Kirby Smart Press Conference Entering South Carolina vs Georgia
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00:00 for you to work.
00:00 We'll have a few open comments from Coach Mark
00:04 and we'll take some questions.
00:05 If you raise your hand, we'll get one of the remote
00:07 microphones to you.
00:09 A reminder, no live streaming.
00:11 All right.
00:13 - All right, we're turning the page to SEC opponent
00:17 and our stadium, 3.30 CBS game.
00:20 Seems like most of the years Georgia opens
00:24 with South Carolina in this game.
00:26 Hasn't always been that since I've been here,
00:28 but it's always been early in the schedule
00:30 and as it is this year.
00:31 Got a lot of respect for Shane and his staff,
00:34 the staff he's assembled.
00:36 They do a tremendous job with their players.
00:38 They play really hard.
00:40 Got a lot of respect for those guys.
00:42 I know they tend to have players from our state
00:45 and we tend to have players from their state.
00:47 There's always a really important game
00:49 when it comes to playing a school
00:52 that's this close geographically to you.
00:55 So I know both teams will be up for the game
00:57 and should be a great atmosphere
00:59 and hope our fans can give us a home field advantage
01:02 for this game.
01:03 - Coach, when you went back and watched it,
01:10 how'd you feel like Kendall Milton
01:12 passed protected particularly?
01:13 And what's the key to running backs being able
01:15 to be trusted back there on third and medium,
01:18 third and long, obvious passing downs?
01:20 - Yeah, he had two really key pickups in the game.
01:23 He did an unbelievable job,
01:24 but the key to doing it is the experience.
01:27 You know, he wasn't, when he got here,
01:29 the same player he was at picking it up now.
01:31 He's probably our most experienced.
01:32 He and Dejan both have had a lot of reps of,
01:36 you know, Dale does a good job of bringing those guys along
01:39 in terms of freshman year, sophomore year, junior year.
01:42 They get to pick up a lot of stunts and blitzes from us.
01:45 So there's probably not a look they haven't seen,
01:48 but seeing it and knowing who to get is one thing.
01:51 And then physically being able to do it is another.
01:53 And he had, I know two key pickups.
01:56 One of them wasn't even his and he picked it up
01:58 and did a really nice job.
01:59 So he helped us out a lot in that regard.
02:02 - Kirby, how's Javon feeling?
02:05 And what do you think his status will be
02:06 for this coming game?
02:08 - Have not seen Javon yet because of the Sunday being off.
02:12 And then today coming in, he will not practice today.
02:16 I do know that, but as far as where he is,
02:19 probably won't know until Wednesday's practice,
02:23 whether he's going to be able to go or not.
02:24 We've had guys in that position with that similar injury
02:29 be able to play,
02:30 but I really have no clue until we get further in the week.
02:34 - Kirby, what have you seen from Spencer Rattler
02:37 and what do you expect of him
02:38 the second time you guys are facing him?
02:40 - Well, he's got an elite arm talent.
02:42 I can tell you that.
02:42 The throws he's made, he can make the touch throws,
02:45 deep vertical back shoulder throws.
02:48 He's thrown a couple of field outs.
02:50 He had a throw against Clemson last year on third and 10
02:54 that was a rope.
02:55 So he's very elusive, very accurate with the ball,
03:00 hard to finish on.
03:02 There's a lot of people that miss tackles on him
03:04 when they have an opportunity to try to get him down.
03:06 So a tremendous player, sees the whole field
03:09 and some of his best plays come off schedule,
03:13 meaning that he, you know, somebody misses somebody
03:16 or he scrambles and he hits you on a shot.
03:18 He's very dangerous.
03:19 - Coach, kind of an all encompassing running back question,
03:23 but obviously we can all see the ball carrying talent
03:27 of Dylan Bell.
03:29 Will he continue to work at that position this week
03:32 and be a possibility for you?
03:34 And is there anything holding him back?
03:36 Obviously there's so much more to the back position
03:38 than just carrying the football,
03:39 pass protection, everything else.
03:41 And then, you know, dovetailing on that,
03:43 do you expect De'Jion to be able to go this week?
03:46 - Yeah, we expect De'Jion to be able to go.
03:47 Like I said, he could have gone last week.
03:49 He could have gone the week before that.
03:50 We're just trying to go from 80 to 90 to 100.
03:54 We think he's going to be closer to that.
03:55 I can't say what he's at,
03:57 but he certainly felt good enough to go Saturday.
