Kirby Smart addressed Georgia’s latest loss to Alabama and was asked whether the 1-7 record against the Crimson Tide could start to weigh on his program. The head coach dismissed the concern, saying, “What’s everybody else’s record against them, do you got it? I don’t either. I don’t lose sleep over that because those games have been like championship caliber games.”
Smart stressed that Georgia’s focus isn’t on the narrative others may create about Alabama. “That’s not going to affect me. I’m just going to be happy and go-lucky if our team comes back and plays well. That’s what I worry about and we’ve got to get better,” he said, insisting next year’s challenges have no connection to this loss.
When asked if there’s added anxiousness when playing Alabama, Smart quickly brushed it aside. “Our record against Alabama has nothing to do with this game. That’s everybody else’s story. What our guys need to worry about are those other three things… win your box, see a little, see a lot. Because those control how you win the game.”
He also pointed out that Georgia’s long streak of success and past meetings with Alabama weren’t the deciding factors. “You’re not going to play perfect, accept that… the examples instill confidence in you. Like, ok, this is how you win the game. You do this, this and this. Which, we didn’t necessarily do.”
Smart Turns Page After Alabama Defeat
Smart reflected on the differences from last year’s group, pointing out the youth of this year’s roster. “We’re playing with some young linemen, some young skill guys on defense. We’ve got to continue to grow and get better. The key is will the locker room take the team in the right direction.”
The Georgia coach emphasized that the bigger lesson is about moving forward quickly. “We’ve got a good football team that’s got to get better… We can’t let this game beat us twice. We’ve got to go worry about the next one,” Smart explained.
He also spoke about why he made a point of lifting up his players after the loss. “If things aren’t going well then I want the responsibility for that. That’s always who I’ve been… They’ll take ownership and looking in the mirror, and we can go get better. That’s all we can do.”