Georgia escaped Knoxville with a heart-stoppping overtime win against No. 15 Tennessee, and now Kirby Smart’s team has a week to regroup before one of the season’s biggest matchups, Alabama. The bye week comes at the perfect time for the Bulldogs, who have plenty to clean up on defense, players to heal, and young talent to bring along.
Smart and a few of his players spoke with the media on Tuesday as they discussed multiple aspects of their big win over Tennessee and what's to come in the near future.
Smart on self-scouting and improvement
Kirby Smart made it clear that the focus this week isn’t just on resting up, it’s about finding ways to get better before Alabama rolls into Athens.
Smart shared via 247sports.com, “We jumped into working on ourselves yesterday and got back to work for an off week. We had a good practice yesterday, got a lot of reps for our twos and threes, and today we'll get a lot of reps for everybody. That's a work day and work the rest of the week towards starting on our next opponent later in the week.”
The offensive line remains a focal point for Georgia moving forward. Smart praised the group’s effort but noted the important balance between getting them healthy and pushing them to reach their potential.
“Well, any work helps them, Smart continued. “Growth walkthroughs help them, meetings help them. They're just so far from their ceiling, because they haven't had the same amount of work. They also have to be healthy, which makes it hard, because you're balancing health and reps, trying to get guys back healthy.”
Chris Cole’s emergence continues
Few players have risen faster than sophomore linebacker Chris Cole. Over the last three games, Cole has racked up 14 total tackles and two sacks, showing his ability to impact the game in multiple roles.
Cole discussed on Tuesday that his sucess comes from his attention to detail.
”Just a lot of film and just seeing what I need to do in every position,” Cole shared. “Just focusing on my detail and just doing my job.”
Even as Tennessee jumped out with quick scores, Cole said the defense stayed steady.
”We’ve kind of had adversity before, so just staying calm, making our adjustments and going back on the field and competing.”
The bye week is another opportunity for Cole to refine this game.
” It’s definitely a great week to get better as a team,” he said. “Just go back to what we’ve been doing and just get better as a team.”
Micah Morris leading the way up front
On the offensive side, senior guard Micah Morris has turned into one of Georgia’s most reliable players. He played 95 snaps against Tennessee, the most of his career.
” No, I’ve never played 95,” Morris said. “I was probably the most tired for sure, especially towards the end.”
His biggest moment came in overtime when his block opened up a lane for Nate Frazier. For Morris, it was all about trust.
”Just the preparation, knowing what to expect, and just trust the preparation that we do here at Georgia and know it will work out.”
Now a veteran presence, Morris sees himself as a mentor to younger linemen like Dontrell Glover and Juan Gaston.
“One of the main things I can pass on to the younger guys is just to stay focused and stay committed, just lock in on film, not knowing when it’s your turn, but whenever it is, being ready and ready to do what it takes.”
Morris also praised the offensive line’s discipline, pointing out that Georgia avoided false starts in a hostile Neyland Stadium environment.
”It went again to preparation in a week of crowd noise, just knowing that we’re going to have to speak up in the huddle, make sure our communication is clear, and just focus.”
Alabama is on Georgia's mind
Georgia has plenty to celebrate after outlasting Tennessee, but Alabama presents an even bigger test. The bye week is a chance for Smart’s team to catch its breath and regroup, but the Bulldogs know what’s coming.
”Next week, new opponent. We gotta wash out our weight and focus on the next opponent and get back to it,” Morris said.
Cole agreed, keeping his eyes on the big picture.
” We felt good after Tennessee, but it’s definitely another game to get better and be able to compete in front of the big show.”
WIth Smart preaching growth, the Bulldogs are sharpening their edge for when the Crimson Tide arrive in Athens. The game may still be over a week away, but it's clear that Georgia is ready.