04:00 So I think, you know, having him back helps tremendously.
04:03 First of all, Dylan Bell has been a selfless player
04:06 that's done whatever we've asked.
04:07 He's a really good wide out.
04:09 He, this has been going on for a while.
04:12 So this is not something that's been new.
04:13 We've done this a lot with a lot of players
04:16 with our situation at running back,
04:18 having guys go back there and look, understand it,
04:21 certain plays they can run.
04:23 He's big enough, you know, 200 pounds plus
04:25 to pick people up.
04:27 He's really physically tough.
04:28 He strikes people so he can protect.
04:31 He can do a lot of things from the backfield.
04:33 And it's something that we're always going to have,
04:36 you know, as an option or in our package,
04:37 but a lot of it has to do with the health of our backs.
04:40 - Kirby, how do you evaluate how the defensive line
04:44 has played through two games?
04:45 And what areas do you want to see growth
04:47 going into the first SEC game?
04:49 - It's hard to evaluate because you know,
04:52 the teams they played have been overmatched size-wise.
04:56 We have more size than the team we've played.
04:59 So it's tough evaluation.
05:01 We usually evaluate it based on effort.
05:03 How hard you play, how hard you strain.
05:06 Those guys, we've played a lot of guys up there.
05:08 So nobody's played a large amount of snaps.
05:11 So, you know, I think that it's week to week,
05:15 you know, you're going to watch.
05:16 And see the guys practice.
05:18 I will say they get a lot more work
05:21 against a really good offensive line in practices.
05:24 And they've hit that head on.
05:25 They've gone out, practiced hard, practiced physical.
05:28 A lot of them took more reps on Tuesday and Wednesday
05:30 than they did on Saturday in regards to the number of snaps.
05:34 - Kirby, two questions here.
05:35 One, I wanted to ask about the captain process.
05:38 If that, if you change that, I know every now and then
05:41 you'll change some things up in the program
05:42 in terms of how you select.
05:44 And two, about the Jack Linebacker spot after film review.
05:48 If anything stood out at you
05:49 with the way some of those guys are coming along.
05:52 - No, nothing's changed in terms of the captain process.
05:54 And the Jack Linebacker position
05:57 has been several of those guys rotating there.
06:03 They, you know, Chaz has played a good bit.
06:06 Darris has played, Marvin's played.
06:09 The other guys have gotten to play with the game situation.
06:12 We've got several packages where two guys are in.
06:15 We have two Jacks in.
06:16 We have, we had three Jacks in.
06:18 We have, where we have regular, where Sam and Jack in.
06:22 It all depends on sometimes what the offense is doing.
06:24 - Just wanted to see if there was an update
06:27 on Christian Miller, if you knew what exactly
06:30 that injury was after the fact, since you didn't.
06:32 - I think it was a cervical strain.
06:33 He's fine.
06:34 He should be ready to go.
06:35 - Kirby, back in the SEC media days,
06:39 you said that what was driving the team
06:41 was intrinsic motivation.
06:43 Can you elaborate a little about what that is
06:45 and how it applies to the team?
06:47 And then also back then,
06:49 you said they were still finding their identity.
06:52 Are they closer to finding an identity?
06:54 And if so, what do you kind of think it is at this point?
06:57 - I think every day is an identity, Bill.
06:59 I mean, I look at every day independent of the previous.
07:02 This is not something that this is what you are
07:04 and this is where you stay.
07:05 I mean, you're constantly moving.
07:07 So we're constantly trying to improve.
07:09 I said the other day, we want to be elite at getting better.
07:12 So our goal today on Monday of South Carolina week
07:15 is to be elite at getting better.
07:17 And the teams that get better and improve
07:19 tend to ascend as the year goes on.
07:22 And that's ultimately our goal.
07:23 As far as intrinsic motivation,
07:25 I think that any good team needs to have that
07:28 because you can't do it on outward things,
07:31 things that are tangible all the time.
07:32 Intrinsically, you have to have the motivation
07:34 to want to be as good as you can possibly be
07:37 to reach your full potential
07:38 because you're not going to have
07:40 an exterior motivation all the time.
07:42 It's got to come from within you.
07:44 And we got some guys on the team that got that.
07:46 We got some that don't, but every team does.
07:49 - Kirby got some all encompassing wide receiver questions.
07:53 Ladd McConkie has an update on him.
07:55 Did you get a chance to see AD and Jermaine
07:58 in that game Saturday?
