ATLANTA – Complacency is a word that’s never been associated with Kirby Smart. Making sure his players identify with that belief has been paramount to the success of this year’s team.

During Friday’s final press conference between top-ranked Georgia and No. 4 Ohio State, Smart revealed he took steps earlier this year to ensure his team knew exactly what that entailed.

“We have a couple in-house sports psychologists that we talked about how the mighty fall and some business structures, the Blockbuster model, and some different models where ego got the best of organizations in the business world to corporate world,” Smart said. “But didn't reach out to many coaches.”

Obviously, there was no need.

If anybody knows how difficult it is to repeat as national champion, but has done so, it’s Smart. Alabama was the last program to repeat as national champion (2011-2012). Smart was the defensive coordinator of the Crimson Tide.

“I had experiences at Alabama, and I knew the kind of year it would be,” Smart said. “It's always a little tougher to bring everybody back to home base. It was much easier for us this year because we had so many players leave, and we had a hungrier young team.”

Although he’ll never truly be “comfortable” before a game, Smart said he takes great solace that Stetson Bennett is in control of the offense.

In the days leading up to Saturday’s game, that experience continued to show.

“He's been very consistent in his practices. You worry sometimes when guys go off to events and award shows, the walk-on award, the Heisman finalist, and doing all those things, but they don't affect the guys 25 years old probably the same way they do a kid that's 18 or 19,” Smart said. “He's very grounded in what he does.”

Bennett’s obviously been successful.

With a record of 27-3 as a starter, including two wins in last year’s CFP, Bennett also likes playing in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

In games this year against Oregon and LSU, Bennett is a combined 48 of 60 for 642 yards with six touchdowns, no interceptions, and no sacks.

“I think the quarterback position is easily the most critical factor in a game because the way offenses are now, they put so much decision-making on the quarterback pre-snap, post-snap. I mean, everything is on the quarterback,” Smart said. “Both these teams got really experienced, really proven guys who make good decisions. So, when you have that, you're right more than you're wrong, and that usually creates scoring. I'm very grateful and thankful that we have a guy like Stetson who's played in these games.”

Another day, another question regarding the status of wide receiver Ladd McConkey (knee) and right tackle Warren McClendon (knee).

Same song, same verse.

“We're still hopeful to get Ladd and Warren back,” said Smart, the same answer he’s given for the past month.

Both players declined to comment when asked Thursday, although UGASports has confirmed that McConkey has practiced all week and McClendon was seen dressed out for practice Thursday, although it’s unclear how much work he received.

If McClendon cannot play, sophomore Amarius Mims would be expected to start in his place.

“Amarius has gotten to play a ton this year. He's been a rotational player,” Smart said. “If you remember, Jamaree (Salyer) had the situation some last year at the end of the year and even in the championship game where he had to move positions and play with some injuries and do some things to help us out.”

…On Thursday’s yoga session viewed by the media: “Yeah. We've done that every Thursday for the entire season, and we didn't want to change that tradition. The players have embraced it. We've cut practice on Thursday throughout the year to go down in our GPS numbers,” Smart said. “So Caroline Ward (former Georgia Gym Dog Caroline Harris), her husband is one of our team physicians, she does yoga. The players really like it. It makes them feel better, and a little more refreshed. So, I think it's important from a recovery standpoint.”

…On the physicality of the SEC and Big Ten: “You look across the board, teams that run the ball well tend to win these games. Also, red area, third down, and explosive plays are indicators, but the line of scrimmage play and physicality, but physicality can be a lot of different ways. It can be on the perimeter. It can be on special teams. It can be a lot of different ways of looking at it,” Smart said. “I've got a lot of respect for both conferences because, when you play in a bowl game, you get to watch the other conference all the way through. You get to see all these teams play, and you have a lot of respect for the conference that you're playing. They have great physicality in that conference, always have, and we respect that.”

…On the pressure of playing in a college football playoff semifinal: “There's always been pressure, so I don't know that there's an adjustment to pressure. There's just as much pressure from year 1 to year 7. The expectations don't change. We embrace that. The standards that are created are created through the players that play there, and we've had a really good leadership kind of over the last six, seven years, and they've created a standard for the younger players to emulate, and that's going on now,” Smart said. “I talk every day to our guys about, if you're a freshman or sophomore, find the guy you think works hardest and does it the right way and emulate him, and this success will continue. There's no entitlement, and you work really hard at what you do. But the standard doesn't change. Players change. Each year maybe your identity changes, but the standard doesn't change.”

…Smart’s biggest concern about Ohio State’s offense: “When you're playing Ohio State, you've got to be disruptive. You've got to affect the quarterback in some kind of way. Because, if you don't, he's very accurate,” Smart said. “He's a very accurate passer who knows where he's going with the ball. When you give them free access with a quarterback like that, they can wear you out. But most games come down to the same thing, turnovers, explosives, red area, and third downs. That's what the greatest indicators are of winning.”