UGA Football: Kirby Smart Talks Jordan Davis, JT Daniels, and Stetson Bennett at SEC Weekly Teleconference

University of Georgia head football coach Kirby Smart met with media on the Southeastern Conference’s weekly teleconference call while James Cook and Kearis Jackson offered post-practice comments.

Head Coach Kirby Smart
Opening Statement…
“We are excited to head down to Jacksonville, Fla. for our traditional rivalry in the Georgia-Florida game. Our kids are excited forward to the opportunity. They enjoy playing in this environment. It’s one of a kind in college football. Our guys are looking forward to the challenge of playing a really talented Florida football team.”

On Jordan Davis…
“He’s having a good season. He’s had some games where we’ve had leads and he hasn’t been able to play and have as much production as he would like to have, but he has been really active when he has played. He has been very productive in terms of the things we ask him to do when he has played. He hasn’t played a ton of snaps because of some of the games we have had. He’s a tough guy on the run. He’s hard to move. He’s athletic for his size.”

On the similarities to the 2011 Alabama defense…
“I can’t remember much about it, to be honest. There was a lot of talent, I know that, and there is a lot of talent on this one. I think they both have a lot of pride in performance. That is one of the number one indicators of success. How prideful are you in how you play? They take a lot of pride in being good. They don’t worry about who they play, they just play to a standard.”

On the Florida defense…
“Size. They have really good players on the edge. They have an abundance of guys with size, that can play inside. They have gone out and gotten transfers, and guys that are big. They have always had great pass rushers. Very active guys on the perimeter that can make plays on the edge. They make it hard to get on the perimeter. They make it hard to throw the ball. They are very disruptive in what they do defensively.”

On game planning for a Dan Mullen team…
“It’s always challenging. It goes all the way back to the years at Mississippi State, where you feel like there is so much to prepare for. You feel like there is this encyclopedia of offense, and you have to figure out what you are going to prepare for because within the game he has a lot of different packages that you have to be prepared for, and you don’t know which one you are going to get. A lot of it boils down to how quickly can you adjust with in-game, and cater your plan with his plan.”

On Joe Lee Dunn…
“A very unique personality. I don’t remember getting to meet him personally, but I certainly remember as a player and young coach… coming up in my early years and games. I think we may have played against him one time when I was at Georgia. Everybody talked about the blitzes and the pressures. His unique and kind of uncanny ability to call the defenses. From the hip, down on the field, he hand signaled and called them all himself. It was always well known how aggressive he was incoming after people. I remember some of those Mississippi State defenses that were really aggressive and came after people. I have a lot of respect for the work he did. 

On the QB position…
“They both look good, and they are both doing a good job. So, we will go into Wednesday and see how today goes.”

#4 James Cook | Sr. | RB
On emotions after losing to UF last year… 
“We have no regrets,  going out there each and every day, being ready to beat them and come prepared to play. That feeling coming off the field last year, that we had, knowing what we could have done and that is what we have been holding onto this week.”

On wheel routes…
“My job is just to beat the guy in front of me and that is what I am trained to do. As long as I win my one-on-ones and get open, the sky is the limit.”

On choosing to stay at UGA…
“It actually did help. Going undefeated, that is the goal. Trying to lead my team the best way I can. I really came back for my brothers and try to accomplish something with them. Trying to be better every day with my team so we don’t have the same feeling that we had last year.”

#10 Kearis Jackson | Jr. | WR
On the excitement amongst Florida-born players for this game…
“Those guys get pretty pumped up, especially going into the state of Florida, going back down South to play a rivalry game. It’s exciting not only for the guys from Florida, but also us Georgia boys, as well, because growing up, I remember always watching the Florida game. It’s an exciting matchup, and we are excited.”

On the Georgia quarterbacks…
“Both quarterbacks have been very poised. They approach practice the way they should. They make sure guys are in the right spot, making good checks. Both of those guys have been doing a terrific job in practice.”

On the effect of rotating quarterbacks…
“We don’t really notice. We just go out there and play football. We make sure we do out assignment right.”