Kirby Smart Postgame Press Conference vs Auburn
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00:00 >> Yeah, a lot of credit goes to Auburn and their atmosphere.
00:05 I told television stations afterwards, incredible atmosphere every time we come
00:09 here to play.
00:10 They got one of the most loyal fan bases there is.
00:12 They got a lot of respect for Hugh and the job he's done, and
00:16 a great atmosphere to play in.
00:18 Obviously, we didn't play our best game today, but we're a very resilient team,
00:21 proud of the way we competed.
00:22 And we gotta continue to get better.
00:26 I mean, that's the most important thing for our team.
00:28 So a lot of things we did wrong, a lot of things we did well.
00:32 But we're not gonna get where we wanna go if we don't get better.
00:35 So that's the biggest thing.
00:36 >> What'd you tell them after the game, coach?
00:39 >> Proud of them, resilient, held, competed.
00:42 The leadership of this team has shown through twice.
00:46 And you don't know how many times you're gonna be able to do that when you turn
00:50 the ball over and you give people extra possessions.
00:53 You just can't do that.
00:54 Good football teams don't do that.
00:56 And good football teams don't let people run the ball on you for 200 yards.
01:00 That's one of the things that we knew they could do well,
01:03 thought they really ran the ball well.
01:04 And they used the quarterback and rushed the ball.
01:08 We can't do that.
01:09 And we gotta be able to run the ball better, too.
01:10 But proud of the way the guys did.
01:13 >> Kirby, you were confident at halftime.
01:14 Where did all that confidence and voice come from for this team?
01:17 They hadn't been in a situation like this before on the road.
01:20 >> Well, we hadn't been on the road.
01:22 I mean, so it's like in the SEC, I don't think people respect playing on
01:27 the road in the SEC as much as I do.
01:29 Being an SEC player, a veteran of this league,
01:33 it is really, really hard to win on the road.
01:36 And all you guys see is one versus whoever, or a new program.
01:41 It doesn't matter when you're playing a rivalry game.
01:43 The passion and energy's there.
01:45 It's hard to win on the road in this league.
01:47 And we won, but we gotta get better.
01:51 >> Back in Bowers in the fourth quarter there,
01:54 you see Beck grow up and see Bowers do what Bowers does.
01:57 >> Bowers did what he does.
01:58 I mean, the guy's amazing.
01:59 It's a wonder why you just don't go to him every play.
02:03 People know he's there, try to find creative ways to find him the ball.
02:08 And we need guys around him, and they have.
02:10 I mean, Dejohn stepped up, Ladd made plays today for
02:13 a guy that didn't practice much all week.
02:15 He made some plays.
02:16 Rara made a hell of a conversion on the speed out off of a corner of the cat.
02:20 There's a lot of guys make plays.
02:21 We need more playmakers around Brock so that people can't isolate them.
02:25 But I thought Carson played better in the second half.
02:28 I never felt like he was rattled.
02:30 And that was a concern coming in, is would he be rattled by this environment?
02:34 >> You mentioned Ladd there, how big was it to get him back?
02:36 And what were your first impressions?
02:38 >> Well, for what he practiced, I thought we got way more out of him than that.
02:40 I worried about him being a little rusty.
02:42 And he's so confident.
02:43 He's played great in the stadium the last time he was here, if you remember.
02:46 And he made some big conversions today.
02:49 And all I can do is hope that there's no setback from this, so
02:53 that he can continue to get better.
02:55 >> Coach, you're normally very calm and composed.
02:58 But at the end of the game, I saw you were amped up.
02:59 So amped up, you threw your visor into the stand of the fan.
03:02 Just how much did this win mean to you, to have this win on the road, and
03:05 the way your team fought to the very end?
03:07 >> They all matter.
03:08 They all feel good.
03:09 I mean, we put so much into this.
03:11 I mean, 16, 18 hour days for five, six, seven days.
03:14 These kids work really hard.
03:16 There's a lot of build up.
03:17 And then when you have a situation where you're behind,
03:21 I don't know how many times, I feel like we're behind the whole game.
03:23 And you come back and win on the road,
03:25 says something about your team and your character.
03:27 Nobody panicked.
