker with a career-high 13.

The Dawgs are +3 in turnover margin and have scored 73 points off 13 turnovers. In the 2nd half, UF forced a fumble and took over at the UGA 49. It led to a missed field goal. Bennett threw two INTs, and they led to 7 points . Opponents have scored 27 points of 10 Dawg miscues this year.

Bennett Leads Dawgs To Another Win: Georgia senior QB Stetson Bennett (10-for-19, 161 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT) got the start for the fourth straight week and fifth time overall this season. With the win, he improves to 9-2 as a starter including 5-0 this year. In the first half, Georgia had three scoring drives, a 63-yarder in 6:22 that ended with a field goal. The second one went for a TD that covered 11 yards on one play in six seconds. The six-second drive was the quickest this year. The third scoring drive was another in just one play, this time covering 36 yards. The defense took care of the fourth score, capping a 24-point outburst by the Dawgs.

Rushing Highlights: Georgia tallied 193 rushing yards on 33 attempts for a 5.8 average. Senior Zamir White led the team with 14 rushes for 105 yards including a 42-yard TD. It was his fourth career 100+ yard game. Senior James Cook had an 11-yard TD and finished with 46 yards on 10 carries.

Array Of Targets: Six different receivers caught a pass. Junior Kearis Jackson had a team-high three catches for 59 yards including a 36-yarder for a TD. Sophomore TE Darnell Washington had 41 yards on two catches.

Series History/Up Next: With the 34-7 win, Georgia now has a 54-44-2 edge in the series history including 4-2 under Kirby Smart. Up next, Georgia (8-0, 6-0 SEC) returns home to face Missouri Saturday. Kickoff is TBA. The Tigers (3-4, 0-3 SEC) are playing Vanderbilt in Nashville today.

Special Teams Summary: Senior punter Jake Camarda finished with two punts for a 48.5 average including a 51-yarder. Junior Jack Podlesny went 2-for-3 on field goals, making two (21 and 42 yards) and missing a 46-yarder. He is 12-for-16 on field goals this year. He made four PATs and is now 37-for-38 in PATs this year. Junior Kearis Jackson had one punt return for seven yards plus one kickoff return for 31 yards.

Game Captains/Coin Toss: The captains were seniors Adam Anderson (SLB), James Cook (RB), Jamaree Salyer (LT) and Quay Walker (MLB). Florida won the toss and elected to defer the football until the second half.

Wednesday, October 27, 2021

Wednesday Press Conference

Coach Kirby Smart

Opening Statement…

"We are excited to head down to Jacksonville, Fla. for our traditional rivalry in the Georgia-Florida game. Our kids are excited forward to the opportunity. They enjoy playing in this environment. It's one of a kind in college football. Our guys are looking forward to the challenge of playing a really talented Florida football team."

On Jordan Davis…

"He's having a good season. He's had some games where we've had leads and he hasn't been able to play and have as much production as he would like to have, but he has been really active when he has played. He has been very productive in terms of the things we ask him to do when he has played. He hasn't played a ton of snaps because of some of the games we have had. He's a tough guy on the run. He's hard to move. He's athletic for his size."

On the similarities to the 2011 Alabama defense…

"I can't remember much about it, to be honest. There was a lot of talent, I know that, and there is a lot of talent on this one. I think they both have a lot of pride in performance. That is one of the number one indicators of success. How prideful are you in how you play? They take a lot of pride in being good. They don't worry about who they play, they just play to a standard."

On the Florida defense…

"Size. They have really good players on the edge. They have an abundance of guys with size, that can play inside. They have gone out and gotten transfers, and guys that are big. They have always had great pass rushers. Very active guys on the perimeter that can make plays on the edge. They make it hard to get on the perimeter. They make it hard to throw the ball. They are very disruptive in what they do defensively."

On game planning for a Dan Mullen team…

"It's always challenging. It goes all the way back to the years at Mississippi State, where you feel like there is so much to prepare for. You feel like there is this encyclopedia of offense, and you have to figure out what you are going to prepare for because within the game he has a lot of different packages that you have to be prepared for, and you don't know which one you are going to get. A lot of it boils down to how quickly can you adjust with in-game, and cater your plan with his plan."

On Joe Lee Dunn…

"A very unique personality. I don't remember getting to meet him personally, but I certainly remember as a player and young coach… coming up in my early years and games. I think we may have played against him one time when I was at Georgia. Everybody talked about the blitzes and the pressures. His unique and kind of uncanny ability to call the defenses. From the hip, down on the field, he hand signaled and called them all himself. It was always well known how aggressive he was incoming after people. I remember some of those Mississippi State defenses that were really aggressive and came after people. I have a lot of respect for the work he did.

On the QB position…

"They both look good, and they are both doing a good job. So, we will go into Wednesday and see how today goes."

James Cook, Senior, Running Back

On emotions after losing to UF last year…
 
"We have no regrets, going out there each and every day, being ready to beat them and come prepared to play. That feeling coming off the field last year, that we had, knowing what we could have done and that is what we have been holding onto this week."

On wheel routes…

"My job is just to beat the guy in front of me and that is what I am trained to do. As long as I win my one-on-ones and get open, the sky is the limit."

On choosing to stay at UGA…

"It actually did help. Going undefeated, that is the goal. Trying to lead my team the best way I can. I really came back for my brothers and try to accomplish something with them. Trying to be better every day with my team so we don't have the same feeling that we had last year."

Kearis Jackson, Junior, Wide Receiver

On the excitement amongst Florida-born players for this game...

"Those guys get pretty pumped up, especially going into the state of Florida, going back down South to play a rivalry game. It's exciting not only for the guys from Florida, but also us Georgia boys, as well, because growing up, I remember always watching the Florida game. It's an exciting matchup, and we are excited."

On the Georgia quarterbacks...

"Both quarterbacks have been very poised. They approach practice the way they should. They make sure guys are in the right spot, making good checks. Both of those guys have been doing a terrific job in practice."

On the effect of rotating quarterbacks...

"We don't really notice. We just go out there and play football. We make sure we do out assignment right."

Davis, Stinchcomb To Be Inducted Into Georgia-Florida Hall of Fame

Former Dawg linebacker Thomas Davis and offensive lineman Jon Stinchcomb will be inducted into the Georgia-Florida Hall of Fame during ceremonies and a luncheon presented by Miller Electric Company on Friday, Oct. 29, as part of the Georgia-Florida Weekend.

Joining Davis and Stinchcomb in this year’s class will be Florida running back Ciatrick Fason and defensive back Keiwan Ratliff. The group will be inducted at the 25th annual luncheon inside the East Club at TIAA Bank Field.

“The Florida-Georgia game is one of Jacksonville’s longest running traditions, and one of the most storied rivalries in college football,” said Mayor Lenny Curry. “Every year, the Hall of Fame Luncheon allows us the opportunity to recognize some of the most talented student-athletes and coaches and highlight the tremendous impact and strong connection this game has to our city.”

Davis was a versatile defensive star for the Dawgs, playing linebacker and safety throughout his career from 2002-2004. While at Georgia, Davis accumulated 272 tackles, 10.5 sacks, and 3 interceptions, he also helped the Dawgs to three consecutive seasons of 10 wins or more, including a SEC Championship in 2002. Davis was a unanimous first-team All-SEC selection in 2003 and 2004, while also being named a first-team All-American in 2004 and was a semi-finalist for the Bednarik Award given annually to the nation’s top defensive player. Davis was drafted in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers and was named the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2014, which recognizes a player’s off-the-field community service as well as his playing excellence.

Stinchcomb arrived at UGA with an outstanding record of accomplishment after being named USA Today first team All-America and the 1998 recipient of the National Football Foundation High School Scholar-Athlete Award. Stinchcomb started his career at UGA by earning Freshman All-American honors, and by the time he was a senior in 2002, he helped lead the Dawgs to their first SEC Championship in 20 years, while being named first team All-American, and was selected to the Academic All-American Team for the second consecutive year. He also was one of 11 Division I players nationally to be named to the AFCA National Good Works Team for outstanding contributions to community service. Stinchcomb was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the 2nd round of the 2003 NFL Draft, and he achieved the ultimate goal in the NFL as a member of the 2010 New Orleans Saints Super Bowl XLIV Championship team.

