University of Georgia Athletics
Smart and Bulldogs Have Some Fun at Sugar Bowl Media Day
December 30, 2025 | Football
QUOTES FOR HEAD COACH KIRBY SMART
COACH SMART: I want to open with thanking the Sugar Bowl Committee, who is so kind and gracious to greet us getting off the plane. I don't think people know the class of people that the Sugar Bowl Committee is. I feel like I've played in this game or coached in this game a lot of years, and very few groups do it quite like the Sugar Bowl does it. They have a lot of traditions here, and we appreciate those, and they don't go unnoticed.
But they've been welcoming at the hotel. We got there yesterday, and we're locked in for our guys. We got some prep we've got to do today and get ready to go play a game that I know everybody is excited to see in the country. It's a great time to be involved in college football. There's some great games ready to be played, including ours. I'm excited to see our kids go play.
Q. When your team walked off the plane yesterday, they described it as a business trip. How much did the result of last year's contest factor into that mindset?
COACH SMART: Well, it was a business trip last year. It's always a business trip for us. There's a bowl game, there's a reward at the end of season, and then there's a College Football Playoff game. When you're part of a CFP, a College Football Playoff game, it's meant to be a business trip it's win or go home. I think that requires a certain kind of demeanor when you play in a game like that. That doesn't change from year to year.
Q. One year ago, when you guys were down here, the incident surrounding New Year's Eve and being back; and also the loss of your father during that week. When you look back on that, is it surreal to be back in the city one year later?
COACH SMART: It's a different feeling. I think my attention and focus is always forward on what we have to do here. I think landing yesterday brought back some memories, because the last time I was here, I was just leaving two or three days after the game with my family and it was different. It was a different mood, a different time. Very different frame of mind.
You can't help but think a little bit about last time I was here, what I was going through. I was going to a funeral home and going to meet with people that I had never met with, and it was a very unique experience.
But that's not what this trip is about and our guys know that. We owe it to all those guys over there in sweat suits to be focused on the task at hand. It was a terrible time in this city. Unfortunately, people lost their lives during that event. It was a horrific deal. It changed everything in this city and really the celebration of New Year's.
But our guys are excited to be back, and they're excited to have an opportunity to play in one of the best events. An all-SEC matchup in the Sugar Bowl? I don't think many people could have thought of that 5 to 10 years ago.
Q. You guys were talking about you want to move forward. Have you had an opportunity or have you had that conversation with your players to discuss how maybe some of the returners are feeling about last year, and them trying to move forward as well?
COACH SMART: We don't really talk much about last year. We didn't talk about last year's games that we played other teams on the schedule. It's never really about last year for us. It's way more about living in the moment, how do we prepare for the moment. There's nothing about last year's game that's going to help us in this game. There's nothing about our last game against Ole Miss that's going to help us in this game.
It's really about what can we do for the next 48 hours to prepare better, to be ready to play a big game.
Q. As the season went on, it looked like you guys have gotten better. Are you pleased with the progress? Did you ever think, if we can get to the point where you want to be, that you could be a playoff team, a national championship caliber team, as you often are? Did that change over the course of the season? Where earlier, you're like, there's things to work on, things to develop.
COACH SMART: I think every team is a work in progress. You're constantly trying to reshape and retool your team. We certainly grew in a lot of areas. We lost some players in some areas and had to replace them. I don't know that there was ever a point where I said, okay, this is a playoff team. It was a team that was in the playoffs during the year.
Because every game, every road game and every home game we play in our conference, is one game away from being out of it. You don't control a lot of the outside wins and losses of other teams. All you control is how you practice and how you prepare.
I was really proud of the improvement this team made. But they are a playoff team. They're an SEC championship team. And their next opportunity to play is in two days. You'll be judged by how you play then, not how you played in the past.
Q. After the Georgia Tech game before you knew you were going to play Alabama again, you talked about looking at the layoff differently and talking to some folks and trying to handle that differently than you did last year. Can you go through some of the people maybe that you talked to and how you guys approached the layoff differently this year?
COACH SMART: I don't want to go into details of who all I talked to, because some people don't want their information disclosed. But I think as a coach, you would be remiss if you don't get other people's information and input. It doesn't mean you use it, and we didn't use all of it. But we talked to a lot of people, a lot of people who were in the playoffs last year.
COACH SMART: We talked to a lot people who were in the playoffs last year, guys that had the bye, guys that didn't. NFL teams who had the bye in past years and didn't play in the wild card. You just look at different ideas of trying to do things and simulate things and maybe try to do a better job
Look, we think our process works in terms of the layoff we've had. I've been part of a really good program for a lot of years now, and it's worked for us, what we've done. You tweak it, but you don't make major overhaul.
Q. What are some of the biggest concerns for you to attack during a long layoff for your team?
COACH SMART: Well, shape, game shape. You can run all you want, but you can't get into game shape until you play a football play. Football consists of sprinting 10 to 15 yards, tackling somebody, getting up, repeat that, repeat that. You don't do that in a layoff. You don't go tackle live and hit people and risk injury, especially this time of year.
