After Saturday’s opening scrimmage at Sanford Stadium, head coach Kirby Smart lamented the performance of his first team offense and defense, using words like “lethargic” to describe their play.
Following Practice No. 9 of fall camp Monday afternoon, reporters quizzed tight end Charlie Woerner on what he thought the problem was.
“I think we let the heat get to us a little bit. It was hot out there, but we should be used to that,” Woerner said. “We’ll have to pick it up for the scrimmage this Saturday. It’s all mental. A big part of beating the heat is getting your mind right. You can’t succumb to the heat. When you put those pads on, the helmet on, you’ve got another 15 pounds on you. You’ve just got to fight through it.”
Left tackle Andrew Thomas said Smart meant every word.
“We didn’t like looking at the film,” Thomas said. “When the facts line up and say we didn’t perform, it’s probably true.”
Woerner said the offense is anxious to have a better showing when the team holds its second scrimmage on Saturday. He believes it will.
“As a unit, run and pass, we didn’t do as well as we should have,” Woerner said. “It goes hand in hand, and honestly, the entire offense is responsible, not one person, not one unit. But we had a better day in practice, so I’m looking forward to this Saturday.”
Injury update
The only players not seen at practice were tight end Ryland Goede (wrist, according to sources) and linebacker Nate McBride (undisclosed injury).
Smart said after Saturday’s scrimmage that he hopes Goede will be back on the field later this week.
Cornerback Tyson Campbell was said by Smart to have been “dinged up” during Saturday’s scrimmage and Tyrique Stephenson was said to have suffered an injury, but both were practicing Monday without any apparent effects.”
Wolf picking up offense
Woerner can’t say how graduate transfer Eli Wolf will ultimately perform, but getting used to Georgia’s offensive system apparently hasn’t been an issue.
“He’s picked it up really well,” Woerner said. “I think at Tennessee, he was under three coordinators or something, so he’s used to learning different playbooks. He’s done really well at that.”
Wolf is currently working as the Bulldogs’ third tight end, behind Woerner and redshirt freshman John FitzPatrick.
Hartley bringing the intensity
Woerner cracked a small smile when asked what it was like to work under new tight ends coach Todd Hartley.
“He definitely brings an intensity,” Woerner said. “He’s got a thing he calls ‘Feed the Fire,’ fighting the disease within, the sinful nature that we as humans have, like being selfless in the tight end room, being one for the team, things like that,” Woerner said. “He brings the 'feed the fire' attitude every day, and we try to bring it all for him and each other.”
Being selfless is a key part of the equation.
“Everything,” said Woerner, when asked what Hartley means by selfless.
“Just to help that mentality spread to the entire team,” he explained. “We’ve got to block, we’ve got to do everything. Honestly, if everybody had that mentality, as it grows, it can only help.”