07:59 It was a national game and your transfer receivers,
08:02 you know, Rah Rah and Lovett,
08:03 how did they come along so far?
08:06 - Ladd, day by day, we're trying everything we can
08:10 to get him back.
08:11 He's trying everything he can to get back.
08:13 So I don't really know how to answer it
08:14 other than I don't know any more than I knew Saturday.
08:17 As far as the other two,
08:20 I got to see some of the highlights from that game
08:22 and was back and forth between the other games.
08:25 And then our guys are coming along.
08:29 You're talking about Rah Rah and Dom.
08:31 I think both of them are in growing stages.
08:34 I think Dom's been able to pick the offense up well,
08:37 is intelligent, has become a better perimeter blocker,
08:41 made some plays for us, big conversion, third down,
08:45 a touchdown call back,
08:46 but made a nice place for us in the passing game.
08:49 And he's really been a weapon on special teams
08:52 for us at Gunner.
08:53 And then Rah Rah continues to grow
08:55 and is getting better with every practice.
08:57 - Kirby, on the blocking in general
09:01 and the perimeter blocking,
09:03 how much of it is, you're a lot less 12 personnel now,
09:06 and you're kind of feeling things out without Darnell
09:09 and Oscar replacing him,
09:10 and how much of it is just kind of feeling out
09:14 your personnel in general, including receivers and such?
09:19 - Do not understand that question.
09:21 Perimeter blocking having to do with Oscar and--
09:25 - How about an all-encompassing perimeter
09:26 outside blocking question?
09:28 - Okay.
09:29 - And you all knew you would look different without Darnell.
09:32 How much is it you're still kind of feeling that out?
09:36 Is there any concern about it long-term?
09:39 - Not a concern.
09:41 Darnell is a very unique player.
09:42 I mean, he had a very unique skillset,
09:45 but we have more depth at some positions
09:50 and less depth at some positions
09:53 that allows us the freedom to do things.
09:54 But my concern is not about not having Darnell.
09:58 We've known that for a long time.
10:01 It's really trying to figure out who our best 11 are,
10:05 what those plays look like.
10:06 I think we have a very good perimeter blocking team.
10:11 They're going to get an opportunity to show it
10:13 for the next however many games we have,
10:16 'cause we work really hard on that.
10:17 And when I watch our guys do it in practice,
10:20 they really do a nice job,
10:21 but I don't know if that answers your question.
10:23 - Coach, you seem like Jared Wilson
10:27 jumped up the depth chart a little bit this week,
10:28 just in terms of rotation.
10:29 What did he do?
10:30 I mean, he was playing center week one,
10:32 played some guard as soon as he got in this week.
10:34 What's 55 done to climb up the depth chart?
10:36 - Well, he's dependable, he's accountable.
10:38 He plays really hard.
10:39 He's in great shape.
10:39 He's smart, but he,
10:42 I wouldn't say he jumped on the depth chart or anything.
10:43 He plays like a starter
10:46 and we're going to give him an opportunity to play.
10:48 He's the backup center,
10:49 so he works at center and he works at guard.
10:52 He's able to work at both those.
10:53 We want to have depth at those positions.
10:55 So you really want to have two guards that can swing
10:58 and you want to have a center that can play.
11:00 And he earns what he gets and he's earned it.
11:05 - I have a question for you about Jarvis.
11:10 I'm curious, can you offer specifics about the suspension
11:12 and also how you decided on one game
11:14 versus a longer suspension?
11:17 - Yeah, I'll be honest with you.
11:18 I talked about it the other day.
11:19 It was a personnel matter.
11:21 Decided it's an athletic department and moved on.
11:24 - Yeah, with the inside linebackers,
11:29 how would you evaluate how they've played
11:31 through two games without Smile being able to play as much
11:34 and getting him back to fuller strength?
11:36 How much better does that make your defense,
11:37 having him and Javon kind of at the top
11:40 of the depth chart there?
11:42 - Explain what you mean about, he did play.
11:45 Like he did start, right?
11:46 - Yeah, well playing more, playing a bigger role.
11:49 - I'm still confused what you're asking.
11:53 The other guys got to play when he was out the first game.
11:55 So we got to get depth from those guys playing,
11:57 but I thought he played well the other day.
12:00 He's still not, like he's gone a long time
12:03 without practicing.
12:03 So when you go 20 something practices without practicing,
12:08 you can say, well, he's played for two other years.
12:10 Yeah, he started one year.
12:12 He went through most of spring.
