Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning could not help but get in a friendly jab to reporters during Friday’s press conference on Zoom.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, all interviews emanating from the Butts-Mehre Building now take place on the popular video platform. Navigating the mute and unmute buttons, however, occasionally is a challenge for some.

“At least we learned how to mute and un-mute each other faster than you guys,” Lanning smiled.

Perhaps he has a point.

While sportswriters are getting their first taste of Zoom, Georgia and other college football programs across the country have become well-acquainted for months.

Although nothing can replace the on-field experience that the Bulldogs lost with the cancellation of spring practice, Lanning said the work put in during the daily Zoom meetings actually helped players stay on track and in some cases ahead of the game.

"Ultimately I would agree with that. Our mental prep, whether we have been able to create it through walkthroughs, zoom meetings, is actually further along than our physical prep as far as the technique that is required to execute something properly,” Lanning said. “Getting more of those practice reps is going to be really valuable, but the mental prep is probably ahead of the curve."

That is especially true from the offensive perspective.

Wide receiver Kearis Jackson said that while the time lost from not having spring certainly hurt, the classroom time on Zoom has the unit’s mental preparedness on point.

“Well we started the zoom meetings in like February or January, I can’t remember, but I must say the offense, the receivers, the quarterbacks, running backs and linemen have all done a great job up to this point learning the offense,” Jackson said. “Guys are now playing fast; we have guys in the right positions to make plays.”

Communicating with players wasn't the only benefit of Zoom meetings.

During a normal summer, Bulldog coaches often travel to other programs, both college and the NFL, to discuss and exchange ideas.

With travel restricted, Zoom was the best way to talk shop.

"What are there 32 teams in the NFL? Well, we talked to 32 teams. We talked to a lot of teams,” Lanning said. “When we were lockdown, there was a lot of time, I couldn't tell you one team. I might speak to one, Coach (Glenn) Schumann might speak to another and Coach (Charlton) Warren and Coach (Kirby) Smart. We spoke with several teams; I would not pick one out specifically. Sure 32."

According to Jackson, the Zoom experience is one of the reasons the offense, at least early on, appears to be picking up new offensive coordinator Todd Monken’s schemes.

“So far the whole offense has done a great job. It is day three of practice and we have been doing a great job, especially with the volume of new offense we have that is new to us. We’ve taken it pretty well by coming in and wanting to learn and wanting to get better,” Jackson said. “We’ve faced a little adversity by missing spring but now since we have it in front of us, it’s go-time. It has not been too much of a situation that has become a big deal. Like I said though, we’ve done a great job in fall camp.”

Offensive lineman Warren Ericson said the Zoom experience helped make the time away from campus much more bearable.

“Zoom has been awesome. For us, it has been a great way to stay connected as far as the offensive line, as a unit, as a team,” he said. “We had multiple Zoom meetings with our position groups, it was a way for us to have a regular style meeting being at our homes, being quarantined and staying safe.

"It’s been a vital part of what we do.”