Here's what Georgia's offensive line did on the bye week

During the course of the season, you lose sight of some things.

Fundamentals can fade throughout the year. During Georgia's bye week, the Bulldogs focused on getting back to the basics as they prepare for the stretch run.

"Our main goal was just trying to take as much coaching from Coach [Stacy] Searels as possible," center Sedrick Van Pran said. "I think he did a great job of getting us back to the basics, going back to basic techniques and things that you kind of lose throughout the season as you go on, because you’re more focused on opponents and schemes and things like that. You’re not focusing on your second step maybe not traveling as far as it needs to, to make that A block, just little things like that."

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart echoed Van Pran, saying he made sure the group worked on fundamentals throughout the bye week. He noted that there are no magical trick plays to beat people in the SEC, saying victories come down to executing at every level.

Smart's biggest concern up front is depth. That has been tested throughout the year as Amarius Mims and Xavier Truss have gone down with injuries.

"We have an interesting group," Smart said. "We have one group that has played in a lot of games, and then we have a group that has not played a lot of games. So you have experience there. And you’re trying to balance out how you get the older group better without injury and how you get the younger group more reps at the same time.”

Smart is focused on getting the entire group better for the season's final five games. That includes a four-game SEC slate of Florida, Missouri, Ole Miss, and Tennessee.

Good offensive line play is vital in the SEC, especially when it comes to converting on third and fourth-and-short. Smart has mentioned before that he watches tape of every such attempt in the league every week.

"Those come up periodically within games. I think they’re important to determine the outcome of games—your ability to get a yard when you’ve got to have a yard," Smart said. "It’s never been harder in all of college football to gain a yard when you have to gain a yard. Defenses play you differently now than they have in the past. There’s no concession of a yard in our league. So I just like watching it to see what’s out there, what people are doing and how they’re doing it.”

Those types of plays will be huge as Georgia pushes for its third straight national title. Now, with a week of self-focused practice behind them, the Bulldogs feel ready for the home stretch.

"I’m really happy about what we were able to accomplish on the bye week," Van Pran said.