Mike Bobo talks Georgia football offense, what wrong against Alabama

first and foremost holidays let practice things you guys ready that happy holidays uh practice has been good think we've had two really uh good practices uh or three three good practices uh but uh it's been great uh the guys are excited to play in in a bowl game like the Capital One Orange Bowl play against a very good opponent uh in Florida State and and very good defense so we know we got our work cut out and for us to play well we've got to prepare the right right way and our guys have done a great job preparing and be ready for this game how did Carson let you know he's coming back and what was your reaction to him well uh obviously uh excited uh for the news uh but you know you know we had been talking since the last ball game about certain things and at the end of the day it was get him the information uh that he need to make the decision and and it wasn't some big announcement it was kind of a culmination of things leading up to that point but my conversations with with Carson mainly about still prepared and finishing the right way uh this season that was his decision family decision that he made I to let him know I'm his coach and we'll support him any way possible that he needs and you know you're here let's get ready to play our best and and go out and finish this season the right way against State this is Brock's last game how you remember B uh special special uh you know player uh guy that comes out every single day uh does anything just goes to work uh the ultimate teammate the ultimate competitor kind of a jack all tra can do you know everything he can block he can run he can catch he didn't have him throw any but I'm sure we asked him to throw the ball but uh a joy to coach um just a pleasure to coach and lucky to to have the year where I got to be part of coaching him and and see him do something on that football field how he affects our football team yeah coach when we just talked to Coach Fuller he mentioned you guys' third down efficiency rates I believe you were second in the country conversion rate on third down what was the key this year to be so great on third down they're they're fourth in the country on third down defense so we got our we got our work cut out against these guys but uh I think you know I think it's the preparation um you know put the plan together coach mcon does a great job kind of presenting our third down package uh we decide what we want to run as a staff but heads that up uh we present that to our players and then I I personally think it has a lot to do with the way we practice um you know coach SM make sure we has the best looks possible when we're practicing third downs and you know some guys that are rushing for our defense you know when we're going scout team coach Mark brings him over and practices against us in our third down period uh which I think that puts a lot of stress on us in practice uh we see fast looks in practice so I think when the game comes things slow down for us protected well Caron gets rid of the ball uh quickly uh he's accurate when he throws the ball and then I don't know what to early late later in the seon last later in the season I've looked and I don't know what it is now but our our third down the avoidance avoidance I think is low but our distance to go I think is not very high you know I think we might be 5 yards or less which gives you a better chance uh you know to be successful ironically in the last game you know we weren't as good on third down they were short guards third Downs which we've been pretty good at so it's going to be another tough challenge for us this week and got be good on third down coach how would you describe the buy from this team ahead of the orange in the uh I I think it's been I think it's been awesome uh our guys uh you know have done a great job up to this point of buying the end but that's you know that's Coach Mark's of you know culture that's standard uh that you know we all are individuals that all have egos but we all the University of Georgia that's who we are that's who we represent that's who we play for and I think you know those guys have bought in and they believe in that it's just not words they believe in that it's important for them to wear the G and represent Georgia the right way and guys like that are fun to coach saw beginning the year till now where do you think the offense stes I I don't I think each each each game is its own different game each week's its own week I think staying consistent um you know I think we got more explosive as the year went on but I think that had to do with us getting some pieces back and becoming healthier the thing I love about this offense is uh their resiliency uh they don't blink when things don't go well they continue to go out there and they play hard and things aren't going to go every time sometimes you have to pun sometimes you don't score touchdown but you know we'll get another opportunity let's go out and try to score and be explosive but you I think you know being able not not to Flinch and and be resilient in moments when things aren't going well that's going to happen in a football game our offense has has shown that to me I know this season obviously isn't over yet but how would you reflect on everything that happen this season whether that's the offense the whole team and what excites you the most about next season uh well I I think you know this season has has been fun because i' seen guys he got step up uh in roles the first opportunity to play this year uh and you know we just want to go out we want to finish off the right way new year new year six b game against Mara State who undefeated and you know you you're undefeated that's that's a huge huge accomplishment uh and they've got a strong very very strong defense on team so that's our challenge I will finish out the right way uh you know as far as next season goes you you know that's next season I think everything we're doing up to this point is to finish off the right way for this senior class having a chance to get 50 wins uh is the most important right now Mike where do you feel like Carson has grown the most this season uh I think just you know there's a lot there's a lot of areas I think no matter how long you've been in the system or how many years of experience when you got being in that system I think his maturity uh has grown throughout throughout the year uh his confidence has grown uh you can be confident until you go out there and do it you know on Saturdays you still have to be able to feel that go out do it I think his confidence in those areas has helped him grow he's had the talent but I think his confidence more than anything what do you seen out of gunar Stockton and how he's developed this year for you guys say say that again what have you seen out of Gunner Stockton this year and how he's developed for you guys well I think G gunar has done done a great job in in learning the offense I think that's been his number one development um so far he's got more reps this year with the offense you know for last year he was on basically the scout team but now he's getting reps and I think every rep you get you see grow uh but just being more comfortable in the offense is his biggest growth and then Ryan py guy you brought in obviously he's down here practicing with you guys from a recruiting standpoint what did you see that you liked about him and made you think you'd be fit for big big strong uh kid with with a live or athletic has some athletic ability uh and a confident kid that uh wanted to come to compete at the University of Georgia and I like that how would you assess as a whole your first year back as georg's offensive play call Way well I've been doing it a long time I don't think just being a Georgia U what else somewhere else it's called it Blaze it's having a great staff which we have going in there putting a game plan together and and hopefully your kids understand that game plan to go out and play well on Saturday um the ultimate goal is to you know to win every game we didn't do that but we have another game you know this Saturday against Florida State we're excited about playing that talking about players you added what stood out to you about the three guys yall added in the transfer portal line offense three the the new two receivers and ET uh well they're not they're not here yet okay they're not here and I'm focus on this game and get those our guys that are here ready to play guys you expect to step up well I think it it's you know we always have to say next man's up around here so you know that could happen at any moment at any time at any game somebody goes down you got to be ready so we're getting guys ready to go uh for this football football game I think we've got to be efficient on first or second down because this this team we playing a very very good third down defense and he going to come down to us being able to generate some explosive plays uh and our quarterbacks got to put us in the right position and guys got to have make plays when they have an [Music] opportunity no I think we're we're we're close to close to being 100% healthy uh there's a guy few guys out there that got a couple things but uh that's going to be up to coach Martin Ron foron our training staff who plays and at the end of the day who's out there is who we got and that's what we go with po that on tape looking at the Alabama game what what did not work for you guys in that game uh well mentioned earlier you know we've been good on third down all year and and ironically I think you know that game you know we had some third insurance that we didn't convert in the game didn't be able to continue drives and allow us to have more plays but you know selling for three field goals in the red zone and turning the ball up and not being able to be explosive I felt like we could could get in a rhythm for whatever reason uh after the first drive and you know one you got to give those guys a lot of credit they're a good defensive football team uh but you know that happens and you know unfortunately you know we didn't play our best they played better than us and that happens in football the short yard that surprise you considering the guys you got up front uh I mean some I mean you it's hard to get you watch coach smart shows every week he shows third and fourth fourth ones around this in our league uh and sometimes in the NFL and I hard it is to get a yard sometimes I think sometimes people think hey it's third one you automatically get it and we've been very very good at it all year uh but but sometimes things don't go as planned and they didn't go as plan as planned in that game there be a couple weeks ago talked about how the leadership on this team has been so good to make sure everyone is motivated going into this game even if it's not the playoff what have you seen in that regard well I I I mean first of all coach smart is is our leader and he sets a standard of of us playing for the University of