Monday News and Notes

An interesting question was posed to Stetson Bennett during a teleconference with reporters Monday afternoon: has there been any jealousy between backup JT Daniels and himself?

Bennett pondered his answer carefully.

“Obviously, we both want to be the starting quarterback, but we also know that what's important is the team,” Bennett said. “We know that, regardless of who has been starting in the past or in the future or any of that stuff, if we flash those feelings or begin to try to undermine the other person, first of all, it's not going to work, because we don't make those decisions. Second of all, it's going to negatively affect the team.”

That’s something Bennett said neither he nor Daniels have any intention of doing.

“Both of us understand that we're in this spot today, not because of us, but because of what the University of Georgia is, what the SEC is, what football in general is, and I think we have a respect and reverence for all of those things that allows us to see that it's bigger than us and ourselves.”

So while Daniels and Bennett both want to start, both are on the same page when it comes to keeping the focus on the team.

“When you look at it that way, you kind of have a lesser opinion of yourself and a lower importance that would maybe allow you to be jealous and to hate the other one or do snide things, and all that stuff,” Bennett said. “I think both of us have a pretty good understanding of that, and I guess life in general.”

Defensive coordinator Dan Lanning is a finalist for the Broyles Award, for the second time in three years.

The four other finalists for the Broyles Award, which is presented to college football’s top assistant coach of the year, are Baylor offensive coordinator/tight ends coach Jeff Grimes, Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, Michigan offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach Josh Gattis, and Wake Forest offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Warren Ruggiero.

Lanning was also a finalist in 2019. Bulldog head coach Kirby Smart won the 2009 honor and was a finalist in 2015 while at Alabama.

The five finalists are invited to travel to Little Rock, Ark., on Dec. 6-7 where the 2021 Broyles Award winner will be announced.

Kirby Smart on Georgia’s use of the tight ends: “Yeah, those three guys (Brock Bowers, Darnell Washington, and John FitzPatrick) have kind of been the unsung heroes. In some cases, I guess you'd say they're not unsung, but they're the unsung heroes in terms of everything they've been able to do. Number one, they've been dependable. Outside of Darnell, they've been healthy. When you get dependable, healthy, talented, good pass catchers, I think Coach (Todd) Hartley has done a tremendous job with them in run blocking. It's hard to find tight ends that can block defensive ends in the NFL, but in the SEC—our guys—we don't leave them out on an island often, but they hold up when they have to block in the run game, get movement, and read things. They do a tremendous job. So they've been weapons catching the ball when they've been targets. Obviously, Brock has been that, but the other guys have been, as well. They're a big part of our success on offense.”

Jordan Davis on why he’s always in a good mood: “Every day is the best day of my life. It doesn’t matter what I’m doing; it doesn’t matter who I’m with. I’m just happy to be here. There’s not a lot of people in this position, so I take gratitude and really appreciate the little things a little more, from waking up, to coming in here working, to even be in front of you. It’s an honor no matter what. So, every time I put my feet on the ground, it’s a blessing."

Kirby Smart on whether the team has made any pass-rush adjustments with the absence of Adam Anderson: “Not really. We haven't changed a lot. The guys have bought in. We've got a good group. We've got less depth across the defensive line now in edge rushers than we had previously. But you get good rushers, you let them rush— they'll go against one of the best tackles in the country, and the best groups we've faced as a whole. We'll have to do a really good job.”

Smart on whether there’s anything he’s learned coaching against Nick Saban three times: “Yeah, they've got really good players. That's what it's about. I always defer to the players in terms of games. People have just talked about our defense a lot this year, but it's really about the players. It's not about Coach Lanning or myself. It's about the players. I've got an immense amount of respect for Nick and the job he's done, and what he's done at Alabama. I admit it's the phone calls Monday through Thursday and the official visits Saturday and Sunday that get the job done in terms of the players, but it does take a complete organization and great leadership, and he's provided that.”

Smart on the leadership of Nakobe Dean: “Nakobe is an unquestioned leader because of the way he works, the way he works in the off-season, the way he demands that others work, and he holds them accountable. He did that when he was hurt, and he's done it since he's been back. You couldn't ask him to put a better foot forward in terms of his work ethic, and Quay (Walker) goes right along with that. That group, Quay, he, and Channing (Tindall) work so hard that it raises the standard for everybody else.”

Smart on George Pickens: “For George, he was away for so long that he wasn't really getting to do things with us when he was rehabbing with Ron (Courson) and not coming to practice, and not being out there, and working underwater, and working in the weight room. There was a long time where he wasn't really with us, and he's been with us now for—it's been a while now that he's been coming back and building up to it. I think he's had a good influence on the young receivers. Some of those guys had to play faster than maybe you would have wanted because of injuries. They've been thrown to the fire, and he's provided some experience for those guys.”

Smart on the offense “opening up” under Todd Monken: “Well, I think we've got good players on offense, and I think Monken is doing a tremendous job of using their skill set. I still don't know if we're as open as we'd love to be. We've had injuries at wideout. We've had to do it some different ways. There's not a huge difference in our offense. It's the production we've been able to have in terms of explosive plays, use of tight ends who are talented. Let's be honest, insert Brock Bowers and insert Darnell Washington, you've increased the talent level at that position.

“We've used the backs. I feel like we've used the backs well before, and we've got a good group of wideouts. I think Coach Monken has done a tremendous job of using our personnel where we may not be as big on the offensive line as we've been in the past. I do think playing good offense is important to your success. You can't be one-sided and expect to be successful. But the area that we've felt most deficient is probably special teams. I think we're good in special teams; I don't think we're elite or great, and I think we can improve on that.”

Smart when a cameraman dropped his camera during Monday’s press conference: “Pressure’s getting to you.”