Kirby Smart on some of Georgia's offseason plans
By: Anthony Dasher - UGASports.comAs Kirby Smart looks ahead to 2024, plans are being implemented.
During a conversation Wednesday with Cole Cubelic and Greg McElroy on WJOX, Smart told the pair what he and his coaches have been up to.
“We’ve looked at a lot of different things. Quarterbacks running the ball. The running quarterback is becoming more prevalent, so we want more ways to change it up and affect him, not let him sit there and be comfortable,” Smart said. “So, we looked at a lot of things with that, a lot of gap-schemed things on defense. Offensively we’ve added a couple of wrinkles that fit what Carson (Beck) does and fit what your wideouts do, because it might not be Brock Bowers-based. It will need to be some other guys involved.”
Smart was in Hoover, Alabama on Wednesday taking part in the Pro-Am of the Regions Tradition golf tournament.
Looking back at spring practice, the head coach deemed it a success.
“The biggest thing is growing our depth. We spend a lot of time on our twos and threes in spring. We say if you’ve played 500 snaps, we see you as a returning starter, and we’ve got quite a few guys who fit that mold,” Smart said. “The deal is to build up the rest of our roster. How do we retain them? How do we sell them that you may be a two now, but you’re a lot closer to going to the NFL Draft from here as a two than you are from your neighbor’s school as a one?”
Smart’s message was apparently received.
The Bulldogs only lost three players to the NCAA transfer portal following the end of spring practice. Georgia lost a total of 24 dating back to the first portal window in December.
Smart’s goals for the season are simple.
“We’ve got to play better on defense. We didn’t create enough turnovers, and we didn’t stop the run well enough,” Smart said. “Offensively, we need to do the same thing.”
Smart added that he was proud of the way his Bulldogs finished the year, which culminated with the team’s 63-3 route of Florida State in the Orange Bowl. More than 20 Seminoles opted out, while the only missing Bulldogs were due to injuries.
“We had great leadership within our organization, coaches from top down sold throughout the year that we were a team and a family and that wasn’t going to change because of the outcome of one game,” Smart said. “For us, it was about finishing, and our players; they wanted to play. We’ve got a bunch of dudes who love to play football, and they wanted to go play. They carried that torch, not me. I’m very thankful they did.”
