Kirby Smart Talks Georgia vs Tennessee
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 >> I'm really proud of our resiliency.
00:03 The kids did a great job.
00:05 They knew it would be a tough environment.
00:06 They responded to not so great start.
00:10 And we continue to improve and get better.
00:13 I can't say enough good things about our offensive staff and
00:18 offensive game planning.
00:19 Our kids buy in each week to the plan and they get better each week.
00:26 And that's all we're trying to do is find the best version of ourselves.
00:30 So give the kids a lot of credit.
00:31 They did the hard work.
00:32 They did the heavy lifting.
00:33 And we gotta continue to get better.
00:37 >> First play coach, your thoughts, you said-
00:41 >> Yeah, I talked to Schumer before the game and
00:42 I said we're gonna let him score, let's just get it over with.
00:43 >> [LAUGH]
00:45 >> So we consistently found a way to let
00:49 teams score first and not have very close drives.
00:52 And probably got a little aggressive there and
00:55 didn't fit a play right, I mean it's simple.
00:59 We just didn't have a guy on the gap.
01:00 Secondary's gotta get the guy on the ground.
01:02 We don't, historically Georgia does not give up explosive runs.
01:06 We have a great secondary that leverages the ball.
01:08 We take a lot of pride in that.
01:09 So if the ball breaks out, we're gonna get it before he gets 20.
01:12 And that didn't happen.
01:13 A lot of that has to do with their splits.
01:15 But we didn't fit a gap right, and give them credit.
01:17 >> What'd you make of the performance of Dylan Bell today,
01:20 just the all around game that he had for you guys?
01:22 >> Great competitor.
01:24 When his numbers called, he's ready.
01:26 He made plays on back shoulder 50/50 balls.
01:29 He made a great play that DeBova put together for him for
01:32 an opportunity to get the toss pass.
01:34 And then the runs after the catch were big.
01:37 So he stepped up big today and
01:41 we continue to have guys do that when other guys are down.
01:43 >> Kirby, from a historical perspective, I think this is three straight undefeated,
01:48 eight no seasons.
01:49 I don't think that's been done before.
01:51 And obviously you tied another record with 20 straight wins.
01:54 How do you put that into perspective?
01:56 >> Yeah, I gotta go play Tech next week.
01:58 That's the perspective I got, cuz I got a lot of respect for Brent.
02:00 I know how much this game means to him.
02:02 So, I mean, there'll be a time to look back on that.
02:06 And there'll be a time to celebrate that, but it's not right now.
02:10 >> Got an update on Tate and Hara.
02:12 >> Tate banged knees.
02:14 So, felt like he might be able to get back in there.
02:17 He kept trying to go, he couldn't.
02:19 There was no x-ray, no damage there or anything.
02:22 So, he told me he thinks he'll be able to play this week, so we'll see.
02:26 Rara, foot was bothering, x-rays negative.
02:29 Wasn't an ankle sprain, it was more of a, I don't think it was warmups.
02:33 Maybe a foot sprain, which is what Kamari's been dealing with.
02:36 But we don't really know because the x-rays were negative.
02:39 So that's good news, but it's not ankle.
02:41 >> Lab was limited, I think only maybe one day.
02:44 >> Yeah, so Lab got an ankle last week.
02:46 And he didn't practice all week and thought he would be able to go.
02:49 And was not really able to go.
02:52 I think he tried, and he got in there with warmups, did some things.
02:55 But he didn't practice all week.
02:57 It happened in the game.
02:58 But I guess it'll pass.
03:00 >> How do you explain Carson's pretty consistent effectiveness on Hara's powers?
03:05 >> Good plan, good offensive line, good understanding of protections.
03:09 A really bright coaching staff.
03:13 B-Mac and Bobo, all those guys, they do the third down stuff together.
03:17 They put together a good plan.
03:19 I'll take the brag that we get a picture that's as close to the game
03:23 that most people don't get during the week.
03:25 So we put best pass rushers we got over there and said, hey,
03:29 here's your third downs.
03:30 And sometimes the picture might be better that we give them in practice than
03:33 they give in the game.
