At this point, most folks in the college football sphere know and understand that Georgia’s offseason was one that we’re all still taking in. What I mean is the accident that took place in the early morning of January 15, just two months ago. That night resulted in the loss of Devin Willock and Chandler Lecroy.

The team and the institution of the University of Georgia, as a whole, have since mourned their loss, and we know that they live on through the connections they’ve made at Georgia. They’ve proved that this is more than just a sport. To some, this is a family.

That’s precisely how third-year linebacker Smael Mondon thinks about it. Mondon was there at the scene as it unfolded. It, of course, was a very heavy topic for him, but he spoke out in an interview yesterday, saying, “It shows you how short life is and how quick things can go from up high to down low.”

The young man, barely 20 years old, had a lot to say about that night and what it’s since taught him:

“Never forget to tell someone you love them– even if it sounds corny,” Mondon said.

Mondon is coming up on his third year in the program, and this should be his second year starting. Now being an “old guy” in the room, we can see how much he’s grown in his time here. It takes a lot to say those words in front of folks you barely know in a media room, but he got up and said what needed to be said, just like any leader should.

Smael’s words do a good job of reminding us all that this is a game played by humans, just like you and me. They are just a bunch of young men on a field hoping to achieve something bigger than themselves, and it’s the fans who have the privilege of sitting back and watching as they do that.

As we enter draft season, and officially have the older players depart from this program, it’s good to know that there are guys like Smael Mondon who can fill their shoes and step in as leaders, mentors, and big brothers.

At Georgia, it’s more than football. Smael, alongside many others, serves as a testimony to that.