G-Day News and Notes

During his post-G Day press conference, Kirby Smart joked that he may be slipping.

Having positive feelings typically isn’t his thing. However, when talking about his Bulldogs, Smart was spreading the love.

“I have always said, we are built to sustain here. We are not trying to be a one-hit-wonder. I want to put a really good football team out there each year, and we are well on our way to doing that at this time,” Smart said. “We probably have the most cohesive unit we’ve had at this time in terms of the guys loving being with each other, they like practicing hard. We had 14 of the 15 days where I really thought we had good practices."

That included Saturday's G-Day experience.

"I was really pleased with their work ethic. They like practicing. They like football. When people come to your practices, and they’ve been to seven other schools and say ‘Man, y’all get after it," Smart said. "Man, your guys practice hard. Man, your guys buy in and have fun,' it makes me feel better that our kids enjoy it.”

There was much to enjoy.

Although Smart reserved comments on the play of quarterbacks Carson Beck, Brock Vandagriff, and Gunner Stockton, he was happy.

“I was really pleased with the effort. I thought it was a tale of two halves. We had a first half where we lit it up on offense and didn’t think we could stop anything defensively. Then flip that over in the second half. We couldn’t score any points,” Smart said. “Obviously, we have to improve in both of those areas, but there were some positive things that came out of today, too. Some guys played well. I thought we did some good things on both sides of the ball. We have to continue to do that to get better. I thought we got out relatively healthy. That was big for today. Some guys have been injured coming into today, but we didn’t really lose anybody, which is big when you play tackle football.”

Georgia’s first-team offense to start the game consisted of left tackle Earnest Greene Jr., left guard Xavier Truss, center Sedrick Van Pran, right guard Tate Ratledge and right tackle Amarius Mims.

Greene split time during the game with Austin Blaske, who also repped at center.

“Both those guys are good football players,” Smart said. “I’m excited.”

Starting wide receivers were Arian Smith, Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, and Ladd McConkey, with Brock Bowers at tight end.

The first-team defense consisted of defensive linemen Zion Logue, Nazir Stackhouse and Tramel Walthour, outside linebacker Chaz Chambliss, inside backers Jamon Dumas-Johnson and Xavier Sorey, safeties Javon Bullard and Malaki Starks, and star Tykee Smith, with Nyland Green and Kamari Lassiter the cornerbacks.

…True freshman Monroe Freeling took most of the Black team reps at left tackle, with mixed results.

As expected, running back Kendall Milton (hamstring) did not play, although he dressed out.

Others missing in action include linebacker Jalon Walker (Labrum) and Marvin Jones Jr. (Labrum), running back Branson Robinson (toe), and inside linebacker Smael Mondon (foot). Mondon and Robinson wore boots on the sideline.

Also, defensive end Mykel Williams (toe), safety Dan Jackson (foot), and running back Andrew Paul (ACL) did not practice this spring and were not available for the game.

With the possible exception of Paul, all players are expected to be available for the start of fall camp.

RaRa Thomas, meanwhile, did not play.

“Rara has some things he has to work on, and we're working on those things. He was with us and he did some special teams things, but he did not play on the offensive side of the ball,” Smart said. “When you go to Smael and Branson, they're both dealing with lower extremity injuries and the severity of that is still yet to really be determined. Both of those guys were unable to go today.”

On the first play, the Red Team offense assumed the 10-man formation, in memory of offensive lineman Devin Willock.

The offense took a five-yard penalty as players pointed to the sky in remembrance of their late friends.

“We were just thinking about both of them and wishing they were here with us,” Smart said. “The players wanted to do something to remember those two, and we felt that was a good way to honor them. It was a good way to honor them, love them, and that’s what we did.”

After opening the past two seasons with Clemson and Oregon, this year’s opener against Tennessee-Martin doesn’t pack quite the same punch as far as a Game 1 opponent goes.

However, Smart said that will absolutely not affect how his team prepares for its 2023 campaign.

“Those games (Clemson and Oregon) didn’t create our sense of urgency; we create our sense of urgency. The game doesn’t do it. You may put that myth out there, but the Clemson or Oregon game doesn’t set that; that’s not the case,” Smart said. “What sets it is when we put that ball down in Sanford Stadium, those scrimmages you had in fall camp, we’re going against the best team we play, and your standard had better be right.”

In other words, any player on Georgia’s team not ready to practice hard won’t see the field on Saturdays, no matter who the opponent may be.

“You go out there in practice, and if you’re not playing your best … you’re playing against as good a team as you’ll play, Smart said. “So, it’s not about the team we play, guys. It’s about what we do. So, I’m not going to allow anybody else to make an excuse for the opponent we play.”

…Brock Bowers received his Mackey Award at halftime as the top tight end in college football.

…Redshirt sophomore kicker Liam Badger drilled a 51-yard field goal. Jared Zirkel converted two kicks of 42 and 20 yards.

…Walk-on Mehki Mews opened some eyes, gaining 129 all-purpose yards, 91 receiving and 29 returning kicks. "Mews does that every day. Mews is a guy that last year kept getting really close to being able to play and help us,” Smart said. “He was on scout team, so I had seen him make plays on scout team. We put him in a couple of plays as the returner. Very sure handed, makes good decisions, you saw today he's got some return ability. Exciting, and you get what you get from Mews every day. The guy is a worker, and I thought he made some plays today with his feet and made some really tough catches.”

…Twenty-five players caught passes between the two teams.

… Punter Brett Thorson averaged 48 yards on five punts.

… Cornerback AJ Harris led the Red Team with six tackles, with Xavian Sorey making seven to lead the Black. Inside linebackers C.J. Allen and Raylen Wilson chipped in with four each.

“They had some mistakes and some errors during our scrimmages. I wouldn't say they've stood out as of today. They had a couple of flash plays,” Smart said. “I thought CJ really burst and tackled some people and closed, and Raylen kind of made the play of the game there, but it was a ricochet play. It was a ball that bounced off, and he was the right guy at the right time. But they're both talented, and they're both really high-character kids that are going to make our program better. They push the standard the right way."