It was over, finally. Kirby Smart thought it would be easier to stay on as Alabama's defensive coordinators after he became the head coach at Georgia. He reminded himself that there was a light at the end of the tunnel when he was sleepless. It wasn't a train, it was a jubilant locker room in Arizona, having just won the national title.
Smart's hair was still wet from a post game shower when a group of reporters crowded around him. There was a bus in the parking lot. He was going to Athens, Georgia, on a private plane. He looked exhausted and happy at the same time. One reporter said it wasn't a perfect end. If we shut them out, it would have been great.
His boss had the same thing. Allowing 40 points was a mortal sin. No one will turn down a trophy for a win. It was touching as well. It was the end of a long time together. Smart seemed in awe of his mentor, specifically a "hell of a call" to go for an onside kick with the game tied in the fourth quarter, but more broadly what it took to win four titles. Smart said that nobody realized how much mental effort was put into it. He is a football fan.
He said he would take advice from the coach. The secrets to evaluating and recruiting would be taken by him. It was all.
Smart said that winning a championship would help Georgia with national signing day quickly approaching. Exposure was gained by being on tv. He said that it creates strength. He said at the end of the day that you have to build your own Momentum. To build a good program, you have to win yourself and you have to have good players.
If he enjoyed the title for one day, he could have his rule, which is called the 24 hour rule. Smart said he was only five hours away from his full time job as Georgia's head coach. Georgia signed the 7th ranked class in the country after Smart visited with Michail Carter, who chose the school over Alabama. Smart told reporters at his news conference that he wanted to use every second of his time to recruit. He looked down at his watch and said he was ready to go.
Smart put his personal spin on what he learned and created a powerhouse that was underpinned by tough competition and top talent. Georgia won its first championship under Smart. Five first-round picks on defense and fifteen other players were drafted off that team. The Georgia football team will play Ohio State in the College Football Playoff Semifinal in Atlanta on Saturday after defeating LSU by 20 points in the SEC Championship Game. It's on the ESPYS
Smart seems to have built the sport's next budding dynasty with the two losses that the Tide have suffered. One that is looking more like vintage Alabama than Alabama is right now and is a reflection of its head coach's style of coaching.
Players could expect a culture shock once he took over. That and so much more were delivered by him.
Georgia's athletic director didn't need a primer on Smart when he was looking to replace Mark Richt. They were already familiar with one another because Smart was a running backs coach at Georgia. When he was recruiting against Georgia, he knew the best players in the state would go to Alabama. One of the top recruiters in the country, Smart had signed about two dozen players from his home state.
Beyond Smart's connections, McGarity was impressed by his resume, specifically how long he worked for the famously demanding Saban. Smart was part of the Alabama staff for nine years.
There weren't many unknowns when McGarity and Smart met after the SEC title game. Determining fit, hearing Smart's vision for the program and understanding the commitment it would require were some of the things discussed at the meeting. It was our job to make sure he got what he needed.
Smart gave McGarity a flowchart with all the positions and reporting responsibilities. It would double in size. The chart was so large that it couldn't fit on McGarity's device. The positions were labeled to distinguish them.
When they lured offensive line coach Sam Pittman away from Arkansas, they gave him a $525,000 raise and paid a $250,000 exit fee. He was determined to empower Smart, rather than being a "helicopter" AD questioning him. He remembers thinking, "What are all these people going to do?" when he looked over the chart.
You said "I get it" once you saw the recruiting weekend. It wasn't just the number of people required to pull off Smart's vision of an official visit that impressed McGarity but also the coordination that took place all the way down to the janitors. A Georgia representative was with the player and his family the whole time they were on campus. There wasn't a large group where someone could wander aimlessly. Everything was made for a specific person.
"I'm always going to have a presence because I think it shows the players, it shows the people in the organization, that everything we do is important." What do you think about that part of the organization if you aren't there? It's too important to be involved.
Everyone was asked to play a part. Jere Morehead gave up his Saturday mornings to talk to recruits. McGarity stepped in when Morehead couldn't make it.
Smart was always present, showing an outgoing personality that doesn't show up in interview settings. According to a former staff member, Smart has a knack for connecting with players. The staffer said that the man was messing with everyone, including the recruits and their parents.
