Kirby Smart sees Freshmen play “with no governor”

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Kirby Smart sees Freshmen play “with no governor”

Offensive line coach Sam Pittman and Kirby Smart appear to be discussing it player as they watch a drill
Offensive line coach Sam Pittman and Kirby Smart appear to be discussing it player as they watch a drill
Photo: Greg Poole/Bulldawg Illustrated
 
 
Kirby Smart has mentioned how he wants his players always to compete and practice with intensity and in the post-game press conference of the second fall practice he says seeing that quality in some freshmen because they play “with no governor.”
 
 

The phrase “playing with no governor” may sound like players lack leadership or they are not responding to leadership properly. However, that is far from what Kirby is saying about freshmen who play with this mentality. When Kirby used this phrase, he was stressing that freshmen come in, and they just compete as hard as they possible can all through practices because they have this mentality of almost playing with a chip on their shoulder.
 
 

 
 
One player that stood out to Coach Smart as keeping this “no governor” mentality is inside linebacker Roquan Smith. Coach Smart lauded Roquan Smith in his post-practice press conference saying that he always plays as hard and fast as he can every play, and that will continue to build him into a greater and more successful player each and every practice if he continues to work this way. Coach Smart even highlighted that Roquan is growing into a leadership role because of the way he pushes himself in every practice.
 
 
Coach Smart also highlighted some freshmen who have stood out to him on the defensive line for showing this same quality of playing “with no governor.” The three defensive lineman that Coach Smart named were incoming freshmen David Marshall, Michail Carter, and Tyler Clark who continue to impress with their high energy and effort in practice. If these players continue to play with this mindset which Coach Smart is stressing on his players, then they may find themselves in Coach Smart’s praises just as Roquan Smith has impressed him thus far.
 
 
 
 

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Author /

Michael Pope is a Journalism student in the Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia, with an emphasis in sports. He enjoys covering all sports, especially basketball, football, and baseball.

7 responses on “Kirby Smart sees Freshmen play “with no governor”

  1. wet willie

    I like what’s going on with these young players. Hopefully this becomes the mindset of all the older players also. If we are to achieve the success we are longing for, it will require this “pedal to the medal” attitude; anything less and Kirby will spot it and make the changes it requires to be the best. We’re on our way–but it will take awhile to light a fire under the butts of the underachievers. Kirby will weed them out and replant if necessary.

  2. BahitsAgain

    Jesse1 In the old days at the airport, the old gas driven tugs that Delta had gotten from the military had to have governors put on them.  There were a couple that had them “removed” or didn’t work right.  🙂  Fun Fun Fun

  3. Jesse1

    Govenors are put on vehicles to slow them down. Mellow them out. Dawgs ain’t going to be handing out jobs to sandbaggers.