Kirby Smart shares take on Georgia’s first preseason scrimmage

ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia held its first preseason scrimmage over the weekend. Details of that scrimmage have been widely available at DawgsHQ, as we’ve released multiple reports about what we’ve heard from trusted sources.

Kirby Smart, however, saw it in real time and poured over the tape. He met with reporters on Tuesday and was able to offer his thoughts on what he saw. He started with the lack of hot weather that the team has experience, in practices and scrimmages. The 10th-year head coach is hoping for more heat because it brings adversity that he wants his team to fight through. Then he got to the details of what went as Georgia held its live scrimmage.

“So really competitive drives, several long drives,” Smart said. “I was pleased with the effort for the first scrimmage. We didn’t tackle exactly great, which is the first time we really tackled live. We’ve done a little more live tackling than we have in the past, so we did do some prior to the scrimmage. But I was really pleased with the effort on special teams. I think that’s where we set ourselves apart in scrimmages because we do the special teams within the scrimmage. We have guys competing for spots on those units, and I thought they competed really hard. So I was pleased. Some silly procedural penalties both ways, but pleased with the effort of both groups. We’re just not where we need to be yet.”

Based on the information DawgsHQ has been able to gather, Georgia escaped the scrimmage without any serious injuries. Smart did reveal on Tuesday that backup center Malachi Toliver is dealing with an ankle injury and that freshman wideout Thomas Blackshear has been slowed by a groin.

Sources told DawgsHQ after Saturday’s scrimmage that the defense won the day overall. While the offense had essentially dominated the first week of spring, it was the other side of the ball that answered the challenge as they competed with one another inside Sanford Stadium. That mainly showed up in Georgia’s defensive units being able to stop the run.

Being able to run the ball is something that Smart and company have harped upon this offseason. Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo told reporters recently that the staff started working on that when the met in January after the Sugar Bowl. It’ll require better, cleaner play out of the offensive line and that’s something Smart is watching moving forward.

“Yeah, I want to continue to see an identity,” Smart said when asked about the offensive line. “An identity of toughness, physical, setting edges, delivering the run game, denting the defense. And it’s what we have to be, and we need to have a great run game to, number one, help our quarterback, relieve third and longs, feature backs, and then utilize play action. So those guys are working really hard. I’ve been pleased with the group. They continue to work hard and do what we need to do.”