A full year to forge relationships is what Georgia used to sign the No. 3-ranked class. Smart and the bulldogs finished as the top ranked team. No team has assembled a group of defensive linemen like Georgia has since Smart arrived.
When Smart was an assistant with the Miami Dolphins, he was told to come to the combine and sit by Bill. Smart asked Bill who. He told them to listen and learn. Smart was confused as they positioned themselves behind the defensive linemen, waiting for the 40-yard dash to start. He wondered why they were here. It's not possible to time the finish. Bill likes to see how big their ass is when they get down in the 40-yard stance because he wants to sign the biggest defensive linemen that he can. Straight-line speed, short-area quickness, arm length, ankle and hip flexibility are some of the key factors when evaluating a player. Sometimes a big can is what is needed.
Walker was the top pick in last year's draft, as were Davis and Wyatt. There is a chance that Carter will be the No. 1 pick.
Georgia spent more money on recruiting than any other university in the Power 5. New locker rooms, a players lounge, and a new indoor practice facility are just some of the infrastructure recruits notice when they sign up.
Discher was a quality control coach at Georgia before he was hired as the special teams coach at Tulane. He was a former Group of 5 assistant. He praised the director of player personnel for his skills. He referred to the associate director of recruiting operations as astud. David Cooper is the director of recruiting relations and he is an amazing man.
Smart hired some of the best recruiters in the country, such as Dell McGee and Todd Hartley, who are on the field.
Discher thinks that it starts with Smart. He's always trying to get people to sign up. He wants to know about it. You should know if he inquires about a prospect.
Smart describes his job as a leader, confronting and demand. Discher said that Smart does a good job of setting a clear standard in any aspect of the program. Apparently, he doesn't miss anything. Discher said that if a random guy on punt return should be inside of the guard, he would see it. The assistant coach is also going to hear about it. It's not possible to be soft and make it through that program.
Discher said that he was one of the smartest people he had ever met. He is going to be on your ass.
During the summer of 2016 -- a month before his first game as head coach -- Smart visited the Athens Country Club and spoke to fans about what to expect. Smart said his old boss was setting him up for high expectations by saying that.
The decision to show "Friday The 13th" and "Nightmare on Elm Street" before the last two scrimmages was made by Smart in order to give a glimpse into the team's mentality.
He said that they wanted them to be that way. They want them to be scared. The guy in the mask cannot be killed. He comes back often. Here comes the sequel when you kill them.
After graduating and leaving Georgia, the former tight end kept a piece of his past at his new job. He put a picture of the Tuesday practice schedule on a wall in his office. He said he could remember old times if he had a bad day.
"Especially in August, we'd all sit around and be like, 'Well, boys, I just got chewed out at work, I messed something up, client's pissed,'" he said. It might be worse.
Win up to $1 million with your bowl picks. Pick your favorites.
There is a chance it could be bloody Tuesday.
Tuesday used to be just another practice. How tough can you possibly be was a two hour test. They ran as a team and practiced in full gear. Full go would be the case. There were no special teams. You can't stop to catch your breath while they change out personnel. You're playing fast football. The day was a very physical one.
It was a shock because Monday was usually light. The "heaviest day" was Tuesday, and every day after that was less intense. The rest of the week was told to the players by the coaches that it was important. They would say how you practice is how you play.
The whole day is about jaw opening. A mindset day is what it is. We try to push it up the defense and they try to spit it out. It's almost like a game because we're talking and Coach Smart's on the microphone.
When Smart's voice is booming out of a speaker, it adds an exclamation point to his point. Someone was able to record Smart from across the street before the Georgia-Tennessee game. Kelee, all this finger-pointing bulls? Smart said something. You know what the other teams in America do. They said it was his fault. He is to blame for it! He's the one who's at fault. They get layups. People don't focus.
Discher said that was nothing. That was not a new thing Tuesday.
The person who signed with Georgia in 2020 is fond of Tuesdays. He said it makes you a better player and prepares you for Saturday. He said that they remind us to be physical and impose our will during the game.
It's hard to endure that kind of mental and physical toll. Yes, it is. "If you come to Georgia, it's going to be difficult," he said. It is going to be hard. It will be difficult to keep your chin up on some days.
Some coaches don't want to run off players who can leave through the transfer portal. The media has suggested that the 71-year-old is a softer version of his younger self.
Smart is just as prepared to run through a wall as he was when he was a player. Smart jumped higher than Ringo did for his pick-six in the national championship game.
