WATCH: Georgia players preview matchup against Ole Miss
ATHENS, Ga. — There’s a big one going down in Oxford, Mississippi on Saturday as No. 3 Georgia makes the trip west to take on 16th-ranked Ole Miss. Both the Bulldogs and Rebels are in pursuit of a spot in the College Football Playoffs. Everybody around the game knows the stakes. Ahead of the matchup, reporters in Athens got a chance to talk to a few of the Georgia players that could make an impact. We’ve got video of those conversations, plus partial transcripts, for you below…
Georgia and Ole Miss are set for a 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff on ABC this Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford. Despite ESPN Analytics liking the Rebels to walk away victorious, VegasInsider shows that oddsmakers favor the Bulldogs by 2.5 points as of publication.
On his interception against Florida…
“I really just saw it come. I knew Smael was behind me, open a little bit. So, I just jumped up, reached for it and came down with it. That’s about it really.”
On the challenges Ole Miss presents to the defense…
“I think we’re definitely up for the challenge. It’s simply the way we’re going to prepare for it and stuff like that. Like you said, they’re a great offense. You can’t take away from that. They’re fast and they’re good at what they do, so you have to be able to prepare for it.”
On his growth in the last year…
“My own confidence has grown a lot. This is what kind of it all boils down, your confidence. You got to have a lot of confidence in that position and to get guys in the right spot. Give them the right call and being able to execute that call. My confidence has grown tremendously.”
On playing against a high-paced offense…
“Communication is the biggest thing because you got to be lined-up. Getting all your cleats in the dirt, line up there and execute the call.”
On his transition process at Georgia…
“I think any time coming from an injury from the last season and coming to a new place, it’s going to take some time to get used to things. I think the way you practice. I think the way you show up every single day and just grow and learn this offense and master it.”
On the adjustments upon joining the SEC…
“I think competition, obviously. We’re practicing against the best every single day. Every single day you go against guys who are going to be better against the competition you play. I think that’s been the biggest thing, just every single day preparing and practicing against the best.”
On why he transferred to Georgia…
“Going back to playing against the best every single day. I think also Coach Hartley, what he does with the tight ends is very special here. Being able to be a complete tight end and obviously being in a place here where we play against the best every single week.”
On his ‘Welcome to Georgia’ moment…
“I think fall camp. Fall camp obviously showed that. The way we attacked every single day, the practice, the heat, the humidity, definitely coming from California, that humidity kicked my butt. I would say fall camp definitely was a welcoming moment.”
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On his injury recovery process…
“It takes a lot of patience dealing with the injury that I have, being a high ankle. I’ve been getting better week in, week out though, and I’m steady progressing towards 100.”
On the challenges Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart presents…
“Exactly that, kind of, because he’s a big physical dude, he’s very powerful, and he’s a skillful runner. So, we got to make sure we get him on the ground whenever he’s running the ball, whenever he’s in the pocket.”
On the challenges when facing an up-tempo offense like Ole Miss…
“Basically, just getting lined up, make sure our cleats are in the ground, we’re ready to play, and getting our call in, making sure we can play solid defense.”
On leading despite being injured this season…
“Just by remaining on the sidelines and keeping our guys positive, and trying to affect the groups in different ways, just by words and actions and helping the guys out.”
On the challenges facing the Ole Miss defense…
“They’re physical, they twist a lot. Honestly, they’ve just got a really good, physical, and a big D-line.”
On his injury recovery period…
“I had an injury against Alabama and was able to go back in. I didn’t feel good the next two weeks, but I feel good now. Those two games that I was out, (Drew) Bobo did a great job, and we trust him. He’s a really good player.”
On his conversation with Nate Frazier after his touchdown against Florida…
“I just told him we can celebrate on the sidelines. Just score the touchdown, celebrate with us, then get over to the sideline, and we can do all the celebrating we want. He’s young. He’s a freshman, so he’ll learn. But he is a great, phenomenal player.”
For more Georgia athletics coverage, be sure to check out the DawgsHQ YouTube channel where you can find press conferences, player interviews, podcasts and more!