03:34 And I thought that we didn't do that real well Wednesday.
03:38 We went back Thursday and did it again.
03:39 And it paid off a little bit today to be, what were they, 9 of 13?
03:44 One of those they didn't get was late there in running the ball.
03:47 And the defense was 2 of 11.
03:49 So third downs have been the difference for us, obviously, this year.
03:52 We cannot continue to lose first downs and play in third and longs.
03:56 But we've overcome a lot of things.
03:58 >> What is it like to have to replace coordinators as much as you guys have?
04:01 And then how do you make those decisions?
04:03 >> I don't see it as a problem.
04:05 I don't feel like we've had to replace a lot of coordinators.
04:07 I mean, maybe, I don't know what a lot would be.
04:10 I don't know what that's relative to.
04:11 But I look at it as we've got a lot of continuity.
04:14 And when you do the right things, people get out job opportunities.
04:18 And I'm certainly happy for them.
04:19 But the culture's not gonna change.
04:22 The scheme's not gonna change, at least on defense.
04:24 So it's an opportunity for guys to come here and grow and get better.
04:28 >> Along those lines, what's the key to sustaining a program when you have so
04:32 many player and coach losses?
04:33 [BLANK_AUDIO]
04:36 >> A lot of work, man, a lot of buy-in.
04:39 We spend a lot of time in the offseason building our roster.
04:42 And I'm not talking about poor kids or recruiting kids.
04:45 I'm talking about take what we got and make what we got better than what they got.
04:50 And if that means meeting with a kid and selling our culture and
04:54 selling that Marcus Rosemeyer's got a crack on a block, and
04:56 that's more important than any catch he makes.
04:58 And if the kids believe in that, they do a great job.
05:02 We get a lot of outside help.
05:04 We contract with people to come in and help us build.
05:08 I really believe our culture's our difference.
05:10 Everybody will say it's players.
05:12 I just don't think that it's just players.
05:15 We got good players, we got really good players.
05:17 But I think there's a lot to our culture that kids buy into and
05:20 they stay level-headed.
05:22 They're not talking about the streak.
05:24 They're not worried about the streak.
05:26 Like I said, it's gonna end and we're gonna start a new one.
05:28 But for right now, they just keep getting better.
05:30 >> Is that where you kind of draw, sorry, it's a reflection question again.
05:33 Is that kind of where you've got the greatest satisfaction that you've helped
05:36 build that culture and it's sustained?
05:38 >> Yeah, I mean, that's the one thing I can control as a coach is how we sustain,
05:43 how we retain our retention and our ability to sustain.
05:47 It's incredible.
05:48 I got a great footprint to recruit from,
05:50 got an unbelievable administration that supports what we wanna do.
05:56 But it's not easy, guys.
05:57 It's hard to win.
05:59 And I don't appreciate that sometimes until you're talking to the coach before
06:02 the game.
06:02 It doesn't matter.
06:03 I'm talking about Josh and you're saying in general.
06:07 Man, it's hard to do what y'all have done.
06:10 It's hard.
06:11 And I don't think that the staff, I'm talking about me, the staff and
06:16 the players get enough credit.
06:18 Cuz people have letdowns, people have bad games.
06:21 And we try to win one more victory on punt, one more victory on punt return.
06:28 What edge can we create in the game?
06:29 Cuz if we slip over here, we got this over here.
06:32 And I thought special teams was a big part of the day too,
06:34 cuz they got the best punt return in the country.
06:36 And we didn't give him a shot.
06:38 >> Who are some of those internal guys?
06:40 You mentioned Tuesday and again on your coaches show that it's been kind of
06:43 a tough week of practice and you need to find an internal edge.
06:45 Who are some of those players that did give you that edge and
06:48 step up this week?
06:50 >> Well, the leaders did.
06:50 They responded well to not so great practice Tuesday.
06:53 Tuesday, I felt like our team was tired.
06:55 And they should be, cuz we're doing more reps.
06:58 When you play fastball, you gotta do more reps.
07:00 Everybody's tired of hitting each other.
07:01 It's the end of the year.
07:02 It didn't feel like we're getting ready to play Tennessee.
