Kirby Smart, Georgia create culture of connection from day one

ATHENS, Ga. — Kirby Smart talks about connection all the time. It was a key to the team’s success last year. It’s a cornerstone of the program, and this year’s group of players is embodying that better than any that Smart has been around before. At least that’s what he said in the postgame locker room scene after Georgia’s win over Tennessee just two weeks ago.

“I ain’t been around a group that’s connect as got as much love as we’ve got in this room,” Smart said. Asked on Monday about what exactly shows that to him, Smart shared that it was the way they stick together no matter what’s going on that best demonstrates it to him.

“The reactions to good and bad. We say we’re at our best when the worst happens. That’s where we want to be at our best. That’s the spot you can be the most connected,” Smart said. “It’s easy to be connected when Ladd McConkey runs 80 yards for a touchdown. It’s hard to be connected when a guy misses you for a touchdown pass and you don’t pout about it. You know, a guy fumbles, a guy throws an interception, a guy gives up a huge pass interference. Where’s your connection now when it’s needed most? And that’s the muscle that we like to say is our strongest muscle on our team. So if you got it, why not use it? No reason not to use it if you got it. I thought our kids did a good job of that the other night.”

Throughout the season, Smart has talked about Georgia’s composure muscle, and now the connection muscle. Of course both are metaphorical muscles, but there’s plenty that the Dawgs do to strengthen them too.

There aren’t many better examples of Georgia’s “connection muscle” than the answer senior wide receiver Kearis Jackson gave on Monday during his media availability. In his response to a question about his role in the offense, Jackson, who had a season-high four catches for 69 yards in Georgia’s 45-19 win over Mississippi State on Saturday, showed a selflessness that’s easy to see on the field but hard to find in College Football these days.

“I never was the one to ask for targets. I play my role and just was happy with it,” Jackson said. “I know I’ve stayed patient, I’m a very unselfish guy, so I just knew whenever that opportunity would come, I was going to capitalize on it because I played in big games before. I’ve been here long enough to know how things go here. I’m just excited that when I do get an opportunity to capitalize on that, not only am I doing this for myself, but also I’m doing it for my team as well. They [NFL teams] aren’t only looking at what you could do with the ball in your hands, you’re looking at what you do outside with the ball not in your hands. I know I’m a great blocker, I can help have guys in the right position, I’ll just be a vocal leader, being a leader on the field, just trying to make sure I be the best version of myself that I could be because, at the same time, it’s not about just getting the football every time. You can get the football 100 times in the game and still lose. So, what would that help you with? So, as long as we keep winning, I’m excited. I’m not tripping over targets being thrown my way, I’m just excited to be a part of something great.”

Jackson isn’t the only example of a selfless player that’s bought into Georiga’s connection. There are others up and down the roster. That’s why the Bulldogs are 10-0 on the season and will be playing for their fifth SEC Championship in six seasons come December 3rd. Kirby Smart finds players that have the right mindset, brings them into the program and further develops that in them. The ones that can’t buy into it leave while the ones that do are rewarded handsomely for their hard work.

“I think we certainly delve into that conversation more than we used to,” Smart said when asked if ‘culture fit’ is part of the recruitment process. “I don’t know that we’re better at it. There’s no written script or perfect DNA quality that you say. You assume all players you sign are unselfish and care about the program and want to be here no matter what, but let’s be realistic, that’s probably not going to be the case. So you do the best job you can and you try to move that needle while they’re here because I don’t think that people are where you can’t change. I think you develop that and you get buy-in and you sell it through your older players, and the older players sell it to the younger players. You win some and you lose some.”

Georgia is back on the road this weekend for their second straight game away from Sanford Stadium and third in four outings. The Bulldogs travel to Lexington to take on the Kentucky Wildcats. Kickoff time from Kroger Field on Saturday is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS.