Georgia safety Javon Bullard was effusive with his praise of secondary coach Fran Brown, who was named the head coach at Syracuse on Tuesday.

Bullard said the Orangemen are getting a good one.

“They’re getting a tremendous coach, but more so a tremendous person,” Bullard said. “But what makes Coach Fran special is his relationship with us off the field and outside football.”

It’s those personal moments that Bullard says he’ll remember the most about Brown.

“He’s been there with me through spiritual advice and emotional advice. When I need to talk to my family, or I’m missing my home, he’s always there,” Bullard said. "If my car breaks down, I know I can call Coach Fran. He’s like that to the core; that’s what Syracuse is getting. We’re so proud of him, man.”

Fellow safety Tykee Smith agreed.

“I’m really happy for him,” Smith said. “I met Coach Fran my ninth-grade year when he was at Temple before he offered me when he went to Baylor. When he got the job here, we’ve been close ever since. I was going through the ACL sprain when he got here, and he helped to get me through that process.”

Brown becomes the Syracuse head coach after spending the past two seasons in Athens. He takes over for Dino Babers, who was fired a week ago.

“I am incredibly proud to be leading Syracuse Football at a university with a rich and storied tradition of academic and athletic excellence,” Brown said in a statement. “Syracuse Football has outstanding talent, great facilities, and passionate alumni. The success of the players is my No. 1 priority—on and off the field. I want my guys to succeed in life because they played football at Syracuse."

Brown will remain with the Bulldogs through Saturday’s SEC Championship, although it’s unclear whether he’ll continue to coach with the team beyond that.

Bullard said Brown did not tell the team on Tuesday what his plans might be.

“We didn’t ask him about that,” Bullard said. “We’re keeping our focus on Bama. I’m pretty sure he’ll let us know. He’ll decide whatever he decides. Right now, our focus is on Alabama.”

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said he’s excited for Brown’s opportunity.

“Fran is excellent,” says Smart. “No ego, he’s trustworthy, smart, and he’s worked really hard during his two seasons here to earn an opportunity like this. He has built great relationships in our building, our players love him, and we couldn’t be more excited for him, Teara, and their family.”

Bullard said Brown’s situation will not be a distraction to the team.

“He was at practice today. He brought the energy, and kept us loose. He was still the same old Coach Fran. But no, it’s not a distraction,” Bullard said. “These coaches do a tremendous job. New opportunities and promotions happen. They have lives too. We’re not the only people achieving their goals. They have goals and aspirations they want to accomplish.”

Running back Kendall Milton spent much of his 10-minute interview session talking about Georgia’s opportunity against Alabama in the SEC Championship.

In the middle of one response, he casually offered his thoughts on Georgia’s practice, otherwise known as “Bloody Tuesday.”

“Just judging off today’s practice, I feel we’ve taken that opportunity to heart,” Milton said. “This was probably the most physical, chippiest practice that we’ve had all year. But that just shows how hungry we are, and how much we want it.”

Georgia will continue its regular practice schedule in Athens through Thursday.

The team will travel to Atlanta on Friday afternoon. There is no scheduled practice session at Mercedes-Benz Stadium prior to the game.

Three Bulldogs are finalists for major postseason awards.

They include:

…Junior receiver Ladd McConkey has been named one of three finalists for the Wuerffel Trophy which honors college football’s most impactful community service leaders, according to an announcement from the Wuerffel Foundation Tuesday.

McConkey joins Notre Dame linebacker JD Bertrand and Michigan running back Blake Corum as finalists. The announcement of the 2023 Wuerffel Trophy winner is scheduled to be made on Dec. 8 during The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN. The formal presentation of the trophy will take place Feb. 17, 2024, at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.

... Sophomore safety Malaki Starks has been named one of three finalists for the 2023 Jim Thorpe Award given annually to the nation's best defensive back in college football.

Starks, a native of Jefferson, joins Iowa’s Cooper DeJean and Air Force’s Trey Taylor as this year’s finalists. Starks is already a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which is given to the nation’s top defender.

…Junior tight end Brock Bowers is a finalist for the Mackey Award, which goes annually to the country’s top tight end. Bowers won the award last year.

Joining Bowers as finalists are Ohio State’s Cade Stover and Colorado State’s Dallin Holker.

…Tykee Smith was asked if it gets weird facing former teammates like the Bulldogs will do Saturday with Jermaine Burton and Trezman Marshall suited up for the Crimson Tide.

“No, it doesn’t get weird, but when we’re on the field, business is business,” Smith said. “Me and Trezman got close in 2021, because we both were out for the year; that kind of got us close. But like I said, when we are on the field, business is business.”

… Smith was also asked what it’s going to take to contain Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe.

“We’re just going to try and do what we do best, a lot of plaster,” Smith said. “When we get a chance to tackle him we just have to make sure to go in strong, because he’s not a small guy by any means. We just have to come in with the right mindset.”

… Beating Alabama in Atlanta another box Bulldogs want to check.

“We want to beat them. We want to win the SEC. We’re facing Bama, so we want to beat Bama, that’s the gist of it,” Javon Bullard said. “I haven’t beaten them, we haven’t beaten them, it’s going to make for a great matchup. I can’t wait to play, but like I said, we want to beat them.”