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Video/Transcript: Kirby Smart’s Tuesday Auburn Week Presser – October 01, 2024
On how practice was Tuesday…
“Good. Thought we were a little slow on Monday, getting back late and getting a start. We did a little less than we normally do on Mondays, but we had a good one today. A really physical Tuesday and got after it and it was probably warmer than I expected. I don’t know what the temperature was, but it seemed warmer. We were outside for most of the day and had like one period each inside. But they played physical. They understand. We had a lot of coaches that have played in this game and coached in this game. We got two Auburn alum. We got a bunch of Georgia alum. And the historic nature of this game is very personal. And we had guys talk about that, you know, just explaining what the game means. And I think the players recognized that and they certainly practiced hard.”
On eye discipline against Auburn…
“Well, I mean, to be honest with you, you have to have eye discipline every game. There’s no team that doesn’t shift motion, move, trade the tight end, move. I mean, it’s like football now. Football has become this crazy event of moving people freestyle to try to gain an advantage. I don’t know where it evolved to. It just continued to, you know, it used to be everybody standing still and hit each other and now they all move. So, I mean, the eye discipline is extremely important, but it’s extremely important every game. I think with Hugh [Freeze], he does a great job of changing things up, you know, giving you different pictures. They did a tremendous job in the game last year. You know, we had a really good defense and last year’s game has been very important to us in terms of the way he played us, what he did, things off of it. I mean, it will take great eye discipline to play well against them. Look, people misunderstand. They think that you’re just coach speaking when you talk about Auburn. These guys have not really, like, they’re not getting stopped. They’re turning the ball over. Look at the stats of what they’ve done offensively, and don’t look at the points, the scores. Just look at them go up and down the field. They’ve stopped themselves a lot of times. So, a lot of respect for the physicality they play with and how they play. They just, you know, sometimes it’s hard to control turnovers.”
On the last throw against Alabama, potentially going for two-point conversion…
“Yeah, a very interesting question. I can’t really say a lot about the play because I like the play call. I mean, it had worked previously, you know. I mean, he’s a guy that, you know, we got, he gets on top of people, you throw it over the top. He gets behind people, you throw it underneath. He makes a big play a lot of times. I mean, great play by their kid. I’ll say that. But I have no problem with the play call because, you know, we were getting on top of them prior to that, so. But we had discussed that, I had talked about it actually in length on the headphones at two-minute mark, and we actually talked about it before the game because, you know, the LSU game came down to that with them, and LSU was at home when they decided. We had discussed it previously, and I felt very strongly that if the clock was under 30 seconds that we would probably go for two. But talking to the analytics afterwards, it would have suggested to not do it, you know, to play overtime, to kick it. And there’s a lot that goes into that because when you give a team enough time and they know what they need, meaning it’s not tied, they have more aggression. They had three timeouts. They would have only needed a field goal. It would have played out, you know, a possibly different way, but we had discussed it and leaning towards going for two if it was under 30 [seconds], which I think happened around 43 [seconds] or something.”
On Mykel Williams’ skillset…
“Well, he has great length, great size, great athleticism. And when you play on tackles, the number one requirement is arm length. You know, most of the tackles in our league have 35, 34 [inches]. They have long arms. And when you play with somebody with short arms, they struggle to create an edge and set an edge. He’s able to set edges at a high level for us because he’s big enough to play it, but he’s also athletic enough to do some of the things outside backers do. He’s cutting the cloth of what you want to play with out there on the edges.”
On his assessment of Auburn running back Jarquez Hunter…
“A lot. The dude, I don’t know if it’s the 27 thing, he reminds me so much of Nick Chubb. I mean, he’s got a straight line, and he’s so physical. People just bounce off of him. And it goes back to all those squat records. We got one of our coaches coached him. Coach Bobo had him, I think maybe his freshman year. I’m not sure, but he talks about how great a kid he is, how strong he is, and that people literally bounce off of him. Like, he’s just super physical, downhill. Like, he makes you not want to tackle him. He embarrassed us two years ago here, and then he had a really good game against us there. So, we think he’s one of the best backs in the country, and I don’t know the perception out there, but to us it is. He’s very, very good.”
