On Tuesday afternoon, Georgia football head coach Kirby Smart, along with players Jalon Walker and Oscar Delp, addressed the media at a press conference inside Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall.

In his opening statements, Smart said that the progression of the team has been good, but that his roster’s “depth” and “enthusiasm” are not where they should be. When questioned about his roster, he admitted that there is “not as much quality depth” as he’s seen in years past, but said that “we probably have more than a lot of people”. When discussing the team’s recent scrimmage, he mentioned that there was “not a lot of enthusiasm” and that the team was “not at the level” he would like, but they “will have another chance this weekend” at the upcoming scrimmage to improve. He mentioned that his group has a “long way to go as a football team”, and that his players “have a lot to fix” ahead of the upcoming season. When asked about the season opener against Clemson, he stated that his team is “focused on how we can get better today”, and that Clemson preparation is something to focus on “down the road”.

Junior linebacker Jalon Walker also addressed the concern for the continuation of focus at practice by noting that his teammates need “a lot of work across the whole team”. When asked about Georgia’s recent #1 ranking in the AP Preseason Poll, he said that he saw it on his phone, but took it as “another notification”, which is exactly how you would expect one of Smart’s players to react to outsider opinion and predictions.

Oscar Delp has taken on a heavy leadership position with the departure of Brock Bowers to the NFL. He commented on his role on the team with younger players, and teaching that miscues are “part of the game” and that “you gotta fail to succeed”. The junior tight end will play a key part in the success of the offense not only from his performance, but as a mentor to those who will see some of their first college football snaps this season.

With the season kicking off in less than three weeks, it seems as if Coach Smart’s team has a lot of work to do before facing off against #14 Clemson, a team that is surely eager to take their shot at one of the most dominating programs in recent years.