03:28 Nobody panicked.
03:29 And I don't know how good a team we got.
03:32 I really don't.
03:32 I don't sit here and proclaim that we've got some unbelievable team.
03:36 But I do think our team believes in each other.
03:40 We connect.
03:40 We step up when we need to step up.
03:44 But we can't turn the ball over.
03:46 >> Coach, talk about the quarterback.
03:48 What were they doing that were giving you guys so many fits?
03:50 >> Well, they got misdirection plays.
03:51 A lot of plays we practice.
03:52 They got, number one, you get an extra hat when you have the quarterback.
03:55 We all know that.
03:56 So unless you got really good, really elite defensive line, linebackers and
04:02 safeties that are filling and fitting just perfect, one misfit is an eight,
04:05 nine yard run.
04:07 And in the past, we haven't struggled with that kind of run game.
04:12 If they heard us, they copied some things UAB did, and we expected it.
04:16 That's what's disappointing.
04:17 It's like you expect it and you don't stop it.
04:20 So we gotta help our players and we gotta get better over these guys.
04:24 >> Kirk Smiley and JDJ had back to back stops in the one yard,
04:27 eight carrier, 12 yard line.
04:28 How big was that for those guys to make those stops in the third and fourth and
04:31 one?
04:32 >> Was that the one before the half?
04:33 >> Yeah.
04:34 >> Right before the half?
04:35 >> Yeah. >> Yeah, that was big.
04:36 Cuz I think he could have gone for the field goal and
04:39 he probably felt like he needed touchdowns.
04:41 Kinda like, I was thinking the same thing.
04:42 When do I go for it and when do I not?
04:44 And that was a big stop.
04:46 But hell, we gave them another possession after that.
04:49 Cuz we went out there and I wanted to be aggressive.
04:51 And we ended up calling a timeout.
04:53 We had to kick it to them and then I'll be danged if they didn't.
04:56 They had to kick it to us.
04:57 So it was a back and forth deal.
04:59 Those were big plays in the game.
05:01 I thought the second half,
05:03 if we turn it over both first two possessions or just the first one and
05:06 second half.
05:07 >> First one and second one.
05:09 >> Second one came back.
05:09 So, I mean, it's tough when you come out and
05:11 you bank on getting the first possession in the second half and you gift it away.
05:16 That really kills momentum.
05:18 And overcoming that was like, it was different in South Carolina where we
05:21 gained momentum.
05:22 We came out and scored.
05:23 We lost momentum in the second half in this one.
05:25 So, just can't keep doing that.
05:27 >> Woodrow's kicks.
05:29 >> Yeah, big, man.
05:30 I mean, we've been putting a lot of pressure on him in practice, but
05:32 I don't know that that simulates it.
05:33 There's nothing that simulates what he had to do today.
05:35 I told the team after the game, he begs to do the pressure kicks in practice.
05:40 And he made them in the game.
05:42 So, I think the kid's got something special to it.
05:45 >> Coach, 8 for 10 on third down,
05:46 what was the key to the third down success today?
05:48 >> Unbelievable job by offense staff.
05:50 I mean, unbelievable job.
05:51 You go 8 for 10 against air, it's incredible, okay?
05:54 Because it's hard to do that in our league with the defensive players they've got
05:57 and rushers.
05:58 They had a good plan.
05:59 I did an incredible job.
06:01 I told the defense the halftime stats after the game.
06:03 I was like, hey guys, we're unbelievable on third down.
06:05 I think we're 3 of 6 on our offense.
06:07 And I was wrong, because it was 8 of 10 by the end of the game.
06:09 And we take a lot of pride in third down and
06:11 red area being elite in the country.
06:13 And our offense is kind of starting to create an identity of being good at that.
06:17 >> This is the second time, and I'm sorry if you answered this.
06:21 This is the second time in two years that y'all lost a turnover by three and
06:25 still won the game.
06:28 >> Not supposed to do that.
06:30 I mean, that means we must have won the explosive, but
06:32 I don't know if we won that.
06:33 But the explosive has been a greater indicator than the turnovers, as Seth knows.
06:37 And it's one of those deals that we can't do that.
