Georgia head coach Kirby Smart held his first press conference of the spring on March 11. Here are the key points from Smart's session with the media.
Smart said he is excited to get going in spring. He said the team has worked really hard since the end of last season. He added that it feels like there are more new players on the team now than ever before.
Receiver Colbie Young has been cleared to practice and has been working out after his legal issues last fall.
Players who are out for spring include offensive lineman Monroe Freeling, outside linebacker Gabe Harris, defensive lineman Christen Miller, defensive back Jaylan Morgan, tight end Colton Heinrich, quarterback Ryan Montgomery, running back Branson Robinson, running back Roderick Robinson, and punter Brett Thorson. The first five had surgery to repair labrum issues in their shoulders.
Defensive lineman Joseph Jonah-Ajonye and corner Daylen Everette will be limited to begin the spring. Everette is recovering from a sports hernia, but is still being a great leader.
When asked what he wants to learn about his team this spring, Smart said he wants to find out which players care about the game the most and will play the hardest as opposed to focusing on other things such as NIL money.
Smart is excited about transfer receivers Noah Thomas and Zachariah Branch. The receiver position is the spot with the most turnover and Smart said they are high-caliber athletes and people. The Branch brothers, Zachariah and safety Zion, have injected energy into the program through offseason workouts.
Smart also looked to add depth by bringing in transfer safeties Adrian Maddox and Jaden Harris.
When asked about offensive coordinator Mike Bobo and offensive line coach Stacy Searels, Smart said he doesn't pay attention to the outside noise. He said he has confidence in his organization and the foundation that has been built. Smart believes he has the best staff in the country with a ton of experience.
This is the first time in Smart's tenure that he has brought back every assistant coach. He feels the program is built on retention and believes Georgia is the most stable organization in college football. Smart said the Bulldogs are "built to last" because they don't have to worry about a ton of change year in and year out.
Smart has seen tremendous leadership from quarterback Gunner Stockton. He has done everything right since he has been at Georgia, not just since the end of last season. Smart noted that Stockton is a player who earns people's respect by how he carries himself and the confidence he has in his abilities.
Quarterback is just like every position in terms of competition in Smart's eyes. He said there "isn't a depth chart, there's just reps." He wants to see all those guys compete and get better.
Smart said the offensive line will be "interesting" to watch this spring with so many snaps gone from last year's team. He also noted this has been anticipated for a while and the staff has been trying to stockpile depth for a while. Smart also feels there are not enough quality offensive linemen for teams to be satisfied with their depth at both the college and NFL level.
Smart feels that Georgia is in a "different climate" nowadays in terms of the schedule and the way the SEC is set up. It's going to be challenging for everyone across college football with more and more quality competition in bigger conferences.
Smart said he is still planning to have a spring game as normal, although he leaves all options open to make changes based on team health or other factors.