Hall of Fame Luncheon tickets are on sale through the City of Jacksonville Sports & Entertainment Office. Please visit https://2021flgahalloffame.eventbrite.com. Contact Chandler Fussell at 904-255-5418 or CFussell@coj.net for more information.

About the Florida-Georgia Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Luncheon presented by Miller Electric Company

Created in 1995, the Florida-Georgia Hall of Fame honors and recognizes the memorable players, coaches, and administrators involved in the long-standing rivalry. Over the 25-year history of the Hall of Fame there have been over 100 people inducted including legendary Gators Steve Spurrier, Danny Wuerffel, Tim Tebow and Fred Taylor, as well as Dawg legends Vince Dooley, Herschel Walker, David Pollack and Knowshon Moreno. For information, please visit FLGAjax.com.

About the City of Jacksonville Division of Sports and Entertainment

The City of Jacksonville Division of Sports and Entertainment attracts, hosts and creates opportunities that drive economic impact, accelerate the Jacksonville brand and improve the quality of life and cultural engagement for visitors and residents. Jacksonville hosts hundreds of diverse events each year making Northeast Florida a premier destination with rich tradition and world-class hospitality. For more information, visit events.coj.net.

Tuesday, October 26, 2021

Dawgs Talk About Florida

Coach Kirby Smart

On Jordan Davis’ impact…

“It's very impactful. I guess that doesn't help the description. I mean, he is valuable. And I think when you talk about running the ball in the league we're in you have to be able to have some sort of run game. You don't have to be dominant in the run game. You got to be able to run the ball and he makes us have more third and seven to twelves than we have third and two to fours. And just statistically when you have third and two to four which we had an inordinate amount against Kentucky and struggled some because they did a nice job on second long, it affects the game and when you have third and seven to ten, it helps you. Jordan is a heavy impact on that because it's tough to run him. It's tough to run the ball when he's in there. I think what he's done, he's made himself quicker, more agile, and his weight fluctuates from time to time, but he's much more effective when he's under 350. And he's taken it upon himself here lately to really work to be under 350. And I noticeably can tell a difference in him when he's 350 or less. I know that seems like a lot but he's been higher than that.”

On discussion of Jordan Davis as a Heisman Trophy candidate…

“I think it's unfortunate that defensive players don't get mentioned for it. I'm not necessarily advocating Jordan. I'm advocating defensive players because I feel like the NFL values that and if you look over time, outside of the quarterback position, which they have to draft and they get drafted every year, four to five guys on average at quarterback, outside of that you have defensive players taking the top 10 every year because they can change the game when there’s pass rush or corner or somebody locking someone down or whatever the position may be, but it is what it is and it's an award that has become quarterback, receiver, running back heavy and an ultimate respect for the for the award, but certainly some defensive players across the country deserve some kind of recognition. It's almost like you wish you could take one every year to New York as a defensive player because it's such a great event.”

On playing with two quarterbacks…

“Between the ones and the twos reps you can get plenty of reps for two quarterbacks. Our ones get a little more than our twos, but you know you can go 50 50, you can go 70 30, 60 40. We prescribe that as the week goes on. Carson Beck has taken less reps this week because JT has taken more reps, and the combination of Stetson and JT is to get them both prepared, because there are two quarterbacks right now.”

On JT Daniels’ progression this week…

“He’s looked good. He's done a good job. I would be remiss if I could tell you everything he did today. That's why when we hang up this call, I go in and watch it and see it visually with my eyes. A lot of time at practice, I'm watching it from a defensive perspective then at night I’m watching from a quarterback perspective and also talking to Coach Todd Monken and the offensive staff about it, but he's done a good job. I wouldn't say that there's been a lot of limitations, it doesn't seem like there's been limitations in terms of what he can and can't do.”

On the secondary this season…

“They’re doing their job. They've been effective at keeping our edges and in run support, because a lot of people have tried to get out on the edge on us to avoid the interior run game. We've given up some explosives. We've given up some 50-50 balls, but they've been the beneficiary of good rush and they've made some plays when they've gotten opportunities. Those guys have made some pics, Chris Smith, Lewis Cine, Kelee Ringo, and DK have all made them and you punish people when they make mistakes, and you got to capitalize on those when they happen. We have not played our best game in the secondary, we've not played perfectly, and we're not where we need to be. But, you know, we're a work in progress there. And the front has helped us buy some time to do the work.”

On dropped passes…

“I certainly don't feel good about drops, because those are just things for other people to see in the future. But again, I don't really know what you're referencing there.”

On successfully defending the wheel route against Florida…

“You'd have to define a wheel, I know that the layman's term for you guys is a wheel route, but there's a lot of different ways to describe that wheel route. And they really did a great job and we did a really poor job of covering and 90 percent of that is eye control. If you look at the right thing, then you tend to cover the thing, now there's also the eye control, then there's the making the play. So sometimes you just don't make the play and the guy's better than you and he goes up and gets it and there's not even covering them, which is a lack of discipline or we're not doing a good job as coaches of helping them in terms of what we play, but I can’t tell you it won’t happen again because they run the same plays this year as they ran last year. We're not changing our entire defense because of that. We've got an answer for it. But there's things that can hurt you when you just play for the wheel that can hurt you in other ways. I certainly don't want to give up explosive plays, whether that's a back out of the backfield, a tight end, a receiver, whatever it is, we're gonna do all we can to make sure that doesn't happen but they also lead the country in rushing yards per attempt. So you can only protect the wheel so much when they're running the ball for six and seven yards a clip.”

On Nakobe Dean and Roquan Smith comparison…

“I don't like comparisons. I'm just not a big fan of them. I don't really think they're always fair. I do think that Nakobe Dean has done a great job. He's the commander in chief of making our calls. He's very physical. He keys things really well, a very instinctive football player as Roquan Smith was as well.”

On Adam Anderson’s role against mobile quarterbacks…

“Adam has given us the luxury of having a really fast athletic guy, but the best thing Adam does is rush. And I think the best thing Coach Lanning has done has allowed him to rush. There were times early in his career that we asked Adam to spy and run down the quarterback and chase him down and that's not a lot of sack production when you do that. He's freed Adam up to do what he does best, which is rushing against the other team's offensive tackle. I can assure you, there's a lot of teams that didn’t like seeing Adam spy over rushing on their tackle. So, he's done a good job of doing that. He's also become a more complete every down player where he can play first and second down and do some more things.”

On Arian Smith and other receivers’ health…

“Yeah, we are hoping to get Arian Smith back. He’s been closer each week. It's just a lower leg contusion that’s been bothering him when he plants and runs, but he is much closer this week, but he’s been on about a fifty percent pitch count. He’s been repping with the twos, he’s getting reps and I think he’s looked better this week than he has in the past. We hope that continues throughout the rest of the week. Jermaine Burton has been bothered by the groin, he’s fought through that. He’s not 100%. Justin Robinson’s got a little bit of a hamstring now so he’s banged up. Dominick Blaylock is still out. So I feel like we are better off than we were going into the Auburn game, but I don’t feel like we are near where we need to be in terms of wide receiver. But I do think Arian will be back and Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint has done a great job this week and Jermaine has been out there practicing. Of those three alone, they are a huge boost.”

On dealing with Dan Mullen’s offenses...

“The best thing about Dan Mullen is that he has packages of plays to accentuate his playmakers. Whether is was Kyle Pitts, Kadarious Toney, whoever it might be, he always had...even at Mississippi State where he might not have has as many playmakers as he’s had at Florida, he knows how to get them the ball. He does it in ways that he creates confusion, he moves people around. I think he’s gotten better, there’s times when he was at Mississippi State when I thought he had done the same thing for a long time. Now, he’s got more presentation to what he does and did a good job of that last year. I mean we all learn from other people so it’s like there is a copy-cat element to what we all do - defensively and offensively. He’s taken what other NFL teams and other college teams do well and added it to his offense to get his players the ball.”

On favorite Halloween candy…

“Sour Patch Kids.”

