Georgia head coach Kirby Smart held a press conference on October 7. Here are the key points from his time with the media ahead of this weekend's game with Mississippi State.
Smart said Mississippi State quarterback Michael Van Buren is a tremendous athlete who has been thrown into the fire. They've done a good job of doing things that Van Buren is good at. Smart added that he has a lot of respect for Bulldog head coach Jeff Lebby and the offense he runs. They do a good job of spreading you out and create numbers advantages.
Smart said his team is closer to "cutting it loose" after the game. On Monday, he specified that means playing with lesser anxiety and what could go wrong.
Smart "stands on what I said" about the crowd atmosphere on Saturday, but he added that his job is to coach the football team. He did note that coaches have told him that Sanford Stadium is the toughest environment they've played in, but he didn't feel things were to that level on Saturday. Smart said he views the team and the fans as one unit and he's trying to "pull the family together" and do everything together.
On the injury front, Smart said he is"hopeful" that center Jared Wilson and defensive lineman Christen Miller will be able to play Saturday. Smart said he is also hopeful to get linebacker Smael Mondon back soon.
Running back Trevor Etienne made some things happen Saturday. There were some plays where Smart felt he was one step away from making bigger plays, and that's something the offense needs is someone who can make plays in space.
Smart said he feels like the team's biggest improvements come in practice. He's not into "experimentation" in games, he just focuses on what has to be done to get the win that day.
Freshman linebacker Chris Cole has pride in his performance and that. is one of the biggest factors Smart and the defensive staff look for. The coaches are very impressed with his growth, but Smart added that he is still a freshman and not there yet.
Another linebacker, Raylen Wilson, is gaining more and more experience. He's an intelligent player who has played a lot of football for a younger player.
The secondary played well against Auburn in Smart's eyes. They made some plays on some 50-50 balls, but there were also some penalties called. But Smart did think the group mixed up coverages well and he was pleased with their performance overall.
The depth of the running back room has pleased Smart so far. All the running backs bring different things to the group. He added that freshmen Chauncey Bowens and Dwight Phillips are continuing to grow and get better on the scout team.
