National Championship News and Notes

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Jordan Davis and the rest of Georgia’s seniors held their final practice in Athens Friday before the flight to Indianapolis for Monday’s National Championship.

But before he left, nose tackle Jordan Davis sat down and scribbled out a note.

Upon its completion, Davis placed the letter in his locker. His reason? To offer some words of encouragement to the next Bulldog to wear his No. 99.

“I can't reveal all the details. But I'd say it's just a little memo,” Davis said. “It was just my name, a little message and the years I played and in a hiding spot, so they have to find it. But when they do, they'll have a little message. It was more so for me, so when I come back, I can just look at it and I'm like, yeah, that was my locker. If I have kids in the future or bring my brothers, or something like that.”

Davis will not be forgotten by anyone anytime soon.

That includes his current senior teammates, who were carried off the practice field following Friday’s final workout.

“The D line had to carry the seniors off on the field yesterday at practice. So, it was me, Vonte (Devonte Wyatt) and Julian Rochester,” Davis said. “We had about like four people each trying to carry us off the field. Each position group, they had to carry the seniors off. That’s kind of like the tradition that the seniors have each year.”

Davis joked that yes, the three were able to find someone to carry them off the field. With Davis at 330 pounds, that was not easy to do.

“It had to be like three or four people,” Davis said. “Two people grabbed my legs, one got my back. I'd say it was pretty easy for them. They didn't have a hard time, from what I saw.”

In the waning moments of the Orange Bowl win over Michigan, head coach Kirby Smart made it clear that any celebratory Powerade dunking would have to wait.

This was no time for celebration.

Linebacker Nakobe Dean could not agree more. While the junior was obviously thrilled with the win, the only thing truly worth celebrating would be a victory Monday night.

“I feel like Coach Smart's mindset is kind of reciprocated in a lot of the older guys as far as we won the game last week, but it means nothing if we don't get the job done. That's exactly how I feel also,” Dean said. “It was cool that we were able to win the Orange Bowl, but it was still closer to playing in this big one. Last week and the week before that, we just emphasized it being a one-game season against Michigan, one game season. Because you lose, you go home. You win, you get more time together.”

Do that, then the Bulldogs can dunk Smart all they want.

“It’s a one-game season,” Dean said. “We're all looking to win, basically our goal that we set back in January.”

Left tackle Jamaree Salyer was asked what was one area he and the rest of Georgia’s offensive linemen had to carry over from the Orange Bowl in order to beat Alabama.

His response did not come as a surprise.

“Just the physicality, just playing with that same intensity that we played with in that game,” Salyer said. “I think we knew we had our backs up against the wall. That's pretty much the name of the game, both teams have their backs up against the wall this time. Kind of playing for glory this time.”

Salyer knows the Bulldogs must give a similar effort against the Crimson Tide, especially if it wants to keep All-American defensive end Will Anderson under control.

So, how does Georgia plan to do that?

“Just use the same intensity and execution and be on the same page. I think when we're on the same page, we're a very dominant offensive line,” Salyer said. “Not too many teams can mess with us. Just being on the same page, understanding the game plan and executing it at a high clip. And just play it with the same intensity, that's what it comes down to, to impose our will and take over the game.”

Jamaree Salyer on Will Anderson: “He's a very high-motor guy. Freak athlete, very high motor guy. He can run. And he plays to the whistle. He plays to the whistle. Obviously very explosive player. He understands what he's trying to do and what he's trying to accomplish with every snap. He just plays hard. He plays the game the right way. He's a very talented player. You can kind of see that from him coming out of high school, that he was going to be a talented player because he was playing at a different speed than everybody else at that level. And he still is now. It's going to be a great matchup. I'm very excited for it and it's going to be a good game. He's a great player, excellent player. I'm excited to play against him.”

Nakobe Dean on the senior class: “Yeah, they mean a lot to me, those guys, the hard work they put in. Everything from the leadership ability. They've been here as long as I've been here, longer, of course. They just exemplify Georgia football and everything it stands on. So, to be able to finish this one out with this group of guys, I wouldn't want it to be with any other group. I love them boys. And that's who we'll be playing for. But we'll be playing for our brothers alongside of everybody.”

Jordan Davis on the difficulty of wrapping up Bryce Young: “Bryce is an extremely talented athlete. He's slippery. And I forgot, we were watching, I think 'Hard Knocks' with the Colts, and they were talking about the gingerbread man and how Kyle Murray was running around like a gingerbread man. That's what we've been calling him all week. Just seeing him run around our defense in the SEC Championship game, you have to tighten up.”