On Auburn’s turnovers this season…
“No, I wish. I wish I knew how to, like, sprinkle some dust, get them, and stop them. If I could figure that out, man, I would be able to retire real soon because I could go around and just, like, give it to everybody. But nobody knows. They don’t carry the ball poorly. They don’t have poor ball security. They’ve had some unfortunate events and fumbles, and they’ve had some unfortunate tips. Some of their interceptions are tips and overthrows. How do you control that? Number one, you catch the ball, but it’s hard to. It’s just hard to control that. I don’t know. Every year somebody different wins the turnovers in the country, and you just don’t want to be the team turning it over.”
On Auburn’s running back room and RPOs…
“The fact that they’ve got those kind of dangerous backs as part of it. It makes you stop the run, right? If you could sit back and play less people in the box and cover all the RPOs, you play a lower-level team, a team you pay. You come in here, and they run RPOs. You’re like, oh, okay, I can put one less in the box, and I can cover these guys and dare you to run it. Well, you can’t do that with them. You’ve got to fill the box up. You’ve got to go stop the run, and that’s why he does what he does. It puts you in conflict. It’s a guaranteed one-on-one matchup that you better have people that can cover people, because if you don’t, then they’ll expose you.”
On what Lawson Luckie brings to the offense…
“Versatility, athleticism. He’s really a tough guy. He’s physical, tough, not afraid to get after it, but he’s also a good pass receiver. You say, what has he brought? He’s brought the versatility to run or pass, and he’s getting better. I mean, he’s still young in my eyes. Most times, your second year in college is like you’re just starting to come out of your shell, and he missed a lot of time last year with the injury. If you think back, I think it was this game that he was just coming back in with the tight rope, so he’s really a year removed from that. The sky’s the limit. Lawson (Luckie) can be really good. He keeps getting better. I like his confidence, and I like his leadership and his mindset. He’s got a toughness mindset.”
On Ben Yurosek, adjustments he has made since coming to Georgia…
“No, I really don’t know that, because I never asked him that. That’d be a good question if you asked him that. I don’t know the comparison. I know the speed of the game is really fast here. I can’t say that that’s the biggest difference. He would have to answer that.”
On other coaches speaking to the team before rivalry games…
“No, it’s us. It’s us. T-Rob (Travaris Robinson) and Stacey (Searels) played there, and a lot of us played in it, between Jonas (Jennings), myself, Jarvis (Jones), (Mike)Bobo, all the guys that played in the game. That’s all I’m referencing. I just think it’s important that you know that history.”
On Ellis Robinson IV’s development…
“Ellis is getting better. He works his tail off. We’ve tried to find roles for him on special teams. He’s continuing to grow. He practices with the twos all practices and goes one-on-one reps and gets better. He’s a good tackler. He’s physical at the line of scrimmage. Does a good job with his hands, good job with ball location, like getting balls down, but he’s continuing to challenge those other guys. We’ve had those guys this week all getting lots of reps and competing.”
On Daniel Harris’ impact this season…
“He had opportunities. He does a good job at the line of scrimmage. He had a really good play on fourth and one where he came and closed and helped set an edge on the stop we had on them on fourth and one. Daniel continues to grow and mature. He’s 193 pounds now, and that’s a big corner, and he doesn’t even look 193. He could be 200 pounds easily because he’s so long, but his practice habits have improved the most. I’ve challenged him to say, you know, if you could practice every day, and I tell them all the time, what would Kamari [Lassiter] do? What would Kamari do? They probably get sick of hearing it – comparison is the thief of joy. But Kamari is such a great practice player and walk-through player that we have clips of him doing things in practice and walk-through that we want them to emulate. He, Julio [Humphrey], and Daylen [Everette], and all those guys, they got to practice very intentional and stay focused. It helps them play better.”