Georgia represent the University of Georgia and and these kids have have bought into that and they believe that there's a great connection uh with our team they love each other and the leaders want to go out and they want to play well uh for the University of T the seniors want to go out the right way have a chance to win 50 games uh and and and you kids that love football you get a chance to put the ball down and play another game I gu a great opponent like Florida State our kids are excited about that like to be with you and and will and Kirby and Ryan so many guys that played in Georgia what difference does that make having you guys all together and you've been well I you got a guys a lot of guys that that love the University of Georgia obviously went to school there there's some guys at went school and played there uh but you know we we love we're at and love what we work for what we represent University of Georgia and I think you know every time we get a chance we want we want Georgia to be go out and and put the have a chance to be successful when they play how special is it too I you guys all grew up together and the families are so coal is this one of the most special situations you ever been part well I I think anytime you have an opportunity uh you to work at a place like University of Georgia first is an awesome awesome thing but to work in a place with guys that you you know some guys I grew up with some guys I played with uh I think special and then I say have my son on the football team I think that's an awesome awesome experience right now and sometimes we we we're so focused and and nared in on our job and what we got to do sometimes we don't see you know how lucky we are and you know the things you mentioned of being able to work with guys that you know I played with went to school with and now I get a chance to coach my son uh I think it's a special time you've had a long-standing relationship with Kirby how did being his offensive coordinator sort of impact that or changed that uh it hadn't changed it he's the boss and I really I think there there's a line there that I that I understand uh and respect that and uh he's he's the head football coach and my job as an assistant coach is to be loyal to the head coach and and try to do everything he asked and run the program that he wants to run uh and you know our friendship I don't cross that line you know we're friends and our families have been friends for a long time but he's a head coach and you know and I'm one of his assistant coaches for we go to work and with Carson coming back what's maybe one area or few areas you want to see him continue to improve and build upon after his yeah I think the more experience he gets the better uh obviously this will be his 14th start uh you know very very accurate and completing ball so I think we work on you know down the field throws a little bit more and that's not just him hitting guys at or but that's us finding ways to be creative and push the ball a little bit more downfield and have higher success rate toward the ball down field how have you see lad battle the season for get back out as much as he can yeah just uh it's a tough tough young man uh he's he's been battling injuries all year uh he's one of our our best weapons on offense and it's been a you know struggle sometimes to put game plans together we don't know if he's in or out he when he's been able to go he went and gave everything he had for the University of Georgia and excited to see him out there practice this week running around and and making plays and glad his back you miss talking to the Press every week no I don't great I was thinking about that the other day when I was walking through that little area I used to have to stand and yeah answer questions for you every good number you can't times you came through that Hall you kind of like yeah you can tell how practice when you always in a good do do you keep up do you keep up with Trey McBride and and how many people you think are going to ask you to compare Brock Bowers to him over the next month that's I actually was texting with Trey probably less than a month ago and then with his with his with his mom but uh you know Trey McBride is good to see him he's having had a good season and coming on here here lately but uh you know I I don't I don't know if you compare anybody to to Brock Bowers Brock Bowers is such a unique uh player to to me uh you know he's a tight end but I think he's kind of he's he can he can he can do it all uh you know he he get he can block he can run he can catch uh uh powerful after after the catches run after catch ability is is unbelievable well Trey was kind of your more traditional tight end Brock is kind of a jack of all trades but uh you know two very very good football players and it's good to see Trey having some success in NFL you you've had accomplish career in your own right um how did how much pressure did you feel following Todd and how do you think the season wi uh I I don't I don't necessarily think you know pressure uh following you know coach monkey and I think there's there's there's there's pressure you know it's every job I think I've heard I've heard the saying I think Kirby might have said it before you know pressure is a privilege and you're a place like you know the University of Georgia there's there's pressures uh you know for us to play well for us to win uh you you know I think uh that's part of the job I think you learn uh you know to to live with those pressures but you know