On Florida quarterback run success…

“Well they are probably faster than KJ (Jefferson). They have an offensive line that is really big. They have a run game scheme that is built to allow the quarterback to run. Dan Mullen doesn’t abort the run, he uses the run game to set up his play-actions and when you least expect it, he runs the quarterback. Those guys are just really good runners. It is a different dynamic between those guys and KJ. KJ is a big physical guy, those guys are elusive and powerful and they throw the ball well too and have a good supporting cast around them - I’m talking about the wide-outs.”

On using last year’s loss to Florida as motivation…

“Yeah outside of the tape, of using the tape of the plays we may see repeated or the looks we may get because a lot of the coaches are the same, not a lot. I don’t try and use those extrinsic things, I just, I have never had great experiences with that. You count on emotions to do that. I don’t want the players’ emotional the whole time. That’s what the fan wants, but I want them thinking about what they have to do to win this game and last year’s game has nothing to do with this year’s game.”

On what makes a good player at the STAR position...

“Well, it's a position that has morphed. There’s so many perimeter screens and every play has three plays on it which is why you see scoring going up because the offense can be right more often. The star is in the crosshairs of all of those plays. He’s the guy they’re reading, he’s the guy they’re blocking, he’s the guy they're blitzing, he’s the guy they're throwing off of, he’s the guy they’re box counting. So having a tough, physical guy that is six-foot 205 pounds that can run, that can cover, they don’t grow anywhere, you don’t just find them anywhere. That position is critical. It keeps your edges, it sends everything back to the big guys. It does so many things in defense. Number one, you better have two guys that can play it because it’s like playing linebacker nowadays in terms of the contact that is created from that position. You’ve got to be able to take on guards, to take on tackles. You’ve just got to be tough and physical. It’s a tough position. Latavious Brini has done a good job. Losing Tykee Smith hurt because he was going to be able to spell Brini some. Javon Bullard has done a great job embracing that and he’s still growing and getting better.”

On Travon Walker’s contribution this season…

“He’s an extreme part. He is a freak of nature when it comes to athletic ability for that size. I do not know how many years that it will be before I coach a guy who is that big that can run like that and has really good stamina with great toughness and effort. His stats may not be the best in the world, or they may not be what Azeez Ojulari’s are, but he is playing really well. He is playing really physical. He is playing a lot of snaps, and I am really proud of what he is doing in terms of leadership for our team.”

On incorporating mobile quarterbacks in the future…

"I would love to have the perfect quarterback that runs a 4.5 (40-yard dash). He is 6'4". He reads things. He is great in the pocket. I would love to have that, but I am not saying that I have to have that. I have to have the guy that gives us the best chance to win. Within our system, does it require the quarterback to run? I think that all quarterbacks have to have some mobility. There is not a really good quarterback that you see playing in the NFL that does not have a form of mobility. All quarterbacks have different levels of that. As long as you do not sacrifice decision-making and accuracy, which are the two greatest components of a quarterback, then yes, I want a runner. For every ounce of decision-making and accuracy that I lose, I am willing to give up some running ability."

On JT Daniel’s movement and adjustment to practice...

Watching Monday's practice, I thought that he handled that well. Today, I want to reserve judgement until I see it from the actual tape. There is nothing there that I noticed is a problem for him. He moved around in the pocket and made some throws. I did not see all of the periods, because I am not in both locations. I will get ready to watch that now and see how he does tomorrow, too."

Latavious Brini, Senior, Defensive Back

On how his role changes with playing against Florida...

"The role does not change. I just come out here and execute my job and the assignment that the coaches give me each week."

On Javon Bullard and the challenges of the STAR position...

"Like I say, every day is a challenge. Every day that you wake up is a challenge. I embrace the challenge. Javon is actually a great young player. He has accepted his role to step up. He is just doing a great job and is accepting the challenge very well."

On Jordan Davis off the field...

"Jordan Davis is one of the sweetest people that you could ever meet. His smile can bright up a whole room. That is the craziest thing that people really do not know. He is so big on the field, but off the field he is just a loving person."

Travon Walker, Junior, Defensive Lineman

On having Jordan Davis available against Florida opposed to last year...

"Like I always say, Jordan is a great person to have on the inside, because he is a big guy. He takes up multiple blocks. That frees up a lot of guys, and it makes the ball bounce outside more. It helps me out to make more plays."

On sharing the glory on defense...

"Just being able to play with a lot of these talented guys, everybody is a great player, so of course there is not one person that is going to get all of the shine every game. It is really an honor to be around all these guys. Different players get shine every week, and that says something positive about the defense."

On what makes Tray Scott a good coach...

"Coach Scott is a guy that is not just all about football. He wants to see us succeed outside of football and on the football field as well. Just him being that type of human being and wanting the best for you, you cannot really beat that, because he wants to see you succeed in every part of life."

Georgia-Charleston Southern Kickoff Set

The Saturday, November 20th, non-conference game between Georgia and Charleston Southern will kick off at 12:00 noon according to an announcement Tuesday by the Southeastern Conference.

The game will be carried on the SEC Network+ and ESPN+. As part of the SEC-ESPN contract, ESPN has the right to air at least one non-conference game per school on ESPN+

SEC Network+ is complementary to the SEC Network and accessible at no additional charge to SEC Network subscribers with a customer’s TV provider credentials. It can be accessed through the ESPN App on smartphones, tablets, connected streaming devices or via espn.com/watch.

ESPN+ is a standalone streaming service that requires a subscription separate from a customer’s TV provider credentials. It is available to stream through the ESPN App on connected devices and on ESPN.com.

Cine Named Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Semifinalist

Georgia junior safety Lewis Cine has been named one of 12 semifinalists for the 2021 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award given to the best defensive back in college football, according to an announcement by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame.

Cine, a native of Cedar Hill, Texas, is one of two semifinalists from the Southeastern Conference. Three finalists will be announced on Nov. 23.

Junior Tykee Smith was a 2020 semifinalist with West Virginia before joining the Bulldogs in the offseason. The Dawgs’ last finalist was J.R. Reed in 2019 and the Georgia’s only winner of the award was Deandre Baker in 2018.

Cine has started all seven games for the undefeated Dawgs and is third on the team with 28 tackles, including a tackle for loss. He also has one interception this year and has helped Georgia boast the nation’s No. 2 pass defense, giving up just 144.9 yards per game. Cine is on the backend of a defensive unit that is leading the country in scoring defense (6.6 points/game) and that has only allowed three opponents to reach double figures.

Monday, October 25, 2021

Monday Press Conference

Coach Kirby Smart

Opening Statement…

"Game plan, prep, try to get ahead. Today we will kind of do the same continuation. Players were off this weekend. It was good for them to get a break. I know most of them came back excited yesterday. We're looking forward to an opportunity to play in what I think is one of the best games in all of college football, in terms of the pageantry, the 50/50 stand, the neutral site. It's a really cool atmosphere that we get to play in, in Jacksonville, Fla. Looking forward to playing a really good football team."

On who will play QB…

"It's going to be based on practice. No decision has been made, whatsoever. JT Daniels did practice Wednesday and did pretty good, and he practiced Thursday and did well, in terms of not having pain before, during, or after. That's what we're looking for. Is it bothering you today? No. Can you throw today? Yes. Did you throw today? Yes. How does it feel after? No pain. Again, we will continue down that same path today, and see how he feels. The good thing is he was able to get a good Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off… Really almost four days if you count from the last practice to this practice, all of the players have… In terms of that, it will be based on how practice goes. No determination has been made, nor will it be made. It's based on performance on the field. It's just like our guys that came back from ankle injuries. They were back. Everybody was asking about Darnell Washington. Darnell was back and he was 100 percent of what he could be 100 percent, but he wasn't really ready to play yet. I think it all depends on where JT Daniels is and where Stetson Bennett is, and who gives us the best chance to win. Stetson has done a good job since he's been playing and JT has done a good job when he's played. The good thing is we feel like we have really three-four good quarterbacks who are ready to play."

