Kirby Smart explains what it means for Georgia to 'be the hunter'

Kirby Smart got the season started at SEC Media Days in July by stating that there was zero complacency the Georgia Football program. The Bulldogs were coming off of their first National Championship in over four decades, but Smart wanted more. His words: “We will not be hunted at the University of Georgia. The hunting we do will be from us going the other direction.”

Well, the season is over, and Smart’s message remains the same. Despite everybody in College Football wanting a piece of what Georgia has and trying to hunt them down after a repeat, the Bulldogs are going to remain on the attack in pursuit of a three-peat. Sitting down with ESPN’s Rece Davis the day after the championship game for a second straight season, Smart explained exactly what it means to him to be the hunter as opposed to the hunted.

“It means aggression. It goes back to last night’s statement: if we’re aggressive then we’re not being hunted,” Smart said. “We’re on the attack. We’re on the prowl. We’re trying to be the lion in the jungle that wants to be the king of the jungle, and there’s only one way to do that. It’s not on Saturdays, it’s not on TV, it’s every day. It’s a work ethic that you’ve got to believe in.”

“We’ve spent a lot of time trying to explain how the mighty fall,” Smart continued. “The mighty fall because of not having humility, because of not being where your feet are, not understanding what got you there, not being coachable. So, we’ll continue to sell that, and the right kids will hopefully buy into it.”

Along the lines of what Smart said – that instilling the mindset of being the hunter not the hunted is something that has to happen behind closed doors – Georgia players Javon Bullard and Brock Bowers were asked about the “games Georgia fans never saw.” Sure, the Bulldogs put on their red and black uniforms 15 times for fans to see – and enjoy – but how about the other 350 days of the year when work gets put in out of the public eye?

“I think like during those spring scrimmages and fall camp scrimmages the offense is going against probably the best defense in all those guys. So that really helps us out in the long run,” Bowers said. “I mean it really makes games almost easier than practice. It definitely helps.”

“As far as that, let me add something: offense used to whoop our butt. When fall camp first started offense gave us the business. But like Brock said, competing with those guys, knowing you’re going up against some of the best guys in the country, if not the best, like I said, it gives you a sure amount of confidence going into the season because you’re thinking that you already went against the best,” Bullard added. “So when you compare it up to other competition, not to knock them down or nothing like that, but it’s, like, I’m going against Ladd at practice. I went against Brock. Like what better can I get from that?”

Smart also chimed in on the “games Georgia fans never saw.” He shared that ahead of Ohio State defensive lineman Jalen Carter came to him with the idea for a bet between the offense and the defense. The winner of team run that day didn’t have to do sprints afterwards while the other team didn’t.

“I’m like, ‘Okay, sure, whatever. I’ll go for a game, competition, make it a little fun.’ I usually don’t like motivation tactics like that because it’s artificial and you have to simulate it every time. Oh, I thought they were going to kill each other,” Smart said. “We had two guys tackle. We injured a back. I’m like, ‘Guys, we are going to cancel practice if you all keep doing this.’ Because they were getting after it. And those are those legendary matchups. I always liken it to the Dream Team, when they played, and they talked about how those two teams went at each other and Jordan took over. It was like that in our building. If cameras could see these guys go at it, Sedrick Van Pran takes so much pride in winning team run and Jalen Carter takes so much pride in winning team run that there comes a time when you’ve got to call it off. When you have that, you’ve got something special.”