06:42 We had three.
06:44 The interception, the interception, I'm forgetting the interception.
06:46 Two fumbles and then the interception.
06:47 >> So there's one fumble loss?
06:49 >> I didn't think we had three.
06:50 I didn't think it was a margin.
06:52 Cuz we got one on them to end the game, right?
06:53 >> Yeah. >> So it's probably 2-1 maybe.
06:55 >> 2-1.
06:56 >> Yeah, definitely not three.
06:58 >> Speaking of one of them in the game, what was your reaction when 2-4 came down?
07:01 >> Say what?
07:01 >> Speaking, what was your reaction when 2-4 came down?
07:04 >> Get down.
07:05 >> [LAUGH] >> I knew we'd be in the clock and
07:08 he's flinging the ball around trying to return it.
07:10 And this goes back to the last time that happened here.
07:13 You bat it down on fourth down, but he picked it.
07:17 >> Kirk, when you say you don't know if your team's playing unbelievable,
07:19 do you think it's a matter of having Javon and
07:21 McConnell getting those guys back for a longer period of time?
07:24 Like you can get them back?
07:25 >> No, I mean, I just think there's a lot more parity in college football.
07:28 I mean, there's a great separation between anybody.
07:29 I mean, the pro scouts that come to our place always trust their opinion.
07:33 And they like, well, we've been to this place, that place, that place.
07:36 I mean, everybody's pretty similar.
07:38 There's not this great margin.
07:40 I told our team that we played a team last year in the National Championship that
07:43 won like nine games that were all one score games or something.
07:47 So I don't know that my heart can handle that, cuz we need to get better.
07:51 So we're gonna play teams as good or better than Auburn, and we gotta get better.
07:56 >> Kirk, you lined Brock up in the backfield one time and
07:59 converted a third down run.
08:00 I mean, I know you're not an individual award guy, but
08:03 do you think he belongs in that conversation as far as the Heisman Trophy?
08:06 >> I ain't getting into those, man.
08:07 I ain't getting into that debate cuz I'm worried about our team and so is he.
08:10 But I mean, who can argue that there's a better football player
08:14 anywhere in the country, just football player.
08:16 I mean, the guy has the greatest toughness and grit that I've been around.
08:20 And he'll do whatever you ask him to do for this team.
08:22 And I got a lot of respect for that guy's commitment.
08:26 >> Kirby, you mentioned the run game struggle a little bit today.
08:28 You guys started to get something going on the edge there in the second quarter.
08:32 How were they able to stop Dejan and those guys early?
08:34 And then you guys gotta go in late.
08:36 But what were they doing defensively to kind of stop that?
08:38 >> They strike blockers.
08:39 Ron Roberts, the defense coordinator, is gonna do a great job here.
08:42 He does multiple defense, plays three down, four down.
08:45 They play physical, they strike.
08:46 I mean, they did a good job.
08:47 Played really hard.
08:48 We left some plays out there now.
08:50 We had some plays that, they didn't always stop us as much as we stopped ourselves.
08:55 The turnovers and some self-inflected wounds.
08:57 But we did run the ball well on the perimeter.
08:59 I thought the fastball helped take the crowd out of it at times.
09:03 I mean, look, to have a quarterback that's never started going the road out of Auburn
09:06 and not have a procedural penalty or delay a game, pretty remarkable.
09:10 I mean, to do what they did, I thought we handled that really well.
09:12 We didn't shoot ourselves in the foot with penalties.
09:15 >> Did you get Kentucky, what they did to Florida today,
09:19 at 300 and something yards rushing?
09:21 You got them next, they're undefeated.
09:24 >> Yeah, that's March 13th.
09:26 They're gonna be physical, he's a defensive coach.
09:29 They run the rock.
09:30 I've always said our kids are the most sore they've ever been after playing
09:34 Kentucky, and it was that way last year.
09:35 It was a bloodbath last year up there.
09:37 And it'll be the same way.
09:39 I have so much respect for the way his team plays.
09:41 And the back they got, I heard that he's playing really good.
09:44 I didn't know anything about the day, but the back they got, man, he's a great player.
09:48 >> Right now, it seems like your team is a second half team.
