Dominic Lovett using connection built in 2023 for impressive spring

ATHENS, Ga. — A year ago, Dominic Lovett was spending his nights learning the Georgia playbook. Now, he’s having a ‘very good’ set of spring practices entering his second season with the Bulldogs with Kirby Smart going as far as to say that at times, Lovett’s been dominant.

“He’s so much more confident in the offense. I think Carson has a lot of confidence in him. They’re on the same wavelength,” Smart said on Tuesday with Georgia in its fourth week of spring practice. “There’s been some days that Dom’s been really dominant out there. You could say, ‘Is that because Tykee (Smith) and Bull (Javon Bullard) aren’t out there covering him so he’s making more plays? Or is that just Dom’s more comfortable in the offense and he’s winning at a higher rate?'”

“I’m pleased with where he’s at,” Smart continued. “His physical toughness continues to improve. This time last year, we were constantly on him about what he was doing without the ball. He makes a conscious effort to do better at that now, and we need him to.”

Smart said that Lovett is ‘playing with confidence,’ and the former Missouri transfer would tell you the same thing. He’s completely comfortable and has an understanding of what’s expected of him that wasn’t there this time last year just months after arriving in Athens.

“I would say I’m probably, most of all, more comfortable, got more of the playbook, understanding the full meaning of the offensive scheme, runs, different type of blocks, situational football. So overall, I would say I’m more comfortable just with the whole scheme of things,” Lovett said.

Lovett was on the receiving end of 54 passes from quarterback Carson Beck last season, totaling 613 yards and four touchdowns – all numbers good for second on the team and tops among wide receivers. The two spent time together last offseason building chemistry, and it paid off of the field. Now, they’re hopeful that their connection can be built upon, showing up with even more production in 2024.

“When I first got here, I had hooked up with him. I asked him from a quarterback standpoint if he could help me with the playbook. ‘Is there a certain route you want me to run this way, can we do this, do that?’ Lovett said.

“Me and Carson, along with all the quarterbacks, we all get throws after practice, whether it’s a team run, practice, just coming out on a Sunday and throwing. After we get done with our four-play rack, I always ask them, ‘Was this route good? Is there a place you want me?’ I do that with all the quarterbacks,” he continued. “Carson may not know who is going to be in for this play and I may not know which quarterback I’m getting the ball from. So I feel like you have to develop a connection with everybody. That way you can be on the same page and there’s no bumps in the road if change comes to happen. Really just getting repetition. That’s what I think it is, repetition.”

Lovett isn’t concerned about individual stats, but the intent he’s working with in the offseason may result in them coming around anyway. Alongside the likes of Dillon Bell, Arian Smith and a trio of transfer portal additions in the wide receiver room, Lovett has high hopes for 2024 and the Georgia pass catchers.

“I feel like all of us are kind of interchangeable parts. We can all play each other’s positions. I feel that makes us versatile because you don’t know who’s going to line up where, what that person’s going to do,” Lovett said. “They might be in the backfield one play, they might be on the outside the next. I feel all of us are really just interchangeable parts, helping each other grow. If somebody has a question, we help them out. I feel like that’s just the motto of our room: CTG, change the game.”

“I don’t really be focused on myself. As long as we win, that’s really all I care about,” he added, asked what excites him about this year’s Georgia offense. “When we win, we’re all connected and I feel like we are one big connected family … Really the connection of the offense. What I mean by that is, good play, bad play, we all keep our same composure. I feel like there’s no good play that can put us too high or no bad play that can put us too low. I just feel like our connection, if somebody has a mess up, everybody is huddling around them, telling them next play mentality. If somebody has a good play, they are huddling up telling them good play, but we’ve got to keep going. Job is not finished. My biggest thing I would say is our connection.”

Georgia will hold its second scrimmage of the spring on Saturday, a week out from G-Day on April 13th (1:00 p.m. ET, SECN+). Five practice sessions in total including the scrimmage and spring game remain for the Bulldogs before an offseason of expectations and excitement, likely entering the fall as the preseason favorite to take on a third title in four seasons.