07:06 And it kind of ticked me off and I told them.
07:08 They responded well with a really good practice Wednesday,
07:11 good practice Thursday.
07:12 And they executed a good plan in a really hard place to play.
07:15 I mean, guys, they won 14 in a row here for a reason.
07:17 It's hard out there.
07:19 You give up a touchdown on the first play and don't blink.
07:21 It's loud.
07:24 Loud as hell.
07:25 >> He's undefeated in another 300 yard passing.
07:27 Should Beck be getting more kind of national recognition for
07:30 the way he's doing?
07:31 Should he be in the Heisman Cup?
07:32 >> Again, I don't lobby for those guys.
07:34 But it's easy to sit back and say, look what this kid's done.
07:37 The worst thing for
07:40 Beck individually is he plays really good defense.
07:42 Because it makes you not wanna sit there and just run it up.
07:47 I mean, some of these other guys, they get an opportunity.
07:49 They gotta score 40 a game.
07:51 Like with Carson Beck, I don't think we as an offensive staff think we gotta
07:56 score 40 a game.
07:57 I don't think we think we have to.
07:58 We may have to, but we don't think we have to.
08:01 So you're able to call the game differently as an offensive coordinator.
08:06 So I don't think that Hamster, I don't think he cares about that.
08:09 But he is talented guys and he's smart.
08:12 And he's a better athlete than you think.
08:14 And he's got 19 and some good players out there.
08:18 >> Talk about Brock, he's about as chill as they come.
08:20 Do you know what caused him to kind of lose his cool coming out of the tie?
08:23 >> I don't know.
08:24 It's a couple things he said that bothered him, but
08:27 I'd rather not get into that.
08:28 I don't wanna get into all these soap operas.
08:30 >> He said it's hard to appreciate the totality of what you've been doing.
08:35 Has it been fun this season to watch the progression from August,
08:38 September and the end?
08:40 >> It's fun tonight.
08:41 >> [LAUGH] >> It's fun tonight.
08:44 It's work during the week.
08:47 It's not the stress of the streak, the stress of the wins.
08:50 I mean, my wife and son, they're sitting over there.
08:52 They gotta put up with me all week.
08:53 And you get tighter and tighter and tighter as the week goes.
08:56 I'm not comfortable.
08:57 I'm not going into a game comfortable.
08:59 So that wears on you in terms of the wanting to be at your best.
09:05 But you gotta relax and know that you've done a good job.
09:10 I've read what Nick said recently about how much he enjoyed this team because
09:15 it was not about all the stress and all the stuff about it.
09:18 Like, just enjoy the team.
09:19 And I think you can learn a lot from that,
09:22 especially a guy that's done as long as he has.
09:24 And he's at the point he is in his career where he's like,
09:26 I'm gonna enjoy this.
09:27 I'm gonna enjoy being out there in practice.
09:28 I'm gonna enjoy being around the players and
09:30 not the expectations that so many of you guys have.
09:35 >> Do you feel like you've gotten better at that over the years?
09:38 >> I mean, it's always been that way for me.
09:41 I mean, I wanna be prepared.
09:42 I wanna have thought about everything that's gonna happen and
09:46 have a plan for what if this is not working, what are you gonna do next?
09:49 If you coach well during the week, you sure don't have to coach as hard all
09:52 Saturdays.
09:53 >> Why do you think you guys had so
09:54 much success defensively aside from that first play today?
09:58 >> Good plan by Schumann and them.
10:01 Look, they got some wide receivers that have been injured.
10:04 Josh's offense is around the fact you can't go out there and
10:07 cover guys on the perimeter, and they got really good backs.
10:10 So they're not quite the team they were last year,
10:14 I think he would be open and admit that.
10:16 So they helped us some today, and
10:18 the injuries they've had are wide out, it made it tougher on them.
10:22 >> Coach, going back to Carson for a second,
10:23 how have you seen him evolve throughout the year?
10:26 >> I get that question all the time, and I don't know how to answer it.
10:29 Cuz I don't, there's evolution was two years ago when he was out there at
10:33 practice and he was getting blitzed by eight first rounders.