On the level of competition in the SEC East…

"That's hard to say. We haven't played everybody on the East yet. I don't know the answer to that. I do know that the SEC is a really tough conference to play in. When I sit back and watch games on Saturday, there are some really tough games in the SEC whether it's East-West, West-East. It's a tough conference. A lot of games are decided really close, typically. Florida has been in a couple of those that they ended up on the short side of, but they have a really good football team. I think the SEC East is a really good division, side of a conference, but who am I to judge when we see each other more than most people do, in terms of watching tape and cross over."

On the chemistry of the offense…

"Chemistry is very important, but I don't typically address it with the team. I don't think we have a chemistry issue with either quarterback. I've said repeatedly, I don't think our offensive players really pay attention to or know who is back there most of the time. Especially this year, where there has been a lot of interchangeable parts. Carson Beck has gone with the one, Stetson Bennett has gone with the ones, JT Daniels has gone with the one. JT's been out. Carson's been hurt. Stetson has had lower back pain. We've had a revolving door in terms of guys that have gone there. I really don't think that it's a big deal for the offensive players in terms of who's in there."

On JT Daniels…

"Again, it's going to depend on how they practice and what they do. Is it likely that we'll see both of them? I don't know that. I haven't seen practice today. I'd like to see practice today, to know a little better about where he's at. Based on Wednesday and Thursday, he was able to throw without pain. That's step one. The next step is, can I move? Can I throw with accuracy? Can I do all the things that are required to play quarterback? I don't know if he can do those things yet. We will see be how we practice this week."

On Coach Mullen…

"He does a great job of utilizing the skillset of the players he has. At Mississippi State, he had different kinds of quarterbacks, he has proven he can win with all kinds. Whether it's a running quarterback, a dual threat quarterback, everybody has all the classifications. He plays to the skillsets of his players and that includes his quarterbacks, he's done that Dak Prescott, with Kyle Trask, with Tim Tebow. He's done a tremendous job of packaging what they do well. He has a lot of different packages he uses, sometimes the history of that can be detrimental because you end up chasing ghosts of things he's done in the past or plays he's used. At the end of the day, it boils down to a lot more than how the players play, not what defense or offense we call."

On rotating QBs…

"I'll say it again. I'm okay with whoever the best guy to give us the best chance to win is. That's based on practice and health. It'll continue to be that way the rest of the year. The question of, 'are you okay rotating them?' Is not relevant if they're both not completely healthy. I just go off if they're healthy and who gives us the best chance to win based on what we think we need to do offensively against their defense."

On the Braves advancing to the World Series…

"I was excited for the Braves. I got to see the end of the game Saturday night after the college games were over. Certainly excited for Atlanta and the state of Georgia. Those guys have done a tremendous job closing and playing at the end this year."

On the Florida QB situation…

"They don't hold back. They may feel like there's differences I'm not aware of, but when you look at the quarterback reels there's plays within each game that both quarterbacks run. They don't not run quarterback draw, drop back pass, zone read, or speed option with one guy or the other. There's most packages they both carry. He may limit one guy's packages opposed to the other, but the way the games called they have very similar plays. They're physically different in their build, both tremendous athletes, and both tough guys to defend in terms of 53 yards of sideline, and an extra hat in the run game makes it tough."

On having Jordan Davis vs Florida this year…

"We were banged up last year and didn't play well honestly. Any time you've got depth at most positions it helps, especially in this game. I think Jordan Davis being back and healthy is very important to us in terms of the run game and being able to control it. His ability to play multiple snaps is important, he's got to play in this game because he's a dominant player up front. They've played against him before, they know Jordan is a good player. We'll need a lot of guys to play because those defensive linemen they can't play more than 30-35 snaps a game."

On self-evaluation over the bye week...

"We look at everything. We look at statistics, numbers, where we are, things we've done well, and things we've done poorly. Sometimes we try to bring a new wrinkle that maybe another team has done. We study other teams that are doing well in certain areas - third down, red areas. There's not an area that we can't improve on. So, we didn't take the week and say, 'we just have to do this.' On both offense, defense, and special teams, we went back and looked at the first seven and said what we did well, what we did poorly, and what we can improve on; and we tried to attack those."

On Chris Smith, Kenny McIntosh, and Ameer Speed...

"They were all able to practice last week. We are hopeful to have them back 100%. They were beat up and banged up last week, but they practiced. So, it's a matter of are they 100% this week. With three days off, we'll find out a lot more today about where each one of those guys are. I think Chris and Kenny are much closer. Ameer is hopefully getting there."

On Florida being unranked...

"This game is not about rankings. It's never been about rankings. It's a rival game. Our kids understand that one of their losses was to Alabama, in which they played a really good game at home, and they had an opportunity to win. And then it was two road games. So, it's not about records and I don't think it ever is. It's a lot more about what we do, not about records."

On recruiting at neutral sites...

"It's against NCAA rules. So, you're trying to get a rule changed that exists in terms of being off your campus and being able to recruit. There's being able to recruit, and then there's being able to get tickets - two different things. People will argue if you can get tickets that's recruiting. That's not recruiting to me just because you hand somebody a ticket because you don't see them. We had some recruits at the Georgia-Clemson game, but we had no contact with them. So, that's not really recruiting. That's an invitation to watch us, which they can do on T.V. They can't interact with us. I can't change that rule, that's not something I can do... We don't have time. We fly in, prepare for the game, play the game, and then we leave. Are we going to stay afterwards and hang out with them? You can't really do that, and you are not showing them your facility. So, it's much tougher in regard to that. It's not as simple as, 'Let's just make it so you can recruit down there.' That's not really the answer."

On the receiving core injuries...

"Certainly, the bye week will help it terms of recovery of legs, but Jermaine has had a grown that has been bothering him, and we are hopeful that he will be 100%. He practiced all last week, so the key there is getting those guys back. Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint has battled back from the ankle and continues to improve. Dom and George are probably still a little ways away. It's one of those deals where we are trying to get healthy. Arian is much closer, but we hope so. If anything, it's going to help the guys that are playing, their legs, in terms of being fresher and being recovered. But that is all relative because Florida is coming off an off week, too."

On Kirby's recruitment…

"I was recruited to Florida. I went on an official visit to Florida. I did a trip down there and it was actually closer to Athens to where I grew up."

On the bye week schedule…

"We work on future opponents. We look at ourselves. That's the self-scout piece. We took a portion of what they do on Wednesday, but Wednesday was primarily development and working on our team. And then Thursday was almost all Florida, other than a little bit of good on good. We worked on future opponents, Florida and ourselves."

On Florida…

"I think first you start out with explosive plays. They're either first in the SEC or top 10 in the country in explosive plays. They're a very explosive team. In terms of what they do, their run game has been very special because you talk about the quarterback in the run game, plus their ability to get the ball to three good backs. They do a great job at that. When you talk about Florida, upfront, they've got massive men. They've got a big defensive line, bigger than what we've faced. They're tough to run the ball against especially inside. I don't think you can look at one game as a picture and say, 'that's the way it goes.' They're really talented out on the perimeter, with the corners. They've got safeties. They've got them and they've played a long time for them. Their specialists are really good players too. They play special teams like we do. You can tell there's a major priority already put on it when their starting receivers, starting running backs and starting linebackers are all over their special teams."

On Nakobe Dean and Kendall Milton …

"I don't know about Kendall Milton, he had a slight MCL. I don't know how many weeks it will be. Nakobe Dean is fine."

On the secondary …

"I think our secondary has obviously been very young. They've got a couple experienced players with Lewis Cine and Chris Smith and Derion Kendrick counting in other places. Everybody else is relatively new. They've meshed. They've communicated well. We've made some things simpler for them so that there's not as much confusion there. I think limiting explosive plays in the run game, which is part of the secondary's job, and the pass game is really critical in this game. You can't give up explosives which we did last year. You can't give up repeated explosives and to expect to win games. It's just not going to happen, so we've got to limit those. I've been proud of the way they've played this far."

On the Florida Offense…

"Yeah, it's very different than teams we've seen, because I think Dan Mullen's scheme is different. He's very flexible in what he can do—he's not one dimensional. I think last year, you could argue they were a pass-first team and had really good weapons… unbelievable tight-end along with a quarterback and all kinds of weapons around them. They still have weapons now, they're different in the quarterback position, and like I said earlier, he's using their strengths. He's using their strengths to the tune of 500 yards of offense a game, which is pretty special. And he's always been able to generate offense—play really good offense, because he's flexible in what he does."

