Georgia fans haven’t been the only ones concerned about the slow starts by the Bulldogs against Clemson and Kentucky.

So too, have the players.

“It gets talked about every day. Every day we take the field, we make sure we're doing the details right, and just making sure we're doing everything we can to put ourselves in the best position to win the game,” wide receiver Arian Smith said. “Of course, we want to start fast every game, but every game doesn't go like that. So, you just try to move on from that and play the next play, and hopefully, we can start fast on the next play.”

After managing just six points in the first half against Clemson and Kentucky, Georgia will have to do much better than that against Alabama.

Head coach Kirby Smart had plenty to say about his team’s starts during Monday’s press conference.

“I would say that everybody wants to start fast, but sometimes it's like that. Sometimes there's no rhyme or reason and then sometimes there's things you do that you can do better; you can execute better,” Smart said. “Sometimes they just beat you and they just whip you, and it's gone both ways, offensively and defensively.”

For example:

Against Kentucky, the Bulldogs had just 23 offensive plays in the first half, 54 for the game.

“We've had drives defensively where we gave up too much field position and too many consecutive third downs that we didn't get off the field that maybe just made our offense start backed up,” Smart said. “It hasn't been perfect, but we have shown resiliency and that's a trait that I would probably trade outside of perfect. I would trade a lot of traits for resiliency.”

Nevertheless, there are areas the Bulldogs have to clean up and that’s not only the responsibility of offensive coordinator Mike Bobo, but the players themselves.

From a wide receiver’s point of view, it starts with executing the fundamentals that offensive coaches constantly stress.

“I'd probably say blocking in the perimeter. We didn't (against Kentucky). It wasn't one of our best games blocking in the perimeter, and Coach made a big emphasis on that,” Smith said. “In the game, they (defenders) were just hopping around blocks and things like that. We just tried to stay sane and move on to the next play and attack it like we did any other play.”

Finding ways to get the ball to Smith figures to help Georgia’s cause.

The former track star is off to the best start of his college career and can score any time he gets the ball in his hands.

To do that, Smith said the Bulldogs will need to run the ball.

“You’ve got to run the ball to throw the ball,” Smith said. “If I can get better at blocking, I can beat them on the mid-range coverage. Just doing the things you do day-to-day will get you better at that.”

Smith believes the Bulldogs will improve and will be anxious to prove it against the Crimson Tide.

“We definitely have a chip on our shoulder because we're obviously another good team, just like they are. So, people can see what they say about the game and predictions. So, it’s time to not let that bother us and play the game like we do any other game,” Smith said. “Coach tells us we don't have to do anything different to win the game that we do at practice. So, it’s just up to us to take what we do at practice and take it to Saturday.”