Georgia Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart reacts to Tennessee Tech win

statement and we'll take questions yeah guys I was really uh proud of our guys today um came out with good energy good passion to be able play home um in front of our our crowd which you don't get many chances you know I think we average six maybe home games a year and um that was one of them so we took advantage of it guys played hard um I thought we had es and flows that were really good and then some that weren't and I was really proud of the guys I challenged them at halftime you know we had lost uh a couple third Downs on defense we had lost two minutes um and we had lost some Red Zone and been stopped so I thought that they came out of the half and the first drive was really important to me I thought the offensive line handled that uh they overpowered a group they should overpower um and we're able to play a lot of players today we subbed out probably earlier than anybody in the country and I think that helps us down the road we played a lot of players today play a lot of players last week we play a lot of players every year and I think that helps grow our team in our depth so thanks to our crowd for for sticking it out and it was uh it was warm like I anticipated and I think that affected both teams have a question Kirby what have you seen out of Kobe young two games two touchdowns just talk about his growth and and development yeah he he continues to get better I I don't know that today's a good judgment of Kobe young you know he had a mesh pattern that that that that they didn't cover you know it wasn't a wow play it was just a an error on their part and a pretty easy throw so um the one last week was impressive um um he continues to grow and get better and we're going to need him um in our offense we need him to be able to play even more snaps um and be in the best shape of light to to play to to follow up on Kirby or follow up on kobby um how much when you were looking for a transfer portal Edition this off season did you look for that kind of specific Big Red Zone kind of body type yeah it didn't really didn't really say we were looking for that we're just looking for guys that fit our culture you know it wasn't like it was a this is the cookie cut we want big we want we want good and we want good people for our culture and he is that he was very clear in his reasoning for U why he wanted to come and um I I think he fits what our culture is and and it was more fit than it was just looking for a specific type coach a start difference between this first half of this game and last week against Clemson talk to me about what you saw the connections between the offense out there today yeah we played it different team that was the difference I mean I would love to sit here and tell you that we started fast today and everything clicked but that wasn't the same opponent and uh were considerably better than that opponent and um we should execute at a high level and the week before there was a lot of problems out there um in terms of their players blocking them and when you can run the ball you can do pretty much what you want offensively uh and and success we had running and open it up for play actions and some shots Kirby what what difference does Trevor make to the Run game adding him to the guys you already have that you know you feel good about as well I don't think we know that yet hard tell today right like I wouldn't judge that on today I think we've got to a good really good stable of backs uh fired up by our backs I've said repeatedly to you guys that we got a great group good young good old good leadership good depths um I felt really comfortable there all year I still feel that way but I can't put a significance of impact on what he did today because I don't I don't know that matter of back is in there how important is game like this to be able like you said to get so many players in and continue to kind of build that chemistry with all the players I think the biggest thing is getting game experience so who you play with doesn't matter as much as if you play and uh you probably went against somebody Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday it was probably better than who you win against today so uh I look a lot more at the the practice reps we took last week those um I want to see you perform when the anxiety hits and When the Crowds out there but you we had guys who out there got an opportunity and and make mistakes bust they got to get those things out of the way they got to get them out of the way and the sooner we get them out of the way the sooner they can become good players Branson Robinson going through what it mean you to see him find The End Zone today it's awesome great Branson works really hard Branson's a good back but still coming back to his old self and I thought he had a good cut today and made some guys missed he's a great back man just got to get back to full strength yeah coach right there before the half you mentioned the two minute what what would you point to in terms of lack of execution right there that just missed some open guys I mean whether it was the route was cut short route was cut off Carson didn't hit them but had good calls they were open um maybe the receiver pulled up short or maybe we just missed him but uh you know we didn't have any timeout so it was a bonus to even get the ball back and uh we went three and out got the ball back I wanted to see this execute without timeouts we did a pretty good job of that got the one penalty um and and we say in the defensive holding I thought we bu still some points but we didn't pass for Carson today had the school record what have you seen in his growth in just these past few games yeah I mean I don't know I don't know that I've seen him grow in the last two games you know what I mean I think uh just true truly honesty he's he's grown he's a good player he continues to get better and it's not that you're saying he can't get better absolutely he can get better but today was about a lot of other players not about Carson any update on Oscar uh yeah he had a slight ankle spring um so we'll see you know I thought he could have gone but he held him half any on um wasn't able to go today hope get back Nate Fraser yeah he could have come back and we Ed up hold him I not sure it was a shoulder but I don't know what significance they came over to me said he's ready to go back in but at that point we were moved on J Jordan Thomas some of the younger guys on the dline got some new value runs today just what about that group that hasn't been here kind of like waren Stacks how how they kind of come along yeah got to keep getting better we we we we've got to