Kirby Smart not impressed with Georgia defense in 1st half of spring game

With 43 total points scored in the first half of the Georgia spring game, head coach Kirby Smart was not impressed with the showing. From the jump, the offensive units had little trouble moving the ball up and down the field.

Speaking with ESPN’s Alyssa Lang, Smart expressed his ire at the lack of defensive punch. The goal had been to challenge the quarterbacks and heat things up on them some, but instead it was the offense making life difficult for the defense.

“Not much a challenge from the defense, I can promise you that. We came out, we’ve thrown the ball well, we’ve caught the ball well. I don’t think we’ve had a turnover yet. So, when you don’t turn it over and you’re efficient on offense, you usually score points. So we’ve really been explosive today. The question today has been about the defense,” Smart said.

Lang asked what Smart wanted to see out of that unit by way of improvements in the second half.

“From the defense? Stops. We’ve gotta get stops. And you only get stops when you have stops on first down. We’re not getting stops on first down, we’re not getting them behind the sticks, so they’re just going down the field. I think the offense is doing a nice job keeping them off balance,” Smart said.

It was also announced in the press box during halftime that quarterbacks Brock Vandagriff (red team to black) and Carson Beck (black team to red) would switch sides at halftime. It gives Beck a chance to play with the starters after Vandagriff got the opportunity in the first half of the spring game.

Prior to the game, Smart said he wanted the defense to challenge the quarterbacks. The plan is to let the quarterbacks play and throw the ball around a bit. And in turn, he’s also going to have defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann dial up the defense.

“Let ’em play. We want to find out what they can do in tough situations so we’re going to bring pressures at ’em, we’re going to come after ’em. We’re going to let those guys play and we’re going to throw it around a little bit,” Smart said.

The defense was supposed to have a role in creating havoc for the quarterbacks to navigate.

“Well you’re always looking for havoc and turnovers, no explosives. But I want to see them run to the ball, play with a little bit of passion and energy,” Smart said.