On the 1997 Georgia vs Florida Game…

"It came about whenever George offered me, which was right about signing day, so as soon as they offered, I decided to come, but it was late in the process. As far as that game, it was Georgia-Florida in Jacksonville and a big game, but we were heavy, heavy underdogs. They were probably the more talented team to be honest. But it was a good upset—they had a lot of injuries and we were able to capitalize on some turnovers."

On last year's game…

"Yeah, it's always tough, I mean, I do think when you play a team that you think it's gonna be a high scoring game or they score a lot of points, you have to be willing to score points with them. You've got to be able to score, and we had a lot of opportunities last year to score offensively… We missed some shots, we missed some runs, we missed some things, but at the end of the day, you can't give up explosive plays at the rate we gave them up. And you give up explosives, that's probably the No. 1 indicator, even more than turnovers, who wins games. We just gave up too many, and didn't make enough."

On Bennett's injury last year…

"I don't know—it would be hard for me to measure how badly. I mean, I know he got a shot and he didn't have great feeling in it, but he's a tough kid, he's a competitor. I couldn't tell you exactly how badly."

On not allowing explosive plays…

"Well, I think we've got some different ways to look at things… The communication has been better. I would never say you're immune to it. People take shots, they're gonna take shots, we know that going into every game. We got to play well on the perimeter, we got tackle well, we got affect their quarterback. We got to do all the same things we got to do every week. It's easy to sit here and say one thing has happened… in order to do that, we've got to affect the quarterback, whether that's through pressure or getting home, but a lot of this year comes around to being able to control the run game and stop the run because they're tremendous at both."

Ladd McConkey, Redshirt Freshman, Wide Receiver

On the chemistry between the receivers and quarterback...

"It's everything, really, but that comes with the offseason, just getting those reps, running those routes on edge, getting the timing down. Knowing how I'm coming out of my breaks, knowing how other receivers are coming out of their breaks. That's something that we developed in the offseason, working every day, but it really is a big factor."

On concerns with JT Daniels returning to the team...

"We are confident in both of our quarterbacks. They've done a great job preparing in the off-season, all the way up to this point. We really are so lucky to have two quarterbacks who go out there and compete at a high level in the SEC. We really are thankful for that."

On how JT Daniels has stayed prepared while sidelined...

"Just being at practice. I'm sure the feeling didn't slack off in the meetings. He's really helped out Stetson, too, on the sideline you would see them every time they come off the offensive series talking about, 'Let me hear what you see, let me know what you see.' Just going back-and-forth, just really being there for Stetson during that time. That just shows what kind of player he is and how he can help the team even when he's not there."

Jake Camarda, Senior, Punter

On Florida last season…

"The thing I remember about last year when we played Florida was when Zamir White scored on that first play. That is probably the one thing I remember. I don't tend to remember the rest of the game probably because I tend to focus more on the positives. You know, last year Florida got the best of us, they played better than us. Florida has always been a good team. We are looking forward to playing them"

On his personal performance last year…

"Personally looking back at I didn't have too many good punts. Had some punts that we didn't necessarily want. I am just focusing on the positive not looking too much at the negatives, just looking forward to playing Florida."

On Jordan Davis…

"Man, 'JD' is awesome! He is probably is one of the better dudes that I get to be around. He is just a good dude. What you see on the field, the guy that is happy and enjoying playing, you see that outside of the field as well. He is a good guy all the way around. He is really one of the best guys on the team, it has been a joy to get to know him. Anytime you are around Jordan I can almost guarantee you that he will be laughing about something. He is going is going to laughing, he is going to be dancing, he is going to be doing something. That is just him, it is consistent."

Jordan Davis, Senior, Defensive Lineman

On being injured last year for Florida…

"Florida is always a game that we look forward to and anticipate, especially after the bye-week. It was hard I thought I could have done some things against Florida. I am not going to say it is all one person but at least help the team in whatever way I can. That is the past and this year we want to move forward, and I feel like we are putting a great foot forward and we have our legs under ourselves now. We are just going to keep moving forward and do the best that we can. I can't control an injury, that happens. Just being there for team morale and just give them a little high-five, a boost or a little word of encouragement. It really hurt me because I was sitting in Athens with my mom, and I was like, 'I wish I could be there even if I can't play. I would kill to be there right now just to be with the team and be that support.' At the end of the day it is a different year, we are moving on, the past is the past, the future is the future."

On the 'No Name Defense'…

"It is just about the team. You have to put your priorities first and you know, I was never the kid to put myself first. I always want to put somebody in front of me whether that be family, friends or team. We embrace that 'No Name Defense' because it about all the parts working together it is not an induvial thing. You can't have a car without a steering wheel to drive or tires, it takes all the parts to get that thing moving."

On Florida's offense…

"They're explosive, Florida has a very explosive offense. We have played explosive offenses before and Florida comes in with that challenge of having two QBs and not knowing which one. We have a scheme for both, we have a scheme for everybody. We are just going to go in there and hopefully we can stop and contain them and do our best."

Georgia-Missouri Kickoff On Hold

Kickoff time and televising network for the Saturday, November 6th, Southeastern Conference football game between Georgia and Missouri in Athens will not be determined until after games of October 30th.

The six-day option exercised by CBS will hold the following games to be determined:

Missouri at Georgia: CBS at 3:30 ET, ESPN at 7:00 p.m. ET or ESPN at noon

Auburn at Texas A&M: CBS at 3:30 ET, ESPN at 7:00 p.m. ET or ESPN at noon

LSU at Alabama: CBS at 3:30 ET, ESPN at 7:00 p.m. ET or ESPN at noon

Wednesday, October 20, 2021

Wednesday Press Conference

Coach Kirby Smart 

Opening Statement…

"We are really focused on ourselves this week. We are doing what we traditionally do, and working on a lot of areas that we feel like we can get better. Going through all the special team's phases, offense, and defense. Getting a lot of quality work. Working on some future opponents that we have coming down the line. The kids have had a good attitude, at least for the first two days. We are going to find out today, how much better we can get."

On being ranked number one…

"We don't address it, as far as ranking. What we address are our strengths and weaknesses. We are very technical in our approach of why. Why have we had success? Why have we struggled in some areas? What can we do about those? I think the more interaction you have among the team, they tell you why. You know where their pulse is and whether they actually understand. There has not been a lot of conversation about the ranking. I think our guys realize it doesn't matter. It's just a number. What does matter is what we do well and what we do poorly."

On building a sustainable program…

"I think infrastructure, in terms of personnel, is key. Meaning you have staff members that buy-in, not just the on-field coaches. It's everybody. That's the recruiting organization, the player development organization, and the training staff. It takes a village. We've been pretty sustainable in terms of keeping guys, and our administration has helped us do that. That's number one. Number two is recruiting good players but demanding excellence out of them. I think a lot of teams across the country can recruit good players, but demanding excellence from them and holding them to a standard is important. I think discipline within our program is important. When you lose discipline, you see mistakes. You see errors. You see inconsistencies in performance. I just think discipline is the key to that. We really try to hone in on that with our players. It's the little things that you do right, week-to-week that hold people accountable to do what they are supposed to do on the field."

On what he likes most about the team…

"The joy of which they come to practice. The fun we have coaching them, and the buy-in we get from them, in response. The fact that they are well connected. We feel that we as a coaching staff are connected to them. It makes it fun to coach them. You keep the culture positive."

On team leadership…

"They have done a good job to set the standard of what the expectation is in practice and how we work. They have done a good job so far we just have to continue that."

On JT Daniels…

"Yeah, he took more reps with the groups yesterday than he has in the past. I think he did a good job with those reps. I mean the first day there is going to be a little rust there from not having taken as many 11-on-11 reps or good-on-good reps. We will see how he responds today and see if there is any soreness and what his pitch count will be and how many reps he will get."

