Georgia Football: Kirby Smart speaks on UT-Martin and more

This week, Georgia football is upon us, which means a Kirby Smart press conference.

Injuries

Smart opened the presser talking about the running backs. The issue with the running backs is not the talent in the backfield but the depth. Smart said that Edwards and Milton will be back in practice this week. They are more likely to get snaps in week one if they practice. Milton is about 80% to 90%, according to Smart. Milton is still dealing with a hamstring issue.

Interestingly enough, Dillion Bell, a wide receiver, took reps at running back. Bell played the position in high school. If this doesn’t show you how drastic the depth issue is at running back, I am still not sure how to help you.

More on the injury front: Mondon, Lassiter, and David Daniel are all cleared to play and have been practicing with the team, which is fantastic news. Linebacker is a position that Georgia has a ton of talent but needs more depth. So, having Mondon back is a massive win for the Dawgs. Other great news is that McConkey, who was shut down from practicing, is fully back. McConkey has been dealing with a bad back since last year. Bad backs are unlike any other injury; ask anybody who has one. Another positive note is that Lawson Luckie is out of a walking boot. Smart was unsure when Luckie could return, but it does not seem like he will be sidelined much longer.

On the Opponent UT-Martin

The media did not ask Smart much about UT-Martin. It was two questions at the most. Look, there is little to talk about regarding the SkyHawks. But Smart said the team does not view UT-Martin as a lesser opponent. Yeah, I am sure the team views them like Florida or Tennessee. However, there was a question about whether UT-Martin is similar to any opponent Georgia will face this season. This is interesting because Smart is pretty good at scheduling teams that play similarly to some SEC opponents. Last year, for example, Kent State ran a similar offense to Tennessee. However, Smart said UT-Martin is more identical to the Dawgs than any other SEC foe. I would take Smart’s word on that, but I will do more research on it because I do not believe it.

Questions of Three-peat and what is exciting about the 2023 squad

Smart did address the three-peat question. Smart loathes the questions that look into the future, making the answer more honest. Smart said he has not made the season about the chance for three in a row, nor has it brought it up to the team. Smart said that if he did do that and the team lost the chance to go to the playoffs, what would be the point of playing? I agree with Smart, and if you make it about playing for a third national championship, it brings undeeded pressure. Every bit of pressure the team is already under would be magnified.  The season would be a joyless march to a crown, and even if Georgia won a third title, it would be a little hollow. We have all seen Alabama, where they do not play for anything meaningful and get crushed. Being in the state of Alabama last year had to be miserable.

Finally, Smart was asked what he was excited about for this team. Smart said the level of maturity of the team has been exciting. Smart expanded on that thought and said the team as a whole is excellent at working. Doing the little things and doing them right has been a focus of this team. Furthermore, Sart said the group was coachable; they tried to execute everything the coaches asked them to do. That might not equal championships for a team, but it sure makes them close to a championship team. As a fan of this team, it is nice to know the players on the team care about the school and their job. So when they go out there on Saturdays, knowing they will play as hard as possible is comforting. We will see part of that hard work on Saturday against UT-Martin at 6 p.m.