As teeth gnash and blood pressures rise over undefeated and top-ranked Georgia, which limps into the SEC Championship against LSU after a 37-14 win over Georgia Tech, at least head coach Kirby Smart has a fallback that perhaps will allow his team to pull out of its current dive.
That's sarcasm, folks. Sarcasm. Put the pitchforks away.
What’s not sarcasm are the plaudits being served to this year’s senior class, which set a school record with its 46th win and just five defeats.
If that’s not worthy of a standing ovation, what is?
"Their leadership is our consistency,” Smart said after Saturday’s game. “Well, everybody comes out and asks ‘How do y’all do this each week, not let down, not do this, and not do that.' Each and every one of them, from walk-ons to scholarship players, are deserving of their recognition."
What Stetson Bennett and the 21 other seniors honored before Saturday’s game have accomplished to date is, in one word: amazing. Plus they are in a position to achieve even more, starting next Saturday with the SEC Championship
While Bennett certainly receives many accolades (and much blame, whenever games don’t go as smoothly as expected), every member of this year’s senior class has reason to be proud.
Seeing Nolan Smith continue to push his defensive teammates, and having Christopher Smith be that steadying hand in the secondary, every member of Georgia’s senior class has had a role to play.
It’s only right we mention them all.
Besides, Bennett, Nolan Smith and Chris Smith, there’s Robert Beal Jr., Dom Blaylock, Payton Bowles, Joseph Daniels, Warren Ericson, Ryland Goede, Kearis Jackson, Randon Jernigan, and Kenny McIntosh.
There’s also Warren McClendon, William Mote, Bill Norton, Jack Podlesny, Nathan Priestly, Brett Seither, Matthew Sumlin, Xavier Truss, Payne Walker, and Tramel Walthour.
“It’s great. It’s just tremendous. It’s not Stetson, guys. This game’s not about Stetson today. This game’s not about me. This game was about seniors,” Smart said. “That’s part of the reason I didn’t put this on, because I didn’t want the senior thing to be about that. I wanted the seniors to be appreciated for what they did. I know he’s part of that group. But there are really almost three classes within that group of seniors. They’ve been through some tough times, some great times. It’s not easy to play at the University of Georgia and hold the standard that we hold you to every day at practice. They toed the line."
No, this is not a “perfect” team.
There’s still work to do and improvements to make, although the opportunity to accomplish something truly great remains.
Asked what Georgia has been the best at this year, Smart shrugged.
“It's up and down. It's all relative to who you play. You can say, 'Oh they've gotten so good at this,' and then next week it's not there,” Smart said. “You want a model of consistency, and to make sure you're good in every area you can be good in. There's no area that we can't improve on. Let's be honest, we've got a lot of areas we need to improve."
However, considering what this year’s senior class has already accomplished, Smart’s confident whatever questions remain, answers will be found.
Smart was quizzed during his press conference if Saturday’s Senior Day was any more emotional than previous years.
"I don't know. I think I've been through more emotional ones than this one, for some reason,” Smart said. “This one was so, so fast and rushed. We were trying to fly through there to get through them (Georgia Tech).”
However, that does not mean plenty of melancholy thoughts have not crossed his mind over the past few days.
“I have to catch myself from stopping and spending too much time, because you start having memories of sitting in the home and convincing kids to come (to UGA),” Smart said. “Then you see the first year, the second year you have them—this group has meant so much.”
There’s no argument about that.