So your fundamentals, blocking and tackling, can deteriorate really quickly if you're just worried about being in shape. So we try to attack it all. We try to simulate things, make things happens. As coaches, you get really comfortable and you don't make decisions in critical moments. Next thing you know, you're out there in special teams and something happens you haven't prepared for -- where in the season you have a routine you follow. There's things you try to simulate as best you can. But it is different.
There's no sport where you have this long of a layoff. Not basketball, not football, not baseball, where you go from playing once to 25, 30 days playing again.
Q. Another community question. I remember after last year's game, you took a moment to credit the Sugar Bowl and the city and the state and community and how they handled a difficult situation. In that light, and just in terms of the life perspective that it gives people who experience that, is it special in a way to be able to come back one year later? Or is it just difficult personally? Has there been any chance to dry to go to Bourbon Street and see the memorial or anything like that yet?
COACH SMART: No, we just got in yesterday, got in late yesterday. Our time is really precise in terms of to and from places. They got us tied up in things. Players got a little bit of time to eat dinner and move around some and see the city, which I think is important.
I give the Sugar Bowl Committee a lot of credit. They bring the city of New Orleans into us a lot more now. A lot of the same activities you would see out on Bourbon, they bring to the hotel. They bring events into the hotel and share some of that culture and atmosphere of New Orleans, which I think is important. They do a great job of doing that, and our guys are excited about the game.
Q. Can you reflect on what Gunner [Stockton] has become over the last year or so? It wasn't an ideal situation being thrust into the SEC Championship, the craziness that happened here. But now the stability of this season, how he's grown from that first opportunity last year to getting you guys here.
COACH SMART: We knew the minute that -- when we realized at halftime of the Texas game that Carson [Beck] couldn't go, Gunner was going to be our guy. And as much as you say: Well, he's new, he hasn't done it, woe is me, you say there's a reward in this, and the reward is the experience you get moving forward
He capitalized on that experience. He got a ton of bowl practice. He got to develop earlier. I think maybe that helped us early in the season when he had success, the fact that he had done all this in the runup to this game. He played against one of the top defenses in the country in this game, and he's gotten better. I mean, he's the leader of our team. He's the guy, the catalyst that makes us go with his legs and his arm, and the players play hard for him.
I'm proud of his growth this season. He's played some really good teams. He'll play another good team in two days, and I have so much appreciation for what he's done for our overall team with his leadership, his mindset, and his approach.
Q. Kirby, what early enrollees are now practicing with the team, or were back in Athens in preparation for this game?
COACH SMART: There's nine of them.
Q. Is Dontrell Glover expected to start in the Sugar Bowl?
COACH SMART: Bo (Drew Bobo) and Dontrell have done a great job in response to what they've had. We demanded a lot of them. We put a lot in front of them. I'm proud of where both those guys are and what they've done to earn the right back with us and the way they manage it.
Q. I'm sure you got a lot of questions about the first matchup already with Ole Miss. But when you look at how each of your teams has evolved to this point, what is the way that you've seen Ole Miss change that you guys are preparing for, coming off a long break?
COACH SMART: Well, they're very potent offensively. They've got weapons all over the field. One of the best backs in the country. One of the hottest quarterbacks in the country with legs. They spread you out. They go tempo. They create a lot of issues because of the skill set they have. The offense fits the quarterback in the back and the skill players -- they have assembled a perfect crew there.
Defensively, people don't give them enough credit for disruption and the way they move and stunt and do things up front. They play a lot of guys up front. They play really hard. I don't know that I can say there's a ton of change. We haven't changed that much. If you're a good team you do what you do and you do it well. You don't trick people. You go out and you beat them with what you do best. I feel like Ole Miss has continued that.
Even after our game, they went and played in a CFP environment -- I guess it was on the road at Oklahoma, right? They played in tough weather conditions and they found a way to win that game. They beat a really good Florida team, in my opinion, that was a tough game. They played a rivalry game, like we did against Georgia Tech, they played Mississippi State. That's a rivalry game in that state that's very valuable to the people of that state. It doesn't matter what your record is.
They've continued to improve. They've grown. They had a couple of guys step up and play big for them. Just like us, you have to have next-man-up mentality when you have injuries.
Q. You and Pete Golding share a lot of similarities in your background as players and then coaches. Could you talk about him and what you thought when he got the job at Ole Miss?
COACH SMART: I got a lot of respect for Pete. He worked his way up through the ranks, very similar to the way I did. He's coached under some really good coaches. He's been a part of some really good defensive staff. Whether Ron Roberts, [Nick] Saban, all the guys that are really good defensive coaches.
I don't know Pete that well. I just know Pete through other people. I'll be honest with you, when he got the job, I feel like we were in the middle of chaos ourselves. I want to say that was around maybe the Alabama game? I don't remember when that was. So I didn't initially see it.