On preparing for two QBs…

"To be honest with you we have not even started preparation for Florida. We watch all of our opponents coming up in the future in the morning and we have been really focused on trying to get better at the things we can get better at. We will start heading in that direction this afternoon and tomorrow. I don't control who starts and they have some similarities and obviously, you have seen both of those guys…I recruited Anthony Richardson and I know a lot about all those guys that have played there. Emory Jones is from our state, so we have seen him play. They have got a really good football team and I have a lot of respect for both of those quarterbacks. We will have to plan for both."

On recruiting being back to normal…

"Yeah, I think so it is. As normal as normal can be. Some of the high schools were affected by COVID in cancellations which in turn can affect us with where we go or who we go see. There is not a lot you can do this weekend because no one is coming to our campus with the game being off. We can go out to others and watch and evaluate and see guys play, we will do that."

Warren McClendon, Redshirt Sophomore, Offensive Lineman

On the offensive coaches keeping players engaged…

"Giving us objectives of what we need to get better at before meetings, then we will go over it in the meetings. It shows where we messed up and how we can fix it and going out and executing it at practice."

On the relationship with coach Tray Scott…
 
"He is a good coach. You know I could go and talk to him whenever I want if I ever have to. Today I was talking to him on the way to the meeting and just having that connection with him that we built, all the way back at recruiting, when I was being recruited. Having that connection really helped me."

On the Kentucky game and looking forward to Florida…

"It definitely met our expectations, going into it we knew it was going to be a physical game. Every year is a physical game and last year it was physical, the year before that it was physical, and we knew it was going to be physical. It met my expectations, and we were just glad to come out with the victory. And Florida, being a rivalry, we expect that to be physical too."

Quay Walker, Senior, Inside Linebacker

On Stetson Bennett...

"I'll start by saying... knowing his role this year - I think he pretty much understood that last year, as well. This year, after practice and whatnot, after games, leading up to practice, I'll see Stetson still there. Probably by the time I get done, he's still in there. He probably goes in there way before me because he'll be in there watching film. it's just a whole lot of execution that he has took from watching guys that came before, that were here probably his freshman year. He's had a big jump from last year to this year, and I'm really, really proud of Stetson."

On the defense's speed and preparation...

"The way that we prepare is like no other - leading up into the game, right before the game, to be honest with you, with walkthroughs and everything. Wan'Dale is a good player. I just think the way we play and fight to the ball; it's something that we pride ourselves upon. That's what we try to do each and every Saturday."

On what the defense can improve on...

"There's a lot of things we can improve on. There isn't anything that we can't improve on, there are a whole lot of things. For us, communicating, starting with me and the linebackers, as well, myself, Nakobe Dean, and Channing Tindall or whoever it is out there. Communicating to the defensive line and getting that to the safeties so that the safeties can get the communication to the DBs, as well. It's a whole lot of things we need to work on and get better at."

Tuesday, October 19, 2021

Tuesday Press Conference

Coach Kirby Smart

On injuries…

"Christopher Smith was cleared last game and we were fortunate to get him back, the plan was to play him in our dime packages. He practiced all week, but we didn't get into dime situations. So, we ended up not having to play him in the game, he's cleared to go and will be practicing all week. George Pickens is not cleared yet, he's continuing to progress, working hard and has been able to do more each week. He's done some workouts pregame but is not cleared yet. We'll hopefully get back Arian Smith, but he was questionable for the game, it was pain tolerance. The last few weeks he's been out, but hopefully he'll be back. Kenny McIntosh is still nursing a hamstring and we hope to get him back, but he's not cleared yet.

Ameer Speed is close to being ready, hopefully we'll get him back for Florida. He's running on his ankle but not 100%. JT Daniels pitch count has increased. He got up to 65-70 throws yesterday with Ron, pain free. He's increasing distance, getting out further, I think he can run 45 yards and hopefully I'll know more today. We didn't really practice yesterday, but we did a walk-through cleanup. He'll hopefully get some quality reps and see what kind of velocity he's got."

On the national exposure UGA is getting…

"I want our players to represent our brand the right way. It's important how you play the game as much as you represent it. Our guys have reflected that with toughness, effort and the energy we play with. Our fans and stadium are on display at home when we play in front of an audience like that. So much of today's kids care about perception, followers, viewers, and the marketability they have in the NIL world. We don't push and sell it, but these kids have an opportunity to come here and play in front of a lot of people to create a brand for themselves by how they play. We gear it towards hard, tough-nosed football and want our teams to represent that. I think our team this year has really showed toughness, resiliency, all those traits we talked about they've shown. It's critical to our success and their success we get better at those things."

On the Georgia vs Florida game being played in Jacksonville…

"I haven't even thought about it, to be honest. I don't concern myself with things I don't control. All I ever say is that the home atmosphere we have is incredible and the ability to bring recruits in is big. If I knew every year, we'd have home games like we've had this year, it'd be less of an issue but it's an issue when you have your biggest rival, but don't have the opportunity to bring recruits in every other year. It's certainly valuable when kids decide before the early signing day in December and they're enrolling in January. Those are the most critical weekends you have to have kids on campus. I stand by the fact that we miss opportunities and everyone else in the country doesn't."

On Scott Cochran…

"He's back with us officially, working with us. He's going to be assisting the special teams' staff and helping contribute to those guys in an off-field role for the rest of the season. I'm happy to have him back and hopefully going to keep him safe and healthy through his recovery process. We're glad to have his energy and enthusiasm and he'll help us in an off-field role with special teams."

On Arik Gilbert…

"Arik is not back, he's still continuing his journey and we'll hopefully get him back. We're communicating with him, everyone is pulling for him. I don't know the answer to when or if he'll be back."

On the receiving corps…

"It just comes down to practice. The guys who go out to practice, get the reps, and perform go out in the game. You don't ever just plug a guy in, you plug him in during the week and give him reps. Whoever gives us the best opportunity to win is who's on the field and that comes from practice. If you can't practice, that's hard to do. If you can and you're not 100%, and you're working your way back then we're going to play whoever gives us the best opportunity to win. Those guys that are injured are trying their best, they're at rehab each day, they're working to get back and we're focused on getting the guys healthy and better. I want to have more depth at that position and that's all contingent on them returning from injury."

On George Pickens…

“There is a long-term plan. I don’t disclose timelines and that kind of stuff. Probably the week of the game we would know more. We did a walk-through yesterday and he was able to do that, get signals, and get calls. He’s done a tremendous job of working and recovery. Dr. Andrews, Ron Courson, myself, and George’s parents have all been involved in that conversation. It’s not something that we’re open to sharing. We are just very hopeful that he is able to get back to 100 percent. That is our concern.”

On engaging the team during meetings…

“It is a team-wide thing. The questions were asked specifically about the defense. It’s not any different for the team meetings, the special team's meetings, or the offensive meetings. They have their different ways of keeping things moving, keeping things interesting. I think all of our coaches are creative teachers. I know when I get in front of the team, I don’t want to say the same thing every day. I want to have a different theme, movie clip, or message. It’s the same way with special teams, Todd Monken, and the offensive coaches. It permeates the organization because it has to. If you don’t, you’ll lose these kids. It’s just a method of teaching. I think the specific questions were more about the nuggets and things we do defensively. That pertains to defense.”

On the defensive improvements from last year to this year…

“We’re playing some different defenses. We’re playing a little less of some things we’ve played traditionally. We’re certainly much more inexperienced on the back end. That’s one of the big differences. It has allowed us to simplify some things to help, but we’re also that much more experienced in the front seven. Most of those guys are back. The biggest difference is probably the experience of the front seven this year versus last year.”

On losing momentum in the bye week…

“I don’t know that we are playing at our best, so we’re trying to play better. There’s plenty of things… I think we had a 22-play drive, a 13-play drive. Defensively we didn’t get off the field in some opportunities. Those long drives, you have to have answers to. You have to improve. Why did you not get off of the field? It’s everything. Third and one, third and two. They had four downs. More people may go for it on fourth down, so when you have four downs to get it, you’re going to have those kinds of situations. Offensively there are a lot of things we can clean up. I don’t look at it as worrying about losing our edge. This week I’m trying to sharpen our edge and get better. That is what we have an opportunity to do. We have a chance to create depth and improve players. Not one player on our team would tell you they don’t need to improve, and that starts with us coaches. Looking at ourselves, quality control, how can we improve. What can we do better to help our players be more successful?”