quite frankly you welcome you know those pressures and those expectations and you want to be at a place where uh the expectations are high uh you know I I worried about our own players at sometime this this year the pressures to of you know winning so many games in R and having to come back and trying to threee and you know there's a lot of pressure on those young young men to go out and play well and uh and the end of the day you still want them to go out and have some fun uh and you know I'm looking forward to this game you know we lost against Alabama and SEC Championship game we didn't want that to happen do we'd love to be playing in the playoff but we're not uh so maybe now we'll see this go out let's go out and have some fun in this game against Florida State yesterday uh a lot of his teammates were talking about how good back is looked in Camp do you think him getting this decision behind him and out there kind of allows him to sort of I don't know loosen up or whatever I I don't know I I think he he he he's gotten better you know every week to me because the more experience and the more things he goes through as a quarterback uh and then you know having to go through a loss uh you know and and having a Feld that you know sets up failure sometimes and but like I you know told him at the game I said the other side other side of failure is Success you got to keep getting yourself up going back out there uh and he's had the right mindset and you know and and he you know him I think is starting to trust guys more on our football team uh and he's had to do that we we've been so in and out of skill players this year uh whether Brock is lad or this and that you know and and learning to you know trust it and no matter who you got thrown to it trust and have I think that I think that's more than anything him learning to trust who's out there how about trusting you guys to put a cast around him for next year I mean you guys have Christmas came a little early with I guess etn and Miami receiver and you got the Vanderbilt guy is it going to be tough to replace the powers and and what about this reload free agency era that we're in like how tough is that it's I mean I don't I don't know if you can replace Brock Bowers uh you know uh you know even when he wasn't really 100% he was one of our better football players one of better players in in the country uh but you know as far as the the free agency and uh the portal era that we live in uh it is what it is right now I think you know what you can do as a coach is you know continue to have relationships with your players and try to develop them uh and hope they stick through that development process and realize if they do they got a chance to kind of reach their goals and then uh if they don't you know that's they have the option to do that uh and and I don't I don't Harbor any ill feelings to anybody that whether they stay or they go uh you know I you know it's kind of I look at it as hey I'm your football coach comeing here we're going to coach football we're going to try to you know work on that we're going to develop a relationship but I'm not going to get into your into your business which is s sad they're still young kids and you want to help them out but it is what it is there's a pretty long line of guys probably that that want to be a part of your offense can you tell us why etn was a guy that you felt might fit yeah I I don't I don't I don't I don't really want to comment on him yet cuz he's he's not here uh uh I want to focus on the guys that are here uh getting ready to play this game like Kendall Milt who was over there who I'm really proud of how he played this year and battled through some injuries and become one of our you know one of our uh got Playmakers on offense uh and getting ready for this game against Florida State when did you know that that uh Carson was a kind of quarterback that could lead you guys to to 12 and0 in the regular season and and you know obviously be set up for kind of you know professionally like uh you see the skill say I saw it last year uh when I got here the guy that uh has can make all the throws a guy that I can see him processing you know plays quickly uh on the practice field and getting to the right guy uh and through his progressions and those sort of things and you know and I think it was just a matter of him going out there and playing football games and get starts under his belt and no matter how much you do it in practice and for how long uh I think you still got to go out there and do it uh on Saturdays and I think the big thing for him is I he's got more confident and confident confident each week week okay uh in and going out there and playing well and there's a lot of things that he can still uh improve at uh to have a chance to to be where he wants to be U and there's a lot of things he has goal oriented individually and team that uh he's excited to do in the future mik what did you learn about lad m in the time you were able to be around I wish I had him more I know that uh it's good to see him healthy and out there pricing uh right right now uh tough tough tough young man uh that's battled through some injuries this year you hate to see that in his in his La last year that he's having to battle through all these injuries but he's worked hard to to get back and and get ready to play against Florida State this Saturday so I'm excited to see that but uh uh one of the best route Runners uh that we have extremely quick and short area short area and