Quick Chat: Christopher Smith
August 22, 2022 | Football, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
When safety Christopher Smith first got to Georgia, he thought he would be a Bulldog for three years and then head to the NFL. It didn't work out that way. Smith is entering his fifth season with the Bulldogs, and he's grateful for how things worked out. If he'd left after his third year, he wouldn't have been there to help Georgia win the national championship last season.
Smith opened last season with the play of the game in Georgia's season-opening win over Clemson, returning an interception 74 yards for a touchdown in the Bulldogs' 10-3 win in Charlotte, N.C. He finished the season with three interceptions and 35 tackles. In the National Championship Game, he had a career-high seven tackles, two pass breakups and an interception.
During a Quick Chat, Smith talked about life after winning the national championship, his ring, seeing a record 15 teammates taken in the NFL Draft, and much more. Here's some of what he had to say:
Frierson: Has your life changed much since winning the national championship?
Smith: I would say it's changed a little bit, but not in a major way. I would say it's changed in the love we get from the fans, but we always get a ton of love from the fans. A lot more people know your name and the expectations are definitely higher, but they're always high around here. What we did last year is what we always expected to do.
Frierson: What is it like heading into this season when you're trying to repeat as champions?
Smith: A lot of people believe that we are the hunted, but we don't really believe that. We're always hunting and we're always hungry. That's the mentality that we take into every season, every down, every practice — we're hungry and we're hunting. We want to be able to make it back to where we made it last year, and the only way we're going to do that is by bring hungry and hunting.
Frierson: What did you do with your national championship ring? Is it locked away in a safe? Is it back home? Do you ever put it on?
Smith: I put it on every now and then, like if there's some event that I've got to go to. I don't put it on too much, but I like to look at it. It's in a big, beautiful box that we got for it and I'll probably give it to my parents when I get to the next level or after I leave college. Right now, it's with me and it's going to stay with me for a good minute.
Frierson: What's it like to wear something that big?
Smith: It's honestly not that bad once you get used to it. You put it on your hand and you're never going to forget about it, you're always going to see it, but you do get more comfortable with it on. It's like a hat or something, you're maybe uncomfortable at first but you get used to it. Especially with something looking that good, you'll be all right.
Frierson: How much fun was it to watch the NFL Draft and see so many of your teammates, particularly on defense, get drafted?
Smith: It was amazing and exciting. It was sort of what I expected from those guys; I saw all of the hard work those guys put in since they set foot in this building, so just to see them achieve their dreams and be able to go to the next level, it was crazy. That whole draft, it was crazy.
We had 15 guys drafted, five of them in the first round, all from the defense — it was crazy, for sure.
Frierson: What was the best part of your summer?
Smith: I took a few trips but mainly I was trying to work. That was the main thing, just leading up to this training camp. I spent a good amount of time with family and friends, you do that every summer, but mainly I was trying to prepare for this season.
My best trip was out to California, Los Angeles, and I really love Los Angeles. I went to New York, too, and that was my first time visiting both places. I got to experience a lot of new stuff in both places.
Frierson: Could you see yourself living in one of those places one day?
Smith: Most definitely. It wouldn't be too bad to wind up in either of those places. New York's a little cluttered, but they make up for it with the scenery and all of the things there are to do. I think New York had the best food. Maybe it's because of the places I tried, but I have to give it up to New York for the food.
Frierson: Have your food tastes changed a lot since you first got to college?
Smith: I'm definitely getting better. When I first got here, I was the most picky eater ever. I'm definitely getting better, and I've tried a lot of new things throughout the course of my college career, and I'm going to continue. I've got a lot more years left on this Earth, God willing, and I'm going to keep dabbling in certain stuff.
I'm trying to get used to sushi — don't really like sushi, don't really like a lot of stuff that people say is good. But I'm going to give a few things a second try.
Frierson: Is there a dish or a type of food where you've seen the light and now really like something that you used to hate?
Smith: I don't think so, man. [Laughs] I think I'm pretty consistent with what I like and don't like. I haven't really seen the light yet, but we'll see.
Frierson: Did you think you'd be here for five years?
Smith: Coming in, no. Obviously, I thought I was a three-and-out player, for sure, but things didn't shake out like that. And I'm good with how things shook out. If I'd have been gone in three years, I wouldn't have had an opportunity to win a national championship.
Frierson: Do you like your role as a veteran, as one of the older guys on the team?
Smith: That's definitely to my advantage in terms of knowing the system inside and out, knowing how things go around here and being able to help the younger players. It helps as a person — helping other people helps me.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
Staff Writer
When safety Christopher Smith first got to Georgia, he thought he would be a Bulldog for three years and then head to the NFL. It didn't work out that way. Smith is entering his fifth season with the Bulldogs, and he's grateful for how things worked out. If he'd left after his third year, he wouldn't have been there to help Georgia win the national championship last season.