On developing players during the bye week…

“We never go out to practice and say we’re doing one or the other. That would be foolish. We’re trying to develop the roster all of the time. The defensive players on the scout team, we’re trying to develop. For instance, Jordan Davis, his freshman year. At this time I don’t think he played much of a role. Then he went into the Florida game and really came on the scene after a week off of practice. It was two to three years ago that he came on the scene and played in that game. We’re using examples like that to highlight no matter where you are now, this is an opportunity to change that.”

On Coach Hankton…

“He does a tremendous job. Number one, evaluation is the key. Some of those guys haven’t been the most high-profile, top-ranked receivers, but they have gotten better since arriving. Our system being conducive to freshmen being elite. It’s not like it take you forever to come in and learn the system. We’ve been able to have some success with younger receivers, which has its pitfalls too. Sometimes the older ones don’t get it, and in this year’s case, it’s really been about injuries. It has thrust some other guys to the forefront. Whether it be Brock Bowers, AD Mitchell, Ladd McConkey, whoever. They have been thrust up there more by injury than anything else. Cortez (Hankton) does a great job teaching, developing, and working on those guys. We think those guys got a lot of reps in the Spring in AD’s case and also in Fall camp. All of that work with the three’s and two’s, which some of those guys were, paid off.”

On being ranked number one…

“It doesn’t get mentioned much, there is not a lot of time to talk about it. I think the kids see it when the leave and hear about it through social media, that is what they see on their phones, so I know they are not obvious to it. But for us it has not been for anything other than asking, ‘what has made us successful?’ we have talked about this before, and the kids explain what they believe has made us successful, what they believe matters over what I believe. And then, ‘ok what are our threats?’ identify what our threats are. Complacency is the enemy of good becoming great. We talk about a lot; we don’t want those things to affect us. We are very open about it, we have conversation about it, but outside of that the ranking does not come up much.”

On the schedule this week…

“I am not sure about my weekend plans, you are going to have to ask my wife that, I’ll do whatever she tells me to do. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday we are going to practice and get after it. WE are going to work on some future opponents, we are going to introduce Florida on Thursday. Some guys will recruit Thursday, some guys will recruit Thursday and Friday, some guys will just be Friday. Then we are off Saturday, and we are back at it Sunday as coaches and the players are back Sunday.”

On recruiting last year vs recruiting this year…

“Yeah, it is total opposites. There was no such thing as recruiting last year, it was all by phone and by Zoom. The kids not being able to experience the games is hard on them. They are having to make decisions to go places without going places. That is just hard. This year has been seeming like pretty much back to normal, if anything it is heightened. There is the ‘new effect’ because it is new because so many people have not done it. Your sophomores and juniors are dying to go places and your seniors this is like their first trip. So, it has been heightened and it certainly has helped that we have had some premiere games at home to bring the kids here.”

On recruiting trips the Head Coach can take…

“The head coach can use…I can do whatever I need to do or want to do. We have a certain number of hits that we have, that is all we have. We have numbers that are delegated out throughout the year. One weekend we might use five, one weekend we might use four or three. On the off weekend we obviously use everybody. We delegate that based on what games they think it is important I go to versus what games it is important for the assistants to go to.”

On Tray Scott…

“He is young. He is energetic. He is one of the best teachers and developers I have ever been around. He pours into his young men. His unit takes a lot of pride in their performance as a unit, and you see it reflect in the way he leads. He has a great family, a great wife. A class act, he represents the University of Georgia the right way. He grew up under one of the legendary defensive line gurus and teachers in Pete Jenkins. Pete is kind of world renown for developing coaches. Tray came up under Pete and you know when you get one of Pete’s guys you are going to get a good one. We have been able to do that, and we have been very blessed to have Tray and his family here. He does a wonderful job recruiting, pushing young men, challenging young men and developing young men so when they leave here, they are much better off.”

Saturday, October 16, 2021

Dawgs Skin Cats

UGA Sports Communications

The top-ranked Dawgs got strong performances from their offense and defense and dispatched No. 11 Kentucky, 30-13, in a matchup of unbeatens Saturday afternoon in a packed and noisy Sanford Stadium.

Quarterback Stetson Bennett IV, making his fourth start in seven games this season, was solid leading the offense, the ground game moved the ball, and the defense made the Wildcats work for every inch of ground they gained.

The Dawgs outgained Kentucky 416-249, with the Wildcats giving up more points and yards than they have all season. Bennett finished with 250 yards passing and three touchdowns, completing 14 of 20 attempts, while Georgia’s rushing trio of James Cook, Zamir White and Kendall Milton combined for 130 yards on 22 carries.

Quay Walker led the defense with nine tackles, and Kelee Ringo, Derion Kendrick, Nakobe Dean and Dan Jackson all had seven each. The Dawgs made eight stops behind the line of scrimmage, including three sacks.

After a scoreless opening quarter in which both defenses weren’t giving up much, and penalties on the offenses stymied otherwise promising drives, Georgia (7-0, 5-0) took the lead on the first play of the second.

On third-and-four at the Kentucky 19-yard line, Cook got open in the middle out of the backfield and Bennett found him with room to move. A cut and scoot later, Cook was in the end zone and the Dawgs led 7-0 with 14:54 to play in the half.

After the Georgia defense held the Wildcats to just two yards on their next drive, this after Kentucky (6-1, 4-1) took over at its 35 following a penalty, the Dawg offense showed just how explosive it can be on the ground.

On first-and-20 at the UGA 10 after a holding call on the first play of the drive, Milton took a delayed handoff and went up the left side for 32 yards, the longest run of his career. On the next play, Bennett faked a handoff to Cook and took off into wide-open territory on Dooley Field up the right side, gaining 17 yards. Cook gained 12 yards up the middle on the next play, eluding a half-dozen Wildcats on the way. And then Zamir White exploded through the middle on the next play, easily scoring on a 24-yard touchdown run to make it 14-0 Dawgs with 10:35 left in the half.

Kentucky got on the scoreboard, and made it 14-7 with 3:53 left in the half, with a 75-yard drive — kept alive when a sack/fumble was overturned and ruled and an incompletion — that ended with a 1-yard touchdown pass. It was only the second red-zone touchdown allowed by the Dawg defense this season.

Georgia led 14-7 at the half, and after Bennett’s kneel-down on the final play, Kentucky had a 188-186 advantage in total offense, as well a massive 19:35-10:25 advantage in time of possession. The Wildcats threw for 150 and rushed for 38 in the first half, while Georgia rushed for 110 and threw for 76.

The Dawgs got the ball to start the second half and went to their tight ends again and again to get back into the end zone. Bennett hit Darnell Washington for 16 yards on the first play, followed by a conception to Brock Bowers. After wideout Ladd McConkey ran an end-around, getting a key block from Bennett, for 15 yards, Bowers hauled in a 27-yard touchdown pass from Bennett in the back right corner of the end zone, putting Georgia up 21-7 with 12:13 left in the third quarter.

Georgia’s defense got a quick stop on Kentucky’s next drive and the Dawg offense came up with some big plays on its ensuing drive before having to settle for a 26-yard Jack Podlesny field goal, which pushed the lead to 24-7.

Kentucky drove down to the Georgia 10 late in the third, but came away empty. The defense got a great solo stop in space from Dean on second down and then there was pressure all around Kentucky quarterback Will Levis on third down, leading to an incompletion. The Wildcats’ short field-goal try, on the final play of the third quarter, was then blocked by the 6-foot-3, 315-pound Devonte Wyatt, who pushed his way up the middle alongside teammate Jordan Davis (6-6, 340).

Georgia’s next drive sealed up the win, and featured a 24-yard completion from Bennett to Bowers, a 25-yard run by Cook on the following play, and then was capped by a 20-yard touchdown from Bennett to Bowers. After a quiet first half without a catch, Bowers was unstoppable in the second, finishing with a team-high five catches for 101 yards and two touchdowns. Podlesny missed the extra-point attempt, snapping an NCAA-record streak of 363 in a row made by Georgia kickers, keeping the score 30-7.

