Kirby Smart raves about Sanford Stadium atmosphere ahead of Tennessee showdown

Georgia coach Kirby Smart wanted Sanford Stadium to be loud when the Bulldogs took on Tennessee Saturday, and the fans showed out. During his pregame interview with CBS’ Jenny Dell, he asked her to repeat her first question because he couldn’t hear it.

That means he got his wish.

“It’s awesome, man,” Smart said of the atmosphere. “It’s what we asked for. It’s going to be a great atmosphere.”

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The stadium is rocking for the biggest game of the year as Smart’s No. 3-ranked Bulldogs take on No. 1-ranked Tennessee. Georgia is facing quite a test, though, as the vaunted defense will have to contain the Volunteers’ fast-paced, high-powered offense.

Smart said he’s not sure if “contain” is the correct word. But his players know what they have to do to be in position for a win.

“You play disciplined football,” Smart said. “You understand your job, you tackle people in front of you, you communicate well, make plays on the ball in the deep part of the field.”

Kirby Smart evaluates how Tennessee is able to put pressure on defenses

Georgia and its vaunted defense will face quite a test on Saturday when Tennessee and its high-powered offense make the trip to Athens. Kirby Smart knows the task at hand, too.

The Volunteers play fast and leads the nation with 553 yards of total offense per game this year. Josh Heupel’s group has multiple weapons, headlined by dual-threat quarterback Hendon Hooker. But Hooker has plenty of playmakers he can work into the game plan, and the scheme puts some major pressure on opposing defenses, Smart said.

“It’s different,” Smart said during an appearance on “The Paul Finebaum Show” on Friday. “You have coverage rules we talk about each week, and there’s a lot of overlap. There’s no overlap when you play Tennessee. It’s very different. The pace forces you to make decisions quickly. You can’t roll your kids up too much because things change.

“They’re very good [in] the vertical passing game. They’re explosive. And people don’t give them enough credit for running the ball. Their backs run really hard and they’re really physical. They do a great job of staying balanced.”