12:13 I can't remember how many days he got into the spring,
12:15 but he missed all the fall camp.
12:18 So I think he's still kind of knocking the rust off
12:20 a little bit and he flashes and shows he's really smart, man.
12:23 He's a really good leader.
12:25 He and Pop together are comfortable,
12:26 but we have to have three to four guys
12:30 to be able to play that position.
12:31 And that's the part that we're still a little unsettled on
12:33 is really the rotation there of who's going to be
12:36 the guy that goes in like Ryan and Tresman did last year
12:40 or Channing did the one year.
12:42 - Kirby, I know the competition South Carolina faced
12:46 from week one to week two is hard to compare,
12:48 but what did they improve from game one to game two
12:50 that has your attention?
12:51 So, all right, you know, they clean that up
12:53 and we got to take care of that side or that business
12:55 that they look good improvement wise
12:57 from week one to week two.
12:58 - Well, I don't, I don't evaluate it that way.
13:00 I evaluate it as who are they?
13:02 I look at last year's games.
13:03 They got some players back from last year.
13:05 They're explosive.
13:07 They've got good football players across the board
13:09 and they play really hard.
13:10 I think when you look at the end of the year schedule
13:13 last year with what they did with Tennessee and Clemson,
13:16 it speaks for itself.
13:17 Their kids don't listen to the outside noise.
13:19 They go out and play like their coach to play.
13:22 And it's going to be the same way this week for us.
13:25 - After going back and watching the film,
13:29 can you give us a breakdown of how you thought
13:30 your offensive line played in the last game
13:32 and also Tykee Smith after his,
13:35 kind of his journey to get to where he is now?
13:37 - I'll start with the offensive line.
13:39 I think there were times that we functioned at a high level
13:42 and there was times that we had some sloppiness.
13:44 We had a couple, one lapse in a protection.
13:47 One time we got beat
13:48 that we probably shouldn't have gotten beat.
13:50 It's game speed type things.
13:51 It's making sure that I know if this guy's running a stunt
13:55 or a twist, I'm going to pass it off
13:56 by getting my hands on the other guy
13:58 and not letting leakage in there.
14:01 But they also pick up a max blitz,
14:04 pick up some tough things to pick up.
14:05 So there's positives and negatives
14:07 like there is every position.
14:08 What I'm looking for is a more consistency in performance
14:13 for every position group, but also the offensive line,
14:17 especially with some of the experience we have there.
14:20 And then Tykee's done a nice job.
14:21 He's practiced really well.
14:23 He's a leader.
14:25 He's tough.
14:26 He's physical.
14:28 He's in better shape.
14:29 Last year, like I always say, he's coming off of an ACL
14:33 and was probably not the same person he is now.
14:37 He's in better shape right now than he was.
14:40 He's starting on three out of four special teams.
14:43 I mean, the guy has been a really good player
14:45 for us for two weeks.
14:46 - Coach, you kind of talked about
14:50 how the fans have been a little bit.
14:52 I just wanted to ask overall,
14:53 what has your opinion been on the attendance
14:56 and at least the crowd noise they were developing
14:58 through these first two games?
14:59 And I know at SEC media days,
15:00 Tonka Hemingway was asked about
15:02 some of the toughest stadiums he played in
15:04 and Georgia wasn't on that list.
15:05 How important or how just good to see
15:09 Sanford being one of the toughest places to play
15:11 around not only the SEC, but the NCAA?
15:14 - Yeah, I'm expecting it to be that.
15:18 People want to question whether our fans are elite.
15:20 We'll find out Saturday, right?
15:21 Sounds like Tonka called them out.
15:23 So maybe we need to use Tonka for motivation
15:26 and let him be the one that spurns our group
15:29 to come out there at 3.30 and be really loud and fired up.
15:33 So I certainly hope our fan base will be there.
15:36 They've answered the bell every single time.
15:38 I don't know why they wouldn't now.
15:40 - Kirby, starting SEC play,
15:41 so much focus is on getting to the playoff,
15:43 winning national championships.
15:45 I wonder during your time here,
15:47 do you have any memories that stand out
15:48 about winning the East?
15:52 - I've never had significance of worrying about,
15:57 I mean, we just worry about every game.
15:59 You know, like there's times that we've clinched that
16:02 and it's like, okay, well, you're going to go to Atlanta,
16:03 but that time so far away right now,
16:05 it's the least thing I'm worried about.
16:07 I don't, you know, I guess it's a hypothetical.