Kentucky got into the end zone in the closing seconds, at the end of a 22-play drive that last more than 11 minutes. Georgia’s special teams came through again and blocked the kick, making the final score 30-13.

The Dawgs are off next Saturday and return to action on October 30th, when they face Florida in Jacksonville.

Post Game Quotes

Coach Kirby Smart 

Opening statement … 

 “I’m proud of our guys today. That was a really physical football team we played. Every single time we play them it’s just tough. They play tough, hard‐nose football. They do a tremendous job in all three phases. They don’t make many mistakes, and when you have a team like that, you have to beat them methodically. It’s tough, they have a really good football team. Proud of our guys. I thought our DNA showed through. Our DNA continues to repeatedly show up – composure, connection, resiliency, and toughness – those qualities come through in this team. At halftime, nobody was panic, nobody was nervous. It’s a physical football game and we’re going to stay aggressive, keep coming at them. Give them a lot of credit, they have a good football team, but I’m proud of our guys and the way so many players have risen up and rose to the occasion.” 

On offensive coordinator Todd Monken and his game plan … 

“I think he’s done an incredible job. When you think about the guys he’s had in, I mean he’s taken tight ends, made them multiple, he’s taken running backs, he’s taken wide‐outs that weren’t necessarily early season starters and done a really good job. When you think about it, he’s called the game with players ‐‐ not plays, but players. When you dial up 19 and 84, and 4, 3, those guys continue to make plays, and 5. He does a good job of keeping defenses off balance.” 

Stetson Bennett, Senior, Quarterback 

On getting the offense going after a slow start... 

"It was a bit slow. There were no magic words. We just started executing a little bit better at every position, but it was a little bit slower. We hit some shots. We started running the ball a little bit better. I am not real sure exactly what happened. It just got a little bit better." 

On the feeling of accomplishment going into the bye week... 

"It depends on how you look at accomplishment. Yeah, we are proud of what we have done. It would be silly not to be. We play good football. That does not mean we do not have each and every opportunity to get better at each and every position. The focus going into this week, I am sure it will be to get healthy and get better at your individual assignment." 

Adam Anderson, Senior, Linebacker 

On the blocked field goal and final drive epitomizing the defense... 

"Toughness. When you see the last possession of the game, they are about to score. As we say all of the time, 'nobody in our endzone.' You heard Nolan Smith say earlier, we do not even care if it is the Patriots, we are not letting anyone in there." 

On the final Kentucky touchdown... 

"Honestly, we treat that like anything. Even if there are four seconds left in the fourth quarter we still do not want anyone in our endzone. Honestly, it still hurts right now."

Coach Mark Stoops 

Opening statement… 

“Where can I start other than it is a very good football team. Let me give them the respect they deserve. Kirby does one hell of a job. That is a complete football team. Very tough environment, we knew we had to play at a high level, and we had to execute…disciplined execution. I love our players, how they play and how hard they play, we just didn’t play very clean tonight or very disciplined against a very quality team that will expose you the minute you get out of gaps. They do things the way you’re supposed to. They have a lot to do with it, but a lot was self‐inflicted and it started early. We just didn’t get lined up right. We had a good opening drive. A lot of things that we can correct and get better. I still love this football team, love the way they work. We just have to have better disciplined execution when you are playing quality teams like this. We are going to get back to work.” 

On the timeout at the end of the game… 

“I don’t know about the message, but I wanted to score. That is a quality defense. You don’t know the way that things will play out the rest of the year. We had an opportunity to score so we did.” 

Joshua Paschal, Senior, Defensive Lineman 

On the takeaways from this game… 

“They are a great team. I give all the credit to them. They came out and played hard. When you play against the number one team, you can’t make mistakes. That is what we have to learn from. How to respond to those mistakes that we make and to limit those as well.” 

Will Levis, Junior, Quarterback 

On the UGA Defense… 

“All credit to them. They are a great defense. They are coached really, really well. Obviously, they have the players. They are long, athletic, strong, and they scheme up well. I think we were able to do some things that we are going to be proud of when we look at the tape, but we definitely had opportunities to do a little more. At the end of the day, that is the number one team in the nation for a reason. All credit to them for how well they played.”

Post Game Notes

UGA Sports Communications

Another Dominating Day For The Defense: Top-ranked Georgia (7-0, 5-0 SEC) came in leading the nation in Scoring Defense and now have allowed only 46 points through seven games, the lowest total in that span since 1971 (also 46). #11 UK added its second TD with four seconds left in the contest for a 30-13 final. UK was only the second team to score a TD in the red zone this season. The first came in the first half and capped a 75-yard drive in 14 plays that took 6:42. The second Red Zone possession ended with a blocked field goal by Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt. The third Red Zone trip resulted in a TD with four seconds left, ending a 22 play, 75- yard drive in 11:23. The leading tackler was senior Quay Walker with a career-high nine. Meanwhile sophomore Jalen Carter had a career-high six tackles, 2.5 TFL and a sack. Travon Walker and Adam Anderson each picked up a half sack as Anderson has a team-leading 4.5 sacks while Walker has 2.5. Freshman Kelee Ringo picked up his first sack. 

Bennett Leads Offense: Georgia QB senior Stetson Bennett (14-for-20, 250 yards, 3 TDs) got the start for the third straight week and fourth overall this season. With today’s victory over No. 11 UK, Bennett is now 8-2 as a starter including 4-0 this season. He got the nod in place of the injured JT Daniels (lat). He completed a 19-yard TD pass to senior RB James Cook on 3rd and 4 for a 7-0 lead with 14:54 left in the 2nd quarter. In the second half, Bennett connected with freshman Brock Bowers for a pair of scores that covered 20 and 27 yards. 

Rushing Highlights: Georgia tallied 166 rushing yards on 27 attempts for a 6.1 average. Sophomore Kendall Milton had a career-long 35-yard run today, which was the longest by a Dawg this year. Senior Zamir White (12 rushes, 46 yards) notched his team-leading seventh rushing TD, a 24-yarder. Also, senior James Cook (6 rushes, 51 yards) had his second TD catch of the year (19-yarder) and fourth of his career to give the Dawgs an early lead. 

Array Of Targets: Georgia completed passes to seven different receivers. Freshman TE Brock Bowers led the group with five catches for 101 yards and two TDs. It was his second career 100-yard game. He picked up his fifth receiving TD, a 27-yarder from Bennett for a 21-7 lead with 12:13 left in the 3rd. His sixth score came on a 20-yard pass in the fourth quarter and tied the mark for most TD catches by a TE in school history dating back to at least 1968 (Leonard Pope, 6 in 2004). True freshman Adonai Mitchell had three receptions for 43 yards. 

Special Teams Summary: Senior punter Jake Camarda finished with four punts for a 47.3 average including a season-long 63-yarder and one for 50 yards that was downed at the five by freshman Kamari Lassiter. Junior Jack Podlesny was 3-for-4 on PATs and made a 26-yard FG. He is 33-for-34 in PATs this year and 10-for-13 on FG. Also, Georgia blocked a field goal attempt as Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt combined for it. It was the first since Davis blocked a FG versus Cincinnati in the 2021 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. Georgia missed a PAT today to end its school and NCAA record for Consecutive PATs made at 363. It dated back to 2014 and included six kickers. Georgia’s Jalen Carter blocked UK’s final PAT. 

For Starters & Game Captains: Georgia had one first-time starter in Dan Jackson (DB). The captains were junior Nakobe Dean (LB), junior Travon Walker (DL) and senior Zamir White (RB). Georgia won the toss and elected to defer the football until the second half. 

Series History: With the 30-13 win, Georgia is now 23-11 versus top 25 teams under Kirby Smart including 4-0 this year. Georgia now has a 61-12-2 edge in the series history including winning 12 straight over UK. UK falls to 6-1, 4-1 SEC.

Georgia (7-0, 5-0 SEC) returns to action October 30th versus Florida (4-3, 2-3 SEC) in Jacksonville. Kickoff will be at 3:30 pm ET (CBS).  

Homecoming King & Queen: The King and Queen were fourth year students Carter Marks (St. Simons Island, Management and Economics major) and senior Carley Hale (Atlanta, Exercise & Sports Science major).