Even in a blowout victory, No. 4 Georgia head coach Kirby Smart finds reasons for his team to get better. Elite coaches have a knack for tinkering with their teams, regardless of the score.
They often pick apart a win with the same intensity as a painful loss. This meticulous nature means they rarely rest on their laurels and are always looking for ways to improve.
Why Is Kirby Smart Still Concerned After a Blowout Win?
Last Saturday, Georgia welcomed Marshall to Sanford Stadium and put on a dominant performance. The Bulldogs racked up 488 yards of total offense while holding the Thundering Herd to just 207 yards in a 45-7 victory. From start to finish, Georgia controlled the game on both sides of the ball.
By halftime, the score was 24-0, and the Herd looked completely overmatched. The win marked the tenth consecutive season that Smart’s team has opened with a victory, a streak that includes wins over FCS teams, conference rivals, and Top 25 opponents.
Despite the lopsided score, the two-time national championship-winning coach found areas needing correction. On the Georgia Bulldogs Athletics YouTube channel, Smart explained his thoughts, starting with praise for quarterback Gunner Stockton’s play.
“He did some really nice things last game,” Smart said. “What if Gunner had not been our quarterback in the last game? Would we have gotten sacked? Quite possibly. He extended the play. He turned some really possibly poor negative plays into positive plays.”
While Stockton’s 58.3% completion rate doesn’t jump off the page, Smart’s point is clear: the quarterback’s ability to escape pressure is a major asset. This skill can save the Bulldogs in critical moments. Furthermore, when Stockton escapes pressure and receivers work back to him, it can extend drives and ultimately lead to more points.
How Will Smart Address Georgia’s ‘Bad Habits’ in Practice?
However, Smart did not share the same positive view about the line play on both sides of the ball during practice. He expressed concern about developing poor habits that could prove costly down the road.
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“I mean, you’re in a sport as physical as football; those guys are going to push and shove or say something or do something after the play, but we try to control that because you can get bad habits that carry over into the game, and they cost your team,” he explained.
This weekend, FCS squad Austin Peay walks into Athens. Armed with a list of necessary corrections, Smart will try to smooth out these perceived rough edges. While the Bulldogs have more than enough talent to win this game easily, the focus will be on how the team responds to the coach’s challenge and executes with greater discipline.
