After seeing what the Georgia Bulldogs did to the Oregon Ducks in the season opener last Saturday, I think it’s safe to say that complacency does not exist within the walls of Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall. Coach Smart broke down his reaction to the game and his thoughts following in an interview on Monday, “Looking back at the tape, I think it’s never as good as it seems.” Nothing gets into their heads. The natty was celebrated and learned from, and so will the Oregon game. It’s as if 49-3 was nothing short of expectation, and the way the team handles it, that’s probably the case. 

Something that stood out immediately was the involvement of freshmen Mykel Williams DL and Malaki Starks DB in the defense. Each appeared to hold their own; Starks even came down with an out-of-this-world interception. Regardless, Smart remained unsatisfied, saying, “They have a lot to improve on.” He followed up by saying that for the freshmen, it’s common to expect a lot of mistakes but anticipates them to find their footing and grow through the first, second, and third games.

The win against Oregon was also heavily attributed to the four new position coaches and their ability to connect to their players and each other, “ They’ve done what they’ve been asked to do, and they embrace it… it’s created a really good kind of connection among the staff.” The team, coaching staff, and players alike are buying in, and that connection was something Smart raved about. The guys are playing for each other instead of just with each other. 

Another big takeaway from Saturday was how Georgia played at offensive line. If you paid close attention, you might have seen Warren McClendon come out and be replaced by sophomore Amarius Mims at right tackle. Other switches were made as the game progressed, and it leaves us wondering whether or not Georgia has found their best 5 linemen yet. Coach Smart laid that question to rest saying, “Yeah, you’re constantly in search of the best five guys right?” Because of practice, the guys always have an opportunity to show off their talents and earn a starting spot, so don’t be surprised if things change up in the trenches.

Now that the first game is out of the way, we finally have something to work with. We’ve seen the team firing on all cylinders instead of hearing about it from practice. One thing’s for sure though, is that you can’t let one game define this team, and Kirby won’t let his guys do this either. It’s on to the next with Samford coming to town this Saturday, and all the Dawgs will do is go out there and keep choppin’ wood.