then has great long speed uh you know good with the ball in his hand after the catch yeah you can hand it to or throw it to but uh decd decided to have him this Saturday for sure and one more question about about Brock as far as the challenges of an offens Court we got somebody that talented as far as find a different way make you know different ways to really utilize that to what was that like for him uh well it was that it was challenging at times too whether or know he was in in or out uh when he was Health when he was he when he was when he was healthy uh you know I think you had to make sure as a as a as a play caller that uh you found ways to get him touches uh and it's hard sometimes when a guy is playing a tight end position you know to find creative ways to get him the ball but our staff does a great job uh of of of recommending Concepts you know to get guys touches and we all look at what guys are doing on scheme but at the end of the day sometimes you got to think players over plays I think you if you do that you have a chance to be successful and Brock and lad the two guys you asked about were two guys that if you gave them a chance to touch the ball usually had a positive play how of that them not being 100% the Alabama game is is part of how do you look back on mean I look back at that game is we didn't we didn't we didn't convert the third Downs that we needed converting that ball game uh we've been very good at at converting third Downs all year uh consistently and uh and doing a good job of having third ADV bounds all year and you know in that game we didn't do well on third down and quite frankly it was third ones and thirds twos uh that we didn't we didn't continue continue drives whether a guy's healthy or not uh I mean we we've dealt with that all year next man up uh if they're out there they're healthy enough to play uh but you know it's we didn't execute in the right moments in that game to be successful it was one of those games that was going to come down to uh executing in situational football third down in Red Zone and we settle for field goals and then we turn the ball over uh in our own territory which cost us did their availability contribute to play calling running I mean that that does every week uh Seth what who's available uh you know how what what what you might call uh that changes every week availability because again you think about players sometimes over plays but uh that's to me that's a that's an excuse we got a butt web to a very good football team and we didn't make enough plays to win ball kind of a 5,000 foot question here you obviously work for for Coach Rick that was I don't know if it's a coaching lifetime ago or not but how different is it where working for Kirby in today's game versus what it was like being Coach Rick I I mean it's I mean one uh I actually texted with Coach Rick last night he's coming down to the game him and uh him and Catherine and uh Ian both are both are very very very very competitive individuals uh and I think you got to be that way to coach at a place like University of Georgia uh but I mean Co somebody asked the go about the pressure or anything I think you know end of the day there it's very very similar uh you know whe it was 10 years ago or now uh the expectation of University of Georgia is to play well compete for championships and Coach Rick was the same way as Kirby was another throwback question for you you guys were I think all came in under coach GF and can you just talk about what he meant to Georgia because we don't hear his name maybe as much as seems like we would I got to see him uh a month or so ago uh but uh you know very fortunate that Ray GF recruited me and gave me an opportunity to play at the University of Georgia and you know obviously I didn't I didn't finish my career with him and Coach D came in but you know a lot of times people forget that coach GF has you know from the state of Georgia played quarterback at the University of Georgia represented Georgia the right way and I know his know his coaching career didn't go the way he wanted but great man that uh I I love dearly you know gave me an opportunity to come to University of Georgia and get my degree and play there what what did uh Dylan Fairchild mean when he said that you had a point to season he said he said that you said that to the team uh I I don't I don't I don't I don't know youd have to ask I don't know did he say I said that yeah I don't know I think you got a point to prove every time you go out there that uh you know you want to be the you want to be the best uh and our offensively every time we don't put the ball down we want to go score and it doesn't happen every time but we you know I think maybe he's heard me say that before let's just put the ball down and we're going to prove that we deserve to be out there I'm you think you prove something this year huh no I I don't I don't I don't look at it that way uh you know I I I want I I really don't uh look at it that way uh I just try to go out there and and get these guys ready to play and play for University of Georgia and I'm very blessed to be back at the University of Georgia and have this opportunity to sit this chair call plays but I'm also blessed to be in a room with with great coaches that I have on this staff and uh I enjoy that every day you know going to work with those guys and and and coaching these young men but uh you know I won't be happy until you know we score we don't punt we score every time you know we touch the ball