grow those guys um they work really hard during the week it's critical to Our Success that we grow that that room and develop that room we are not where we need to be and uh we we got to got to develop that room because of the the guys we got out in that room Ty Ingram Dawkins career three tackles for l today with him being healthy now what does he bring to this defensive line on yeah dep twitch you know we got a really good situation there with uh with him uh Gabe Harris Joseph Joni um you know they've had to step up in the Forefront with Mel now and um you know Tai's Tai's been a good player since he's been here he's just he's battled some injuries and he's he's healthy right now and playing well coach you said the great thing about games like this is getting able to see some other people out on what did you see from stockt today and his connections that he out there yeah I thought Gunner played with more confidence of year remember gunar had to play a lot of games last year and my up Duty BR was just clock management run the ball get out of the game and this today he got to play a little more like he did against uh you know Florida State they did some good things made some good decisions uh continue to improve that uh played well with the guys around him he made them look good he makes good decisions he's he's getting wiser and uh and we needing to back that things you called your def help the other team three points what are you learning early on about identity of this defense and also yeah hard to measure our success today again defensively and that's not a disrespect it's just the truth those guys were going to struggle um up front they don't have big guys they're star quarterbacks out you know I mean realistically it's it's it's hard last week was a great performance for our defense today was what we should do so it's a little more frustrating than when you guys give up the the at the end the game no I think that's a great Learning lesson it's more frustrating when you give up two third downs and they have a 8 n minute possession that's frustrating Aon Smith last week five reception day four reception what El he do become a more consistent factor in the passing interiew getting opportunities he had a great week of practice and I told him it may results in that or it may not it doesn't matter we're not outcome oriented we're process oriented and he had four of the really good practices and I was like well you know sometimes that equates to a game sometimes at thaton and it didn't equate to like some record breaking game but he uh he played well in practice and he worked hard and he continues to improve you talk about Lawson lucky and what he's brought to this team with a big catch last week and the touchdown this week yeah Lawson's a competitor man he uh he wants to do well he wants to please he works his butt off really good route Runner tough physical guy he missed a block out of the perimeter today I know he's upset about but he made some plays with his uh with his route running and really proud of Lawson how he works every day how he leads what about your SEC just what what has he kind of brought I know you know had you know CAU pass yet but just what he what he brings into oh he's tough physical leader I think he understands that uh his growth is week to week getting to play on his team getting be a part of something big and I mean everybody wants stats everybody wants to put up Brock bers type of numbers but he's going to get his opportunities there's going to be games where he has opportunities to make plays and I I really believe he's going to make them he's a tough physical guy here is one touchdown cast he almost probably had two at one point just what did you seen from him so far and how important was it for him to come back for this final year uh AR's great AR works really hard I think I've told you guys he he's probably the the one player that I've seen in my nine years take the biggest transformation from coming from a small school and he didn't grow up going to Lakeland he went to a small school down in P County and he just got better better better better he's been through significant injuries three four surgeries and he's just so mature now he knows how to work um much more patient when things don't go well and just his maturation process has been great for our program you open on the road next week for SEC play against the tough Kentucky team with a couple of guys you know well just your thoughts as you guys get ready to prepare for that trip yeah I mean I think we've been up there that it wasn't a just a battle I can't think of a time I've ever been to that stadium and played the game it was like that was easy it's never easy up there never it's never easy on the road necess toy at all and I don't know if people people truly appreciate and respect a win on the road in Kentucky how hard it is they're well coached they're really physical um they do a great job I mean they they had a really good football team so we will have our work cut out for us not to mention eight straight SEC games I think it is uh last week it was Cash J pick up who or what plac it up to you today I don't know that one stood out like that I thought uh Mike did a great job of a couple key play calls where he hit shot um you know I I can't think of one particular there were some really good crack blocks where the runs got sprung out and guys made good Cuts you know it's probably today with Carson's legs you he chose to to make some plays with his legs and um that makes a difference makes it really hard to defend in games any more questions coach how's John J been since the new offensive lineman since he's gotten in I think he got in last week and may have got some stabs today just what have you seen out of him well we got a hold today so that's not progress but he uh he's getting better he's humongous he's a developmental player that we're trying to develop um I think we we're trying to speed up the process maybe faster than it's possible um but he's he's been a sponge in terms of trying to learn what to do you can imagine not playing football since 8th grade going out there and trying to play in the SEC and that's you know just a lot of football he needs to play and a lot of practice he needs and as long as he's willing to do that he'll have a chance to be successful any on M Williams uh yeah I mean he's hurt got an ankle so I mean like he couldn't go today I don't know what he'll be able to do uh sure we'll find out on Wednesday I mean I'm hopeful to get him back but we're just got him in a game ready got him getting rehab got him working uh he getting treatment all day Friday all day Saturday all day tomorrow have to have one more question okay thank