16:10 I don't really know how to answer it.
16:11 - Kirby, we're on generation two of Beamer ball
16:15 where Chainz, dad and him are both make their special teams.
16:20 They mix it up.
16:21 How do you prepare for that when you know
16:24 that they're very good at it?
16:27 - Yeah, they were tops in the conference last year
16:29 in the little composite thing we do
16:31 in terms of looking at all of them
16:33 and ranking all the special teams units
16:35 and then taking a composite of that.
16:36 They were one in the SEC
16:38 and it's something they do a really, really good job of.
16:40 I know he's very hands-on with that.
16:42 He's passionate about it.
16:44 It creates an identity for his players
16:46 and you can see them, they play that way on special teams.
16:48 They play really hard on special teams units.
16:50 So it's an important part of the game.
16:52 And if you look at our, at least maybe our second game,
16:55 I don't know about our first one,
16:56 but it was impactful for us too.
16:58 So you're going to have a lot of momentum plays
17:01 in those units.
17:02 - Coach, they obviously have a new coordinator,
17:04 Chainz with Dal Loggins taking over
17:06 as the offensive coordinator.
17:08 He's bounced around a lot over the last couple of years.
17:10 When you go to study that,
17:12 how deep do you dive him to try to figure out
17:15 his identity as a coordinator?
17:16 And how do you go about studying someone who's new to you?
17:19 - Well, you look over the off season,
17:20 you know, we spent a lot of the off season
17:22 looking at things he had done at other places he's been at.
17:25 You know, you watch what they currently do.
17:28 You see the impact of what they're doing this year
17:30 is probably the biggest priority,
17:32 but you also watch where he's been
17:34 and what they've done last year.
17:35 You know, they were really successful
17:36 at the end of last year and he wasn't a part of that.
17:39 So I think it's a mesh of all those guys
17:41 in terms of what they're doing now.
17:43 And we look as far back as we can
17:45 'cause we want to get all the information we can.
17:49 - Kirby, I know you're focused on your season.
17:51 I guess I want to ask you more of a broad-based question
17:53 on the SEC.
17:54 There's been a couple of upsets, I guess.
17:57 LSU going down, we see A&M losing to Miami,
18:00 we see Alabama, it was a streak you were a part of there
18:02 with the non-conference string.
18:05 How much of that would you attribute to the portal
18:08 versus maybe just kind of a cyclical deal
18:10 with all the guys that the league continues
18:12 to put into the NFL draft?
18:15 - Yeah, I really have no idea.
18:17 I mean, I can't put a finger on it or explain it.
18:20 I think that every team you mentioned
18:23 that beat an SEC team is a really good team,
18:26 really, really good teams.
18:27 And most of those teams have been improving for a while.
18:32 And I don't really know why
18:35 and don't think I have to concern myself with why
18:38 'cause I got enough to worry about
18:40 with the opponent I got to play.
18:42 - We have time for two more questions.
18:44 - Yeah, what do you want to see Malachi Starks
18:45 continue to get better on as he continues to develop?
18:48 - Disguises, tackling open field, being a leader.
18:53 I think he's taken ownership and improving in a lot of ways.
18:56 And I go back and watch last year's game,
18:59 every team we play that we repeat
19:01 and you're getting to see him as a freshman to now
19:02 and it jumps out at you that like,
19:04 oh man, the guy was really nervous last year
19:07 and was really struggling and he's more confident,
19:11 understands the defense better,
19:12 but still a lot of things he can improve on.
19:14 But when you watch him last year in this game,
19:16 he was certainly nervous.
19:19 - Coach, you touched on Spencer Rattler's arm talent earlier.
19:24 And I remember back in the UT Martin game,
19:26 you kind of spoke on how the secondary
19:28 wasn't tested too much.
19:29 Now that they're facing a guy like Rattler
19:31 that can really get it down the field,
19:32 how important is it for that group to really be tested,
19:35 especially this weekend and for the rest of the season?
19:37 - Yeah, we've got to be prepared.
19:39 It's not just Rattler, it's the weapons he has around him.
19:41 They've got an elite group of wide outs
19:44 and even tight ends that they use.
19:45 And he makes a lot of plays and they got guys
19:48 that can play the ball down the field.
19:49 I mean, the explosive plays they've made
19:51 in the last four to five games of theirs
19:54 is pretty special, pretty elite.
19:56 And a lot of them are down the field throws,
19:58 so we will have to play that part well.
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