09:51 And just something about the first half, so
09:53 what can you do to kind of make them a full fourth quarter team?
09:56 >> I wish I had the answer to that, Allison.
09:59 Can you help me?
10:00 >> [LAUGH] >> We're trying, we're trying.
10:02 But I don't think we started poorly, I really don't.
10:05 I think we finished well.
10:07 And we have started games.
10:08 It's not a consistent poor start.
10:11 Did some things well today on defense, or moved the ball on offense well.
10:15 At the end of the day, we scored more points in the second half.
10:19 >> Kurt, you mentioned you said you feel like Carson was never rattled.
10:22 I mean, how did you see that on the sidelines in the huddle in the second
10:25 half as you were coming back into the field?
10:27 >> I mean, what do you mean see it?
10:30 I mean, I talked to the kid, he's great.
10:31 He's never flustered.
10:33 I told you all he's like that.
10:34 He's a calming voice out there.
10:38 I mean, he got rid of a couple balls.
10:40 He took off and ran a couple times when he needed to.
10:43 And the closest he came to putting us at risk was when somebody didn't do their job
10:46 in the front, and he almost got sacked.
10:48 He tried to throw it away there on our sideline.
10:50 The kid should have picked it.
10:52 But at the end of the day, Carson's a competitor.
10:55 I've seen Carson do this since high school.
10:56 He's got the right make up.
10:57 >> Take 90 plus yard drives on offense.
11:03 What did you learn about your offense in those long extended drives?
11:06 >> They can be really good when they execute.
11:08 It's just hard to execute for 10 and 12 plays.
11:11 You have to have explosive and catch a five play with a 60 yarder,
11:16 a six play with a 30 yarder.
11:18 You gotta catch some of those, and we're missing those.
11:20 We missed Delp down the middle of the day early, and that was an explosive play.
11:24 And we had a couple that I thought were really close to P.I. on Brock for
11:27 explosive, but they did a good job defending them.
11:29 I mean, they got a couple P.I. calls that advanced them, and
11:32 we missed out on a couple, and I can't argue with the call.
11:35 It was judgmental, but we need some of those to hit them.
11:38 >> Aidan Emberts saw a lot of action.
11:39 How do you evaluate his play?
11:41 >> He's getting better.
11:42 He's getting more confidence.
11:43 He and Julio are having a great battle.
11:45 I think Julio practiced really well this week, so he played some more.
11:49 They continue to get better, and Kamari does a good job, of course.
11:52 >> When Latt came in, was there any type of rough counter, anything on him, or
11:54 was he a full goal from the start?
11:57 >> Well, I mean, full goal, but he can't play every snap.
11:59 I mean, you don't practice.
12:00 You can't go out there in that heat and play.
12:02 So it was a situational deal.
12:04 We're gonna put him in and do some run plays with him in, put him in,
12:07 put some pass, let me, third down, he was big.
12:09 He runs certain routes really well.
12:11 We're gonna use him as freely as we need to.
12:14 >> Let's take two more questions.
12:16 >> Coach, I think you only have four possessions again in the first half.
12:19 Is that something you guys are talking about,
12:21 maximizing those first half possessions?
12:22 Cuz you know we only need a few.
12:24 >> We don't talk about maximizing them, but we work all week to maximize them.
12:28 It's not like we go, let's minimize this possession.
12:31 Everybody wants to maximize their possessions.
12:33 There's not enough of them.
12:35 And if you don't get three and outs on defense,
12:37 you're probably gonna have some of those.
12:39 I'm disappointed in our run defense.
12:42 We didn't stop the run well.
12:43 But you know what?
12:44 They're physical and they have three and four backs in the backfield,
12:47 including the quarterback.
12:48 So that's as hard as you'll see running the ball.
12:50 What I'm disappointed in is we got a third down.
12:52 We play man to man, and a guy's got the quarterback, and he leaves, and
12:55 the quarterback runs, and we had him backed up.
12:57 Well, that cost our offense 40 yards of field position.
13:00 Those are the hidden yards that you just can't do.
13:03 They can't give them gifts, make them earn things, and we didn't always do that.
13:06 Last question?