10:36 And his evolution was already happening.
10:40 Anything that I've seen this year, what I've seen him do is go on the road.
10:44 Cuz I still remember when Stetson came up here two years ago and
10:47 was running around like a crazy man and making plays.
10:50 And I'm like, this guy is throwing the ball at the lineman.
10:52 He's like, he made unbelievable throw to James Cook, but
10:56 he grew up by going on the road, Stetson did.
10:59 So that's what we had to see Carson do, go to Auburn and go to Tennessee and grow up.
11:05 But outside of that, I'd seen him do a lot of the stuff he's done.
11:09 >> Coach, I asked you earlier in the year what your team was the lead at,
11:12 you said you didn't know at the time.
11:14 We're 11 games in, where are you at?
11:16 >> Taking a punch.
11:16 No, it's way, way, way more indicative of who you are,
11:20 your ability to take a punch than to give one.
11:24 The knockout fighters, they get knocked out if they can't take a punch.
11:27 This group's proven again and again that they can take jabs and
11:31 punches with the best of them and hang around till they can throw one.
11:35 >> Coach, you talk about the deep ball being picked up to be placed.
11:39 Like tonight, you might have been perfect on that.
11:42 >> Yeah, that's the difference of the game.
11:43 I was told, shocked, I was in shock, I told them before the game, I said,
11:45 on defense, 40% of the game is gonna be, can we destroy blockers and
11:50 tackle the back, the other 40% we play with our back to the ball.
11:52 Cuz they're gonna get your back to the ball.
11:55 You're gonna have your back to the ball and you're gonna have to make a play.
11:57 If you win about 66%, you're good.
12:00 I felt like we had three times and we won three.
12:04 If you go two out of three, you'll probably do okay.
12:07 That's what it boils down to when you play them.
12:09 You gotta play with the back of the ball, you gotta stop the run.
12:11 >> Steve.
12:13 >> [INAUDIBLE]
12:19 >> We get a lot of practice at it.
12:20 I mean, seriously, I don't know how many times they scored on the first drive.
12:25 I feel like it's every single game, we're 11 and 0,
12:27 maybe they scored 11 straight.
12:28 I don't know, but that doesn't bother us, cuz we know we can fix it.
12:33 There's a lot of confidence when they jog off the sideline.
12:36 It's like, take a deep breath, we'll get it fixed, we'll get it right.
12:40 And the kids believe in that.
12:42 A lot of teams, when that landslide happens, that's what I'm talking about,
12:45 with the off-season program and all the mental conditioning.
12:48 We're good, man, let's go fix this.
12:51 >> Two more questions.
12:53 >> Coach, many times you've mentioned the importance of having versatility in
12:56 the secondary and guys in multiple positions.
12:58 But it seems on the offensive line, it's the same thing.
13:00 You can plug and play guys at different positions.
13:02 How important is that for your depth as well?
13:04 >> Yeah, well, the injuries we've had has been great.
13:05 Stacey's done a great job of cross training those guys.
13:08 We've got three tackles, three or four guards, two centers.
13:11 I mean, you gotta go into the season with that.
13:12 When you don't, you can get in trouble.
13:14 And he's done a good job building those guys from that way.
13:16 >> Just talking a little bit more about the tech next week.
13:20 Obviously, they'd love to knock off the number one team in the country with
13:23 everything that- >> Who wouldn't?
13:24 >> Yeah.
13:25 >> Who wouldn't?
13:26 They're all coming for us.
13:27 So that's what it is.
13:29 I mean, we're not concerned with who's coming after us.
13:32 We're concerned with who we're coming after.
13:33 And our job is to get ready and prepared for a really physical,
13:37 hard-nosed, a team that knows everything about us.
13:40 Buster Faulkner's there, their staff is, Kevin Sharer's there,
13:43 Rick Key's there, they got good coaches.
13:45 But it's not gonna be the coaches that win the game, it's gonna be the players.
13:48 It's gonna be a tough game.
13:49 Our kids have gotta respect it, understand it, and go out and play physical.
13:53 That's what football is.
13:55 >> Thank you.