WATCH: Georgia Football releases hype video for G-Day 2023
Football is in the air, and no, it’s not fall. Your calendar is still right. It’s April, but that means spring football for the Georgia Bulldogs. Saturday, they’ll take the field between the hedges of Sanford Stadium to showcase the work they’ve put in the last few months and continue preparation for the 2023 season and their quest for a third straight National Championship.
Georgia Football released a hype video for G-Day on social media to show fans that the team doesn’t just show up to play on Saturday – this Saturday or any other one. While the last time we all saw them was in SoFi Stadium on January 9th smoking cigars after a beatdown of TCU or on Dooley Field celebrating their title that following Saturday, it’s been back to work behind closed doors.
“We’ve had several practices since I saw you guys last. They guys are pushing each other, challenging each other to get better,” Smart said in his last meeting with media members this past Saturday, a week ahead of the G-Day spring game. “I think we have two segments of our team. We have a segment of our team that is within its first year of being here. That includes this year’s midyears and last year’s midyears and summer enrollees. That is almost 50 percent of our team and then we have another 50 percent that has been here for two or greater years. They are in two distinctly two different spots. Our job is to try to accelerate the learning process for the first. Younger group and continue the learning process and to push, to create depth out of our older half. I’m pleased with the work we’ve done this Spring, but I’m not pleased with where we are. We need to continue to grow and get better.”
Among the areas of growth Smart has wanted to see this spring has been at the quarterback position. The Bulldogs watch two-time National Championship starter Stetson Bennett fade into the sunset only to have to replace him this coming fall. Carson Beck, Brock Vandagriff and Gunner Stockton are competing for that starting spot.
That’s not the only job up for grabs though. Cornerback and offensive tackle are among the others, while veterans like Sedrick Van Pran, Brock Bowers, Ladd McConkey return on offense with the likes of Javon Bullard, Smael Mondon, Jamon Dumas-Johnson and Kamari Lassiter back on defense. Several of those names, and others, can be seen putting in the hard work anywhere and anytime from the weight room during winter workouts to the practice field this past month of spring drills. Saturday serves as a culmination of that work before it starts again with the season quickly approaching.
Kickoff time for the annual G-Day spring game is set for 4:00 p.m. ET. Sanford Stadium gates open at 1:00 with the alumni flag football game starting shortly after and the team making its way through the Dawg Walk at 2:45. Attendance is limited due to ongoing construction. Remaining tickets can be bought at georgiadogs.com, and for those unable to make it out, the game can be seen on ESPN2.