On what he wants to see defensively against Auburn…
“Stops. That’s what it looks like. They’re hard stop guys. Everybody’s going to say I’m crazy, but they’re physical. They got good scheme, good plays, experienced quarterback, talented wideouts, great backs. The tight ends, they got have played forever. Those guys have been there playing football forever, so it’s not like the moment’s too big for them. Experience is value in our league, and they got tremendous experience. What looks good is punts. That’s what looks good.”
On if the players are aware of the magnitude of historic rivalries…
“We still had them. We had history lessons. We had coaches that told us the history of every game. We had them. I knew them because I grew up in a football family and loved football. All I did was watch football, but that’s not what these kids do today. I don’t think these kids know as much. They don’t watch football, a lot of them. They don’t even; they play it, but they don’t watch it. I don’t know. You ask them, ‘Who’s your favorite NFL team?’ I don’t know. They got more, more things to do. They got more attention options. They’re going to be on their phone, looking at social media and doing whatever. They’re not going to watch. It’s just not what they do anymore, so I think it’s important to make sure they understand.”
On what Cash Jones has done to continue earning snaps…
“What hasn’t he done? He does everything he’s asked. He competes. He practices at a high level. He earns what he gets, and matter of fact, he’s probably earned more than he’s gotten. It was his kind of game. He’s really good at pass pro. He’s really physical at pass pro. He’s really good at route running. He understands leverages. He’s been in our system a long time. He plays great on special teams. He’s earned everything he’s gotten.”
On Dillon Bell’s development at wide receiver…
“I think he’s gotten a lot better as a wideout. I think [James] Coley and Mike [Bobo] have done a good job taking what B-Mac [Bryan McLendon] did and transitioning that into more. He’s just great young man. He’s from a great high school over in Houston. He’s got a great mom. Brother plays I think at Notre Dame. He’s just a great kid, and he works so hard. He’s developed. He was a high school running back and could probably play running back. He did for us, but he’s developed. He got better and better at route running, and his hard work has really paid off for him. Just proud of what he’s done and the opportunities he’s gotten he’s taken advantage of. We got to try to find more opportunities for a guy like him.”
Video/Transcript: Cash Jones and CJ Allen Interviews – October 01, 2024
On what he’s seen from Auburn’s front seven…
“They’re big, they’re fast, they’re physical. I know their record doesn’t show it, but they’re really good. I know coach Bobo and coach Smart are going to put us in the best situation possible to win.”
On playing against Alabama…
“Bama versus Georgia is definitely a big game, especially in the regular season this early in the year. I had fun. I know we had a slow start, but when we went through our corrections and what we needed to fix, now we’re starting to focus on Auburn.”
On what he’s seen from the defense’s preparation for Auburn…
“They’re definitely not very happy with how the first quarter, first half went. But they’re definitely more focused on Auburn and how they’re game plan works, just because it’s the next game and we already did our corrections for Bama.”
On knowing the significance of rivalry games…
“It just means more considering the history of the game. Some of the coaches have even played at Auburn, like this year my coach T-Rob [Travaris Robinson]. And guys have played in the game before me. But it’s just another game. It’s another game where we go out there and do what we are supposed to do.”
On what advice he gives to the freshman…
“I tell guys just to keep working because you never know when your number is about to get called. You might be one injury away, or one player away, so you never know when your number is up. Like I said, it’s a long season and we all of our guys no matter what. I also tell them just to have fun and be able to learn. It’s a learning process and you can never stop learning.”
On conversations within the defense coming off Alabama…
“We definitely look at the film and see what we did wrong. But it also just comes down to just being correct and just executing the call. Obviously, we never plan on giving up points, but we just go over what we did wrong. The conversations don’t change because the standard is still the standard to give up no points.”
How Former Dogs Fared in Professional Baseball This Season
Seven former Bulldogs appeared in the Major Leagues while another 14 were working their way up the professional ladder.
