As Georgia gears up for its first SEC game of the season, head coach Kirby Smart, redshirt sophomore safety Kyron Jones and junior offensive lineman Monroe Freeling spoke with the media after practice Tuesday. Here are some of the takeaways from the media session.

Smart on practice and preparation

Smart said he’s been pleased with the team’s energy through the first two practices of the week.

“It’s been good. Feels a little crisp and cooler in the air. Hasn’t been as hot. Guys have been spirited; they know it’s a big matchup,” Smart said. “Had a good day of about a little over an hour of work on Monday and then about an hour and a half, two hours today, just finishing up. So, they’ve been in good spirits.”

The Volunteers present a different approach offensively under head coach Josh Heupel, one that Smart said evolves from year to year.

“I think he utilizes the skill sets of that offense,” Smart said. “They’ve had different types of wideouts, different types of quarterbacks, different types of backs. They do what good coaches do, they utilize the skill sets of the good players.”

Smart also emphasized the need for physicality from Georgia’s offensive line going up against a strong Tennessee front.

“They’ve got a physical defensive line that comes off, hits you, and we’ve been physical at practice,” he said. “If you want to have physicality, you’ve got to reflect it.”

Jones on stepping into a starting role

For Jones, who made his first career start in the season opener, Saturday represents another chance to prove himself on a big stage.

“That was a big moment for me, especially being in the system for three years and finally getting a first start,” Jones said. “It was great being out there with the guys.”

Jones has been playing through a hand injury with a club, something he admits has been an adjustment but not a deterrent.

“Nobody would necessarily just want to play with a club, but I feel like I’ve figured out ways to play with it,” Jones said. “Football is a game of, you’re gonna be hurt. You’re not gonna be feeling 100% all the time. So just being able to play through even when something’s hurting, I guess it’s part of the game.”

As Georgia prepares for Tennessee’s fast-paced, explosive offense, Jones said discipline and communication in the secondary will be critical.

“From what I’ve seen, they’re very explosive and they have some very good athletes,” Jones said. “The main thing is just staying into our system and just playing our true defense.”

Jones also stressed the importance of a “next play” mentality, both for veterans and younger players making their SEC road debuts.

“Things might happen over the course of the game that might not go your way, and you can’t control what happened in the past,” Jones said. “All you can focus on is what’s next.”

Freeling on offensive line growth

Freeling, now a key veteran presence on Georgia’s line, echoed Smart’s emphasis on physical preparation throughout the week.

“We’re attacking every day like it’s just a game. Every single day is a game, so we’re just stacking every single day,” Freeling said. “I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a difference. We try to prepare for each opponent the same way, but when it comes to the SEC schedule, we really ramp up the intensity.”

Freeling said the line has made progress in opening holes in the run game but still sees room for growth.

“So far, I think we probably still haven’t played to our best,” Freeling said. “We’re getting a lot better on the fundamentals, shoulder angles, first steps, all those things.”

With Tennessee’s physical front looming, Freeling acknowledged the magnitude of the task at hand.

“All of the fundamentals, everything we worked over the offseason, redefining our technique and all those things,” Freeling said. “It’s gonna be the biggest test for sure, and we’re excited.”

Rivalry atmosphere

Smart pointed out the history of the Georgia-Tennessee rivalry and the intensity that comes with it.

“It’s a historic rivalry because it’s been played for so many years over time, and there’s been a lot of big games,” Smart said. “All of those border wars are big-time rivalries.”

Neyland Stadium is known as one of the loudest atmospheres in college football, and Smart said the Bulldogs have been preparing to handle crowd noise and communication challenges.

“Loud most certainly affects that and Neyland is one of the loudest,” Smart said. “You have to be smart. When you game plan, you can’t maybe do quite as much as you could do at home.”

Georgia and Tennessee both made the College Football Playoff last season, and with SEC play now underway, both teams enter Saturday’s matchup with high stakes.

The Red & Black is a 501c3 nonprofit.
Please consider a one-time gift or become a monthly supporter. Cancel anytime.