Georgia head coach Kirby Smart didn’t hide his satisfaction after his team’s fast start and physical performance in a 35–14 win over Kentucky.
“Yeah, I was excited about our guys getting a fast start today. I think that was the goal. It’s the goal every game,” Smart said. “I thought we had good energy on offense. I thought they had a good plan in terms of how to execute.”
The Bulldogs set the tone early behind Gunner Stockton, who threw for 196 yards and added two rushing touchdowns. Smart said the physical edge was the difference.
“Every time we play them, it’s really physical. It was physical again,” Smart said. “We are not as efficient and together as we need to be, but we are physical and we are resilient. We do have guys that believe in physicality, which is going to keep you in every game.”
Georgia leaned on that toughness in the trenches. Smart pointed to the work of both lines as a major advantage. “We did control the line of scrimmages…we have some size. I’m starting to look across our league and I feel like there’s just less big bodies than there used to be in our league. The one thing ours has been consistent on is controlling the line of scrimmage, and our offensive line has done a good job.”
Even as injuries mounted up front, Smart praised his players’ willingness to battle through pain. “They’re a mass unit. It’s the dangest thing I’ve ever seen with the offensive line,” he said. “We have a tough culture here. We have a physical culture here and they believe in pushing through if they can. Our guys have really pushed through that.”
Stockton’s growth continues to stand out. “He had the most growth today in terms of downfield throws, layered throws, stepping up in the pocket,” Smart said. “It didn’t phase him. You can’t make plays unless you take some risk. He’s growing out of the risk aversion and moving toward making calculated decisions.”
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When asked about wide receiver Dillon Bell, who scored twice, Smart emphasized his selflessness. “He blocks. He doesn’t complain when he doesn’t get the ball…Dillon has been very selfless since he’s been here.”
Smart closed by reaffirming his team’s identity.
“We’ve got guys that love football,” he said. “They’re competitors, they’re physical, and they believe in what we’re building. That’s going to keep us in every game.”
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