The Bulldogs who played in the Majors this season included pitcher Jonathan Cannon (Chicago White Sox), infielder Kyle Farmer (Minnesota), pitcher Emerson Hancock (Seattle), pitcher Zac Kristofak (Los Angeles Angels), infielder Aaron Schunk (Colorado), infielder Jared Walsh (Texas) and pitcher Alex Wood (Oakland).
The 24-year-old Cannon completed his first year in the Majors with a 5-10 mark, a respectable 4.49 ERA in 23 appearances including 21 starts for the White Sox. He tallied 91 strikeouts in 124.1 innings. He started and won his final start on the last day of the regular season as Chicago set the modern record for most losses by a team with 121 to go with 41 wins. Twice during the season, he helped the White Sox snap a double-digit losing streak including ending a 21-game streak that matched the longest in American League history.
After a slow start to the season including battling injuries, the 34-year-old Farmer posted a strong finish with the Twins playing around the infield. A veteran presence in the clubhouse, he played in 107 games and hit .214 with five home runs and 25 RBI. A career .250 hitter, he heads into the winter as a free agent with eight seasons in the Major Leagues.
The 25-year-old Hancock spent time in the Majors with Seattle and with their Triple-A affiliate in Tacoma. He made 12 starts for the Mariners and went 4-4 with a 4.75 ERA. In 60.2 innings with Seattle, he tallied 39 strikeouts. In Tacoma, he was 7-3 with a 3.43 ERA in 17 starts with 66 strikeouts in 94.1 innings.
The 26-year-old Kristofak made one relief appearance with the Angles and then was shut down the rest of the season due to an arm injury and surgery. He pitched two innings and allowed two unearned runs with two strikeouts in his MLB debut on April 28 against Minnesota. Earlier in the season in Triple-A with Salt Lake, he went 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA in six games including three starts over a span of 18.2 innings.
The 27-year-old Schunk made his MLB debut with the Rockies on June 29 and remained with the club the rest of the season. He made spot starts and ended up playing in 39 games with 28 starts around the infield (14-2B, 10-3B, 4-SS). He batted .234 with three doubles, two home runs and seven RBI in 94 at bats. His first Major League home run was a 429-foot solo shot in an 8-2 win over Miami.
The 31-year-old Walsh, a one-time All-Star, made the Texas Rangers coming out of Spring Training, but his tenure with the club lasted 17 games after hitting .226 with two doubles, a home run and seven RBI. Then in May, he signed with the White Sox and played in Triple-A with Charlotte. He played in 41 games and was batting .185 with four doubles, one home run and eight RBI when he was released in July.
The veteran Wood, a one-time All-Star and World Series Champion, signed with the Athletics in the off-season as they provided an opportunity for him to be a starter. He got the nod on Opening Day, but injuries cut short his season after nine starts. He finished 1-3 with a 5.26 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 39.1 innings. The 33-year-old Wood has appeared in 278 games in the Majors including 211 starts. He is 77-68 with a 3.78 ERA. In 1,258 innings, he has registered 1,173 strikeouts.
Below is a summary of the Bulldogs who played exclusively in the minor leagues including their most recent level.
Triple-A
Pitcher Ben Harris (Los Angeles Dodgers) opened the season as a reliever for the Double-A Tulsa Drillers and was promoted in September to the Triple-A Oklahoma City Baseball Club. The 24-year-old left-hander posted a combined 4-5 record and 5.44 ERA in 42 relief appearances with 65 strikeouts in 48 innings.
Pitcher Cole Wilcox (Tampa Bay Rays) began the year in the starting rotation for the Double-A Montgomery Biscuits and moved up in early August to the Triple-A Durham Bulls. The 25-year-old right-hander went a combined 10-7 with a 3.57 ERA in 28 starts with 110 strikeouts in 143.2 innings. With the Bulls, he posted a 3-3 mark and 4.62 ERA in eight starts.
