Field Street Forum

ATHENS, Ga. — The University of Georgia Athletic Association will launch a pilot alcohol sales program in Stegeman Coliseum for both men’s and women’s basketball this season.  The pilot program will allow UGAAA to monitor food and event operations with alcohol sales, while also bolstering the fan experience with expanded concessions offerings. Georgia will be the 11^th Southeastern Conference school to sell alcohol at athletics venues.

A variety of domestic, import, craft and premium beer and seltzer will be available at designated concession stands throughout the Coliseum with strict attention to our Drinking Responsibly guidelines and fan management protocols. The pilot program will also include a focus on promoting the responsible sale, service, and consumption of alcohol.

Guidelines include:

• Alcoholic beverages are only available to fans aged 21 and above.
• Each transaction requires a valid government-issued ID.
• Identification check is required at all points of sale.
• Enforced limit of two beverages per transaction, per person.
• Sales begin once gates open at Stegeman Coliseum, 1-hour before announced start time.
• Sales end at designated times as determined by the SEC’s game management policy on alcohol sales, which indicate 12:00 media timeout in the 2^nd half for men’s basketball and end of the 3^rd quarter for women’s basketball.
• All beverages will be served in cups.
• Aramark, the official concessions partner of UGAAA, will manage all operations associated with the sale of alcohol at events.
• Aramark employees will undergo extensive training through an in-house training program. All employees must be certified in an accredited alcohol service program (TEAM or TIPS).
• Each event will have an alcohol compliance supervisor (Aramark standard) on site.

Safety and promoting responsible behavior are of the utmost importance and the top priority with this pilot program. Underage drinking is strictly prohibited, and no sales will be made to visibly intoxicated individuals.

Our Drinking Responsibly policies will be featured on our Men’s and Women’s basketball Gameday Central pages.  CLICK HERE for the Southeastern Conference’s alcohol policy.

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.”

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ATHENS, Ga. — University of Georgia head football coach Kirby Smart, along with a pair of defensive players previewed Saturday’s SEC matchup against Florida. The Bulldogs and the GAtors kick-off at 3:30 p.m. ET in Jacksonville, Fla. at TIAA Stadium.

On Tuesday, Coach Smart, senior Latavious Brini and junior Travon Walker offered the following comments.

Head Coach Kirby Smart

On Jordan Davis’ impact…
“It’s very impactful. I guess that doesn’t help the description. I mean, he is valuable. And I think when you talk about running the ball in the league we’re in you have to be able to have some sort of run game. You don’t have to be dominant in the run game. You got to be able to run the ball and he makes us have more third and seven to twelves than we have third and two to fours. And just statistically when you have third and two to four which we had an inordinate amount against Kentucky and struggled some because they did a nice job on second long, it affects the game and when you have third and seven to ten, it helps you. Jordan is a heavy impact on that because it’s tough to run him. It’s tough to run the ball when he’s in there.  I think what he’s done, he’s made himself quicker, more agile, and his weight fluctuates from time to time, but he’s much more effective when he’s under 350. And he’s taken it upon himself here lately to really work to be under 350. And I noticeably can tell a difference in him when he’s 350 or less. I know that seems like a lot but he’s been higher than that.”

On discussion of Jordan Davis as a Heisman Trophy candidate…
“I think it’s unfortunate that defensive players don’t get mentioned for it. I’m not necessarily advocating Jordan. I’m advocating defensive players because I feel like the NFL values that and if you look over time, outside of the quarterback position, which they have to draft and they get drafted every year, four to five guys on average at quarterback, outside of that you have defensive players taking the top 10 every year because they can change the game when there’s pass rush or corner or somebody locking someone down or whatever the position may be, but it is what it is and it’s an award that has become quarterback, receiver, running back heavy and an ultimate respect for the for the award, but certainly some defensive players across the country deserve some kind of recognition. It’s almost like you wish you could take one every year to New York as a defensive player because it’s such a great event.”

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