Georgia football showed a profound bond during its 2021 national title run, and that kind of connection is what will keep the success alive.
When too many players only think about themselves, it affects the entire team. Head coach Kirby Smart knows that when a group can come together, they will fight for each other and success can come to them.
The skull sessions that Georgia does helps grow that connection, along with instilling a culture that wants these players to form an unbreakable brotherhood.
No one can deny the culture change in Athens since Smart took over the program, which took time. Now that multiple classes have bought into the brotherhood, and they are figuring out that playing as one unit is better than separately, it’s beginning to show how strong it can be for a team.
Georgia football has success because of the culture and connection in place.
Everyone saw what happened with the defense last year when they chose to come together as one unit — pure magic.
The Dawgs only waivered in one game, and after that heartbreaking loss, Georgia rebounded stronger than ever. That group set the tone for the future of the Georgia football program, and already seeing the 2022 leaders put it into place is exciting to see.
"“For us, it really steers down to one cultural belief: That we have a connection that’s greater than our opponent,” Smart said at SEC Media Days. “We’re all going to be tough, we’re all going to be physical in the SEC, but can we be better connected together? Can we have 1 plus 1 equals 3? For us, 1 plus 1 equals 3 means we get more together than we do apart. This team believes that.”"
Before anyone gets confused by the math, read that first sentence — a connection that’s greater than our opponent. Having that kind of connection makes it harder to beat a team.
Georgia proved that last year when teams like Tennessee, Alabama and Clemson challenged them. The Dawgs wanted it far more than the other groups did, and instead of making costly mistakes, they remained themselves and overcame all of the adversity.
Now to the math, one plus one obviously is two in standard algebra, but for the Dawgs, it equals three because someone else will come and help make that play. The Dawgs will have two extra guys there to have their teammates back and get the job done.
When you have more bodies helping, mistakes are less likely to happen. These players know that they’ve got each other’s backs no matter what. Having that bond helps make things happen a little easier. Those on the leadership team this year know how well it works, so teaching it to the younger classes is key.
Georgia football will continue to push this cultural belief because the Dawgs have proved it’s successful. There is nothing quite like the bond of a team in sync with each other, and after seeing it work so well in 2021, it’s safe to bet that it will continue for years to come.