Pitcher Ryan Webb (Cleveland Guardians) started the year in the rotation for the Double-A Akron RubberDucks and was promoted in early August to the Triple-A Columbus Clippers. The 25-year-old left-hander posted a combined 6-7 record and 2.80 ERA in 27 starts with 151 strikeouts in 14.1 innings. With the Clippers, he finished with an impressive 2-0 record and 2.60 ERA in seven starts with 33 strikeouts in 34.2 innings.
Double-A
In July, pitcher Will Childers (Milwaukee Brewers) was promoted to the Double-A Biloxi Shuckers after beginning the season at the A+ level with the Wisconsin Timer Rattler. For the year, the 23-year-old right-hander went 5-5 with a 4.15 ERA in 43 relief appearances and 56 strikeouts in 52 innings. Childers, who battled injuries while at UGA and signed as an undrafted free agent in 2023, is one of seven prospects in the Brewers organization selected to play in the prestigious Arizona Fall League. (AFL) He is a member of the Peoria Javelinas as they begin play Oct. 7 and conclude Nov. 16. Each fall, every MLB club can send seven of its prospects to play for one of the six teams in the AFL.
In late June, pitcher Jaden Woods (Pittsburgh Pirates) was promoted to the Double-A Altoona Curve after beginning the year at the A+ level with the Greensboro Grasshoppers. For the year, the 22-year-old left-hander posted a 4-3 mark, a 3.75 ERA, 4 saves and 74 strikeouts in 60 innings.
Single/Advanced-A (A+)Pitcher Garrett Brown (Chicago Cubs) spent time with the ACL Cubs and the Myrtle Beach Pelicans before being released in late July. He battled injuries during his Georgia and professional career. For the year, the 24-year-old righthander went 2-1 with a 9.33 ERA over a span of 14 relief outings with 13 strikeouts in 18.1 innings.Pitcher Liam Sullivan (Washington Nationals) saw his season end in April due to injury and surgery. The 22-year-old left-hander had made a pair of starts for the Fredericksburg Nationals, going 0-0 with a 1.93 ERA. He had 17 strikeouts in 9.1 innings.
After two years of battling injuries, former catcher turned pitcher Shane Marshall (Chicago Cubs) enjoyed an impressive professional debut this year with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. A former 14th round pick in 2022, he had Tommy John surgery in August of 2022 and spent 2023 getting healthy. The 24-year-old right-hander made 33 relief appearances and went 2-3 with a 2.52 ERA and seven saves. In 39.1 innings, he tallied 42 strikeouts. Recently, the Cubs made him one of their seven picks to play in the Arizona Fall League where he will suit up for the Mesa Solar Sox from Oct. 7-Nov. 16.
Two years after he was drafted, pitcher Dylan Ross (New York Mets) successfully battled back from arm surgery to make his professional debut on Sept. 7 and struck out the side. A former 13th-round pick in 2022, the 24-year-old right-hander pitched one scoreless inning for the St. Lucie Mets. Now, he’ll get to pitch more as one of the seven Mets minor leaguers recently selected to play in the Arizona Fall League. He will be a member of the Scottsdale Scorpions from Oct. 7-Nov. 16.
Five Bulldogs off the 2024 team signed this summer and got their first taste of professional baseball. Outfielder/infielder Charlie Condon (Colorado/1st Round, 3rd overall), infielder/outfielder Corey Collins (New York Mets/6th Round) and catcher Fernando Gonzalez (San Francisco/20th round) were selected in the annual MLB Draft while pitchers Chandler Marsh (New York Mets) and Christian Mracna (Toronto) signed as free agents. Condon helped the Spokane Indians, the Rockies High-A affiliate, win the Northwest League title for the first time since 2008. Collins and Marsh played for the St. Lucie Mets while Mracna made his debut with the Dunedin Blue Jays, all members of the Florida State League. Gonzalez has yet to play in an official game for the Giants.
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