Bennett said it was at the foundation of the place.
The Tuesday practices set the tone for the rest of the week. The way you're supposed to get after it is what Will Muschamp said they were. The offensive lineman said fights are common. It's okay. He said it's like building a new body. Football isn't easy, so it helps you get used to what they expect.
Smart said they hit. We promote strong people. It isn't just by me. The leadership of the team does it. They embody that. They accept that. When you talk to people after you play them, they say you're a really physical team. We are respectful of that.
Looking back, he appreciated Smart's consistency He said that there was a point when it felt as if the wheels were about to come off. The team had just lost to the Commodores. When Smart called a group of veterans into his office, everyone was dreading the bye week.
Smart started out by saying, "I know everyone's scared," according to the person who was in the group. He said that nothing had changed even though they had lost. There wouldn't be any changes to the bye week. "That gave me a lot of confidence, that we're not just acting emotionally, we're not figuring this thing out as we go," he stated. There is a plan that we can rely on.
They didn't collapse after losing to Florida. They went on to win four of their last five games, including the Liberty Bowl, which set the tone for the next season.
Smart started the year with nine straight wins and reached the top of the AP poll. He was concerned about the effect of the positive press.
Smart wanted to make a statement on Mondays. He started every practice with a song by The O'Jays. It was too old for the audience, but he called it "back Stabbers." There is a passage early on.
Blades are long, clenched tight in their fist
Aimin' straight at your back
And I don't think they'll miss
What they do? They smilin' in your face
All the time, they want to take your place
The back stabbers (Back stabbers)
Georgia lost to Alabama in the national championship game after beating Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl in the first year of the playoffs. The bulldogs got their revenge after four years.
There is a song in rotation. Smart reminds them that they're not with us.
Bennett knows all the ways in which they are incorrect.
He said to first look at the defense, which lost five first-round picks.
He said that it was why he recruited good players. "They just come in, and now all these guys on defense are hungry, because everybody is telling them that they're not going to be this, they're not going to do that."
The offense needs to be looked at.
Bennett said that everyone on the offense is hungry and ready to go because they were told that the only reason they won last year was because of their defense.
Look at the whole team.
Bennett said they were hungry. "Oh, you're saying that about us, we're sitting over here and saying that." Is that really true?
There is no sense of entitlement. There is no let down. Dumas- Johnson said they enjoy being underestimated. They enjoy being disrespected because they weren't the top ranked team.
Alabama was the top ranked team in the preseason. At one point, he wondered why players hadn't chanted in the tunnel before the game as they had in the past.
Alabama used to have an advantage through competition and slights in the media. The edge has dulled in recent years with the Tide struggling to put away teams late and playing down to competition.
Georgia is now the rightful owner of the edge.
The Senior Bowl is comparable to the college all-star game and the NFL draft. He sees the Alabama model on defense when he watches Georgia. Nagy said that Smart has cornered the market on big, strong linemen, which is a change from the past.
There is a similarity on offense. Alabama used to have game-manager quarterbacks and many bruisers. Georgia has the ultimate blue-collar quarterback in Bennett and a trio of hard-nosed backs in Kenny McIntosh, DaijunEdwards and KendallMilton.
You've got full recruiting classes that have been going on for a while now. They're building on each other. The culture is established There's a need for food there. After they'd won a bunch, they would have kids come on the recruiting visits and see all the trophy and then they would go there. When they didn't win the trophy, they felt like they helped. I don't think that's what I'm trying to say.
Is entitlement a thing?
He said right away. There is no entitlement yet in the Georgia program. They still seem hungry.
When Smart left Alabama, he didn't take the four titles out the door and onto the plane. Georgia didn't inherit that success when he arrived.
He didn't get a lot from the win over CLEC. The only thing he got from the man was a plan. It was his job to make them his own.
He did many more things.
Even former Florida and South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier, who used to joke that he liked playing them early in the season because he could count on players being suspended, admitted that Georgia will be hard to catch. He said that they're so big along the line of scrimmage that they're around the top of the recruiting rankings each year. Georgia has had a top-three signing class for seven years in a row.
Spurrier said that the team was a good looking one. Kirby's done a great job with their attitude and how they prepare each week. They don't have enough of themselves. They have a plan and plan to win all of them. They are on schedule to do that.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
