Kirby Smart ahead of facing Bama: "We think our best is still out there"

It’s a subject that’s sure to be talked about a lot before Saturday’s SEC Championship between top-ranked Georgia and No. 3 Alabama.

Yes, the Bulldogs enter the contest (4 p.m., CBS) as the nation’s top-ranked team, but Georgia has also dropped six straight contests to the Crimson Tide.

During Sunday’s teleconference with reporters to preview the game, head coach Kirby Smart was asked if he could point to the reason his team has not been able to sustain leads despite having halftime advantages in the last three.

“Obviously, this year is this year, and every year is independent of the previous. I don't think there's any overlap between the two,” Smart said. “I know people want to make it that, make it some kind of overlap. Every year is independent of the previous. Our job is to go play the best possible game we can. That's what we've been trying to build toward this year.

“We haven't played our best yet, and we think our best is still out there. That's the goal.”

Smart also dismissed the notion that his Bulldogs (12-0) have not faced much adversity regarding close games, while Alabama has played more than its share, including Saturday’s 24-22 win at Auburn in a game that took four overtimes.

“The players we're coaching out here every day, they've been through some adversity, I can assure you that. We make for adverse situations every day in practice, and we challenge them each and every day,” Smart said. “The level that they can be challenged, they go against each other every day, and they go compete. That's what we ask our guys to do is to play like there's no scoreboard. If you play like there's no scoreboard, what does it matter if you've been in one of those situations or not?”

Also:

… Smart called Alabama linebacker Will Anderson (30.5 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks) one of the best defenders in the SEC. “He plays with so much passion, toughness, and energy. When I see him play, it reminds me of Rashaan Evans at times before Rashaan moved to inside backer. He's so explosive, twitchy, and tough. So, he strikes people and really strikes blocks really well. It will be a key part of the game in terms of the way he plays and affects the game. He does a really good job.”

… As of Sunday, Smart said he’d yet to watch all of the Tide’s four overtime win at Auburn but said it does not take him doing that to realize the kind of talent on this year’s Alabama squad. “I know the type of quarterback we're up against. I know the skill at receiver we're up against, the running backs they have, the tight ends, the O-line. They're not recruiting players that can't play in the SEC over there. So, they've got a tremendous staff and a tremendous offense.”

… Smart did not sound concerned that his staff will be missing out on recruiting this week while preparing for Saturday’s game. “I mean, look at the magnitude, coverage, and exposure we'll get, those same coaches and those same teams will be watching, the same players we're recruiting. They'll be watching this game, I can assure you of that. That's the best advertisement you can have been to go out and play well.”

… Smart seemed to dismiss the idea that Stetson Bennett’s experience last year in Tuscaloosa will have an impact, positive or otherwise. “I think experience is extremely valuable, but I don't know that it's pertinent to having played them. What it's pertinent to is playing in the SEC schedule and playing the gauntlet that you play. And him playing last year certainly helped him this year, and playing more this year helps him this year. It's not relative to who you play. It's relative to playing.”

… Smart was asked whether this year’s team reminds him of his 2017 squad that fell to Alabama in the national championship: “This team has responded to all the things we've challenged them with. We hit them with different things each week, things we want to really focus on accountability, from their standpoint of holding other players accountable from week to week for different things. And they've done it each and every time, every time we've asked. They've been up for the challenge.

“The 2017 group had some really good leaders on it. You know that team, it wasn't fully recruited by our staff. So, we had a lot of guys that bought in and believed what we were selling, where this year all these guys have kind of been recruited by the staff. They seem to connect well. There's a lot of really good kids on it.”

… Smart said he won’t waste a second reminding his players on the recent history between his Bulldogs and the Crimson Tide: “I don't know what you mean confront. Do you talk about it? We talk about the opponent every week we play somebody, right? But we focus on ourselves. We focus on execution. We don't focus on history. I think every team is independent of the previous. So, I mean, it is what it is. Our guys got to go out and play well. What happened in those games will have no relevance to this game. I think anybody with good coaching sense would tell you that. They're independent. Both teams are different in a lot of ways.

“The focus will be on what we can do, what we can control, how we play, and how we execute. I think that's the most important thing.”

… Smart said he loves his team’s focus and expects its maturity to have them ready for Saturday. “Yeah, I wouldn't worry about them looking past anybody we've got left to play, I can assure you of that. They've had great focus thus far in the season. Obviously, that's not a concern. The maturity level of the team to not look past those other teams just tells me they're listening, and they're focused, and they're driven."

… Smart had no update on wide receiver Kearis Jackson, who injured his ribs against Georgia Tech. “No, I don't know much about any of our guys in terms of the injury things and all that. Some of them have been in for treatment and things like that, but when you get on the field with them, that's usually the time that you find out more.”

… Smart shrugged off the idea that his Bulldogs have any sort of advantage by finishing Saturday’s game against Georgia Tech early, as opposed to Alabama’s evening game at Auburn: “I don't know. I just got three questions about how many games have been played that are really tight in the fourth quarter. That seems to be thought of as an advantage. I think it can be parlayed however you want it to look.

“Certainly, people can say that. I'm a big believer in strain. In football, most of these kids grew up playing week to week. The good ones all played 15 games in a high school season and played for state championships. They played back-to-back-to-back-to-back. That's kind of what you're used to. I'm a big believer if you strain, you get used to straining, and you strain."

… More praise for Brock Bowers: “It's rare to me to see a tight end do the things he's done as a freshman. I think we're going to see it more and more with these kids coming midyear, because it helped Brock to get here and get started where he did, and get that timing under his belt. Just no moment has been too big for him.

“Going back to the Clemson game, it was just another game to him. We knew from that game when he started out catching it, running after the catch, I mean, he made some plays, that this guy is going to be a weapon. I can't think of any. There have been some really, really talented freshmen in our conference. But just at that position, it's kind of unique.”