Kirby Smart's postgame news

um came out with good energy good passion to be able to play at home 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 lost two minute um and we had lost some Red Zone and been stopped so I I thought that they came out 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 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 he continues to grow and get better and we're going to need him um in our offense we need him to to be able to play even more snaps um and be in the best shape of his life to to play more snaps to follow up on Curby or follow up on kby um how much when you were looking for a transfer portal Edition this offseason did you look for that kind of specific Big Red Zone kind of body yeah didn't really didn't really say we were looking for that we just looking for guys that fit our culture you know it wasn't like it was a this is the cookie cutter 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 I I think he fits what our culture is and it was more of a fit than it was just looking for specific type coach to 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 a different team that was the difference Ian I would love to sit here and tell you that we just started fast today and everything clicked but that wasn't the same opponent and uh you know we 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 you know the success we had running it 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 make you feel good about as well I don't think we know that yet it's hard to tell today right like I wouldn't judge that on today I me I think we've got uh good really good stable at backs uh I'm 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 cuz I don't I don't know that matter which back was in there how important is a 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 you probably went against somebody Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday that was probably better than who you went against today so I look a lot more at the the practice fors we took last week than those um I want to see you perform when the anxiety hits crowds out there but you we had guys go out there and 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 going me you to see him find today was awesome great Branson works really hard Branson's a good back still coming back to his old self and I thought he had a good cut today and made some guys miss he's a great back man he just got to get back to full strength coach right there before the half you mentioned two men what what would you point to in terms of lack of execution right there that maybe didn't just missed some other 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 them but uh you know we didn't have any timeouts 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 once they had the defensive holding I thought we'd be able to steal some points but we did five TouchDown passest for Carson back today I think a TI the school record what have you seen in his growth in just these past two 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 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 I thought he could have gone but he h even have to um wasn't able to go today hopefully get him back Nate Fraser yeah he could have come back and we ended up holding I'm not even sure it was the shoulder but I don't know what significance they came over to me and said he's ready to go back in but at that point we were moved on ja Jordan Thomas some of the younger guys on the dline got some you Val reps today just what about that group that hasn't been here kind of like Warren and stack house how have they kind of come along yeah I got to keep getting better we we we've got to grow those guys 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 guys we got out in that room Ty inam Dawkins career high through tackles for loss today with him being healthy now what does he bring to this defensive line room yeah depth twitch you know we got a really good situation there with u with him uh Gabe Harris Joseph Joni um you know they they've had a step up in the Forefront with Mel down and um you know Tai's T has been a good player since he's been here he's just battles some injuries and he's he's healthy right now and and playing well coach you said the great thing about games like this is getting able to see some other people out on the field what did you see from Stockton today from his connections that he made out there yeah I thought Gunner play with more confidence of year remember gunar had to play a lot of games last year in mop up Duty where it 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 need him to back back you've held your defense has help the other to three points what are you learning early on about just the identity of the 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 start 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 is a little more frustrating then when you guys give up the the three points at the end of 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 Smith last week for that what all he doing become a system factor in pass 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 really good practices and I was like well you know sometimes that equates to a great game sometimes it doesn't 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 lawon 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 a good route Runner tough physical guy he missed a block out on 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 and how he works every day how he leads so what about EUR SEC just what what has he kind of brought I know you know hadn't you know caught a pass yet but just what he what he brings to the table oh he's tough physical leader I think he understands that uh his growth is week to week getting to play on this team getting to be a part of something big and I mean everybody wants stats everybody wants to put Brock Mau type of numbers but he's going to get us 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 Daran Smith had one touchdown cast you almost probably had two at one point just what have you seen from him so far and how important was for him to come back for this final year uh aran's great Aran works really hard I think I've told you guys 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 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 he's 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 that was like that was easy it's never easy up there never it's never easy on the road to SEC at all and I don't know if 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 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 Jones with pick up who or what play out to you today I don't know that one stood out like that I thought uh Mike did a great job with a couple key play calls where he hit shots 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 know he chose to to make some plays with his legs and um that makes a difference makes it really hard to defend in games more questions for Coach how's J Jah been since new offensive lineman since he's gotten in I think he got in last week and may have got some snaps today just what have you seen out of him well he got a hold of the day so that's not progress but he 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 and going out there and you're trying to play in the SEC and that's you know there just a lot of football he needs to play and a lot of practice reps he needs and as long as he's willing to do that he'll have a chance to be successful any updates on mik 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 get rehab got him working uh getting treatment all day Friday all day Saturday all day tomorrow have time for one more question okay than