With No. 17 Alabama looming Saturday night, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart, senior tight end Oscar Delp and sophomore edge rusher Quintavius Johnson laid out what’s on their minds entering this SEC showdown. The three biggest topics from the Bulldogs latest media session include overcoming expectations, embracing their roles, and rising to one of the season’s biggest tests.
1. Managing energy, but not losing their edge
From the jump, Smart acknowledged the balancing act ahead. He joked that Tuesday media sessions may not continue weekly, citing how much time his staff wastes waiting on him, but even as he poked fun, his seriousness about preparation came through.
Practices this week has been “very spirited,” Smart said via 247sports.com, but not without constraint. “We’ve got to hold them back this week. The guys want to play well.” The message is clear, the Bulldogs must keep the fire, but avoid burnout before a marquee matchup.
Smart also circled back to depth as a theme. The bye week afforded extra reps, especially for those lower on the depth chart. He urged the team to make use of every opportunity.
”We make things, and we have coaches that know our terms. We want more that can play winning football.”
That buy in across the roster could pay dividends as Georgia’s margin for error shrinks against the best teams they will face this season
2. Oscar Delp owning his moment (and the trenches)
For Delp, this game is as much a proving ground as any. The senior tight end leaned into the physicality of the matchup and how he’s had to grow mentally.
When asked about a moment in the Tennessee game where he made a catch and then leapt and accidentally kicked a defender, he didn’t flich, “ They were going low on a a lot of tight ends, it was kind of a spur of the moment,” he said. Though a bizarre moment, Delp framed it as instinctual.
His assessment of this year’s tight ends room was no less candid, “I mean, there’s always things you could work on, like fundamentals,” he said, referencing perimeter blocking and timing with receivers. But he expressed confidence in their trajectory heading into a night game against a physical opponent.
Delp also addressed Smart's recent praise about his maturation. He said the speed of the game has slowed for him, not because he’s slowed down, but because his preparation and understanding have caught up.
”When i came in, you’re kind of just thrown in the fire, as you get older, it just slows down for you and you’re able to play faster.”
Some things don’t change though, he reminded reporters that home games mean something, “You don’t lose at home at Georgia. That’s the standard.”
3. Quintavius Johnson stepping up and owning accountability
Young players often talk about growth, but Johnson has been explicit in owning his. Smart had already placed him as a model of mental maturity. Johnson reinforced that during his recent media time.
When asked about how the outside linebacker room has performed so far, he leaned on legacy and standards, “Do you have the mentality to eat off the floor? That’s something Nolan Smith left in that room,” Johnson said, setting the bar for himself and the unit.
He also expressed gratitude for the extra prep time saying,“We were able to focus on ourselves, get better as a defense on our own.” Rather than stressing over sacks, he said Georgia monitors execution, run stopping, limiting explosive plays and assignment discipline.
To those who wonder how he handles criticism, Johnson’s answer was clear.
"I accept when I mess up, I own up to it and say, “Hey, I can do better.”
Final snap
When the lights go on Saturday, Georgia vs Alabama is more than a marquee game. It’s a moment of collective identity. They’re not just preparing for Alabama’s front, quarterback, or scheme, they’re preparing for who Georgia wants to be in these high stakes nights. The margin will be small, the memories will last, and Georgia’s hope is that the growth heard earlier this week shows up Saturday night.