The sting of Georgia’s loss to Texas in the Sugar Bowl wasn’t lost on Bulldog wide receiver Jeremiah Holloman.

Sitting inside his locker area after the game at the Superdome, Holloman lamented the loss in an interview with UGASports. Mostly, however, he was mad at himself.

Holloman entered the game as Georgia’s fourth-leading receiver behind Riley Ridley, Mecole Hardman, and Isaac Nauta. But against the Longhorns, Holloman endured what he called one of his worst games to date, catching just one pass for 31 yards while letting a number of other throws from quarterback Jake Fromm slip right through his fingers.

“I had a little bit of a flu, but I can’t let that be an excuse,” Holloman said. “I didn’t allow myself to be all the way focused.”

That fact that he didn’t gnaws at Holloman’s insides.

“There were a lot of plays I could have made,” he said. “I wasn’t playing like myself. I didn’t do the things I’m capable of. I’ve really got to get back to work and focus on myself.”

Holloman thought he was past some of the issues that plagued him against the Longhorns. In an earlier interview, the former four-star prospect admitted that when he first arrived in Athens three years ago, he didn’t realize all the extra work he'd have to be put int.

“I didn’t at first, but now it’s natural to me,” he said. “For me to separate myself from others, there are certain things I have to be willing to do.”

Head coach Kirby Smart has been duly impressed.

“What J.J. has done is just grind it. And J.J. is the epitome of, if you work hard, good things will happen to you,” Smart said. “So, he blocks consistently, because he controls his blocking. He doesn't control where the ball is thrown, but he controls his blocking. He controls how he practices, because you control that. The things you can control you try to control, and J.J. does a great job of that."

Holloman said the disappointment felt from his performance in the Sugar Bowl will only inspire him to be better next fall.

The Bulldogs are counting on him doing just that. With the graduation of Terry Godwin, along with the decisions of Ridley and Hardman to enter the NFL Draft, Holloman will have a lot of expectations placed on his broad shoulders to help lead what will overall be an inexperienced receiving corp.

“When stuff like this happens, it only serves to make me want to bounce back and prepare for next season even more than before,” Holloman said. “I’ve got to continue to grow. I’ve got to grow as a leader and lead by example ALL the time.”