Smith opened last season with the play of the game in Georgia's season-opening win over Clemson, returning an interception 74 yards for a touchdown in the Bulldogs' 10-3 win in Charlotte, N.C. He finished the season with three interceptions and 35 tackles. In the National Championship Game, he had a career-high seven tackles, two pass breakups and an interception.
During a Quick Chat, Smith talked about life after winning the national championship, his ring, seeing a record 15 teammates taken in the NFL Draft, and much more. Here's some of what he had to say:
Frierson: Has your life changed much since winning the national championship?
Smith: I would say it's changed a little bit, but not in a major way. I would say it's changed in the love we get from the fans, but we always get a ton of love from the fans. A lot more people know your name and the expectations are definitely higher, but they're always high around here. What we did last year is what we always expected to do.
Frierson: What is it like heading into this season when you're trying to repeat as champions?
Smith: A lot of people believe that we are the hunted, but we don't really believe that. We're always hunting and we're always hungry. That's the mentality that we take into every season, every down, every practice — we're hungry and we're hunting. We want to be able to make it back to where we made it last year, and the only way we're going to do that is by bring hungry and hunting.
Frierson: What did you do with your national championship ring? Is it locked away in a safe? Is it back home? Do you ever put it on?
Smith: I put it on every now and then, like if there's some event that I've got to go to. I don't put it on too much, but I like to look at it. It's in a big, beautiful box that we got for it and I'll probably give it to my parents when I get to the next level or after I leave college. Right now, it's with me and it's going to stay with me for a good minute.
Frierson: What's it like to wear something that big?
Smith: It's honestly not that bad once you get used to it. You put it on your hand and you're never going to forget about it, you're always going to see it, but you do get more comfortable with it on. It's like a hat or something, you're maybe uncomfortable at first but you get used to it. Especially with something looking that good, you'll be all right.
Frierson: How much fun was it to watch the NFL Draft and see so many of your teammates, particularly on defense, get drafted?
Smith: It was amazing and exciting. It was sort of what I expected from those guys; I saw all of the hard work those guys put in since they set foot in this building, so just to see them achieve their dreams and be able to go to the next level, it was crazy. That whole draft, it was crazy.
We had 15 guys drafted, five of them in the first round, all from the defense — it was crazy, for sure.
Frierson: What was the best part of your summer?
Smith: I took a few trips but mainly I was trying to work. That was the main thing, just leading up to this training camp. I spent a good amount of time with family and friends, you do that every summer, but mainly I was trying to prepare for this season.
My best trip was out to California, Los Angeles, and I really love Los Angeles. I went to New York, too, and that was my first time visiting both places. I got to experience a lot of new stuff in both places.
Frierson: Could you see yourself living in one of those places one day?
Smith: Most definitely. It wouldn't be too bad to wind up in either of those places. New York's a little cluttered, but they make up for it with the scenery and all of the things there are to do. I think New York had the best food. Maybe it's because of the places I tried, but I have to give it up to New York for the food.
Frierson: Have your food tastes changed a lot since you first got to college?
Smith: I'm definitely getting better. When I first got here, I was the most picky eater ever. I'm definitely getting better, and I've tried a lot of new things throughout the course of my college career, and I'm going to continue. I've got a lot more years left on this Earth, God willing, and I'm going to keep dabbling in certain stuff.
I'm trying to get used to sushi — don't really like sushi, don't really like a lot of stuff that people say is good. But I'm going to give a few things a second try.
Frierson: Is there a dish or a type of food where you've seen the light and now really like something that you used to hate?
Smith: I don't think so, man. [Laughs] I think I'm pretty consistent with what I like and don't like. I haven't really seen the light yet, but we'll see.
Frierson: Did you think you'd be here for five years?
Smith: Coming in, no. Obviously, I thought I was a three-and-out player, for sure, but things didn't shake out like that. And I'm good with how things shook out. If I'd have been gone in three years, I wouldn't have had an opportunity to win a national championship.
Frierson: Do you like your role as a veteran, as one of the older guys on the team?
Smith: That's definitely to my advantage in terms of knowing the system inside and out, knowing how things go around here and being able to help the younger players. It helps as a person — helping other people helps me.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
Assistant Sports Communications Director John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
Players Mentioned
DB
/ FootballGeorgia Football Game Trailer vs Alabama - The Epicenter
Friday, September 26
Georgia Football - Quintavius Johnson Pre-Alabama Press Conference
Tuesday, September 23
Georgia Football - Kirby Smart Pre-Alabama Press Conference
Tuesday, September 23
Georgia Football - Oscar Delp Pre-Alabama Press Conference
Tuesday, September 23