But as we found out and the playoffs came out and we were aligned to possibly play them, I'm happy for him. I'm happy when someone that works as hard as he did and worked his way up and dedicated himself to being a coordinator, position coach coordinator, and then head coach. That's the way it's supposed to go in terms of if you have success and you're able to do it. He's done it in a place that's special that he loves and in a state that he's been a part of that state for a long time.
Q. What's your familiarity with Charlie Weis Jr.? How well do you know him? What do you think of him as a play-caller?
COACH SMART: He's really good. He does a great job. Charlie was at Alabama when I was there. He was young. You could tell how bright he was then. He stayed in his lane. He understood the coaching profession, I think coming from his dad's footsteps, he didn't ever overstep his bounds. He did his job.
He was really good at his job, and he was intentional about his job. He was not a blinking light guy that wanted everybody to look at him.
When you work with Lane [Kiffin] like he has, you learn a lot of football, and you learn what you like and what you don't like. Very similar to my career, he's had a blessing of being able to be with Lane and do things well.
But make no mistake about it, he does the offense. He calls it, he prepares it, he does a great job of leading those guys. And just as much as the preparation and the calling of game is the assembling of the talent, and you have to go get those players nowadays and find them. And whether you grow them from home state and you develop them, or you go in the portal and find them, they've done a great job of both those things, and he's a part of that.
I have a lot of respect for Charlie because of the way he did it. He did it the old-fashioned way and worked his way up and grinded hours, and he's been really successful and he's got good players.
Q. You had said last week, and I don't know if you were joking or not, that Andrew [Smart] had kind of discovered Zachariah Branch. Was that accurate?
COACH SMART: He made me aware of him. He definitely didn't discover him, but he made me aware, when he went in the portal, of the value he had and who he was. So he would bring the video to me and like: Look at this guy, Dad. Look at this guy's punt return. Are we going to get this guy?
I knew who he was, because he was a five-star coming out of high school, but we didn't actively recruit him. We weren't in his top three. Just knew who he was. Andrew made sure I knew that he was really good, but that's not why we got him. We had connections on our staff, once he went in the portal, between Donte [Williams] and D. (David) Hill that all had a relationship with their family.
Q. What impressed you the most about him?
COACH SMART: Probably the things that impressed me the most is his love for the game and his love for football. I wouldn't say that I didn't think he had it, but some guys that are so highly touted, they don't really buy into the culture and the work ethic that we have. He's never flinched. He's like, Coach, I want to be part of that.
I forget when they first got there, maybe mid-January, I don't even remember. But he wouldn't leave the building. He was there every day. He's like, I don't want to go to my apartment. I don't want to go home. I want to be up here. Is there anything I can watch? What can I learn? Can we work out again? Can we throw?
The guy has just been a football junkie. It probably should be that way. His dad (Sheva Branch) trains people and trains athletes. He worked out his whole life. He's a gym rat. He and his brother (Zion) have created a culture on our team of like, they love football. I won't say it's a shock to me, but you just never know. You have a perception of what you might get, and I told him, I said I had no idea that you would love football, work as hard as you do, practice as hard as you do. And I appreciate that about him.
Q. Coach, do you have a favorite play from this season executed by your team?
COACH SMART: Yeah, there's a lot of them. There's a lot of selfless plays. One that sticks out the most would be the run we had in the second half -- maybe the opening drive or the second or third drive, second half against Alabama, where London [Seymour] came around and had a key block and sprung Nate [Frazier].
The play Gunner [Stockton] had in Tennessee was executed -- a guy that we don't normally throw it to on that route. He's not usually number one in the progression, on the fourth-down play Gunner had. Both those plays were highly executed offensive plays that you work hard at, but you never know they're going to be that big of plays in the game moment.
Q. You've had a willingness to use gadget plays in big games. Like the on-side kick against Texas this year, the fake punt last year. Where does this willingness to take a risk like that come from?
COACH SMART: Well, film study. It's part of coaching. Everybody is looking to gain an advantage and edge. There's not a coach in the country that's not trying to gain a competitive advantage. There are things you work on, try to highlight maybe your kids' strengths, maybe try to highlight their weaknesses.
But they're only good if they work. It could be the greatest idea in the world, but if it doesn't work, it wasn't very smart. And that's just roll of the dice, I guess.
Q. You've obviously been here before. What do you think is the key to performing well after an irregular layoff since the last time you played on the field? What are the qualities that make a team successful when you can just come out and perform at the level you want to, even though they haven't played in the game action just a few weeks extra than other teams?
COACH SMART: Well, being in shape is one. Being focused. Understanding this is a business trip and you're here for a purpose. And recognizing that you've had a long layoff and you address the advantages or things you will lean on that you feel like are an advantage for you.
We try to list those things out: Okay, here's things we're strong at and we're going to lean on these things. These are our core identity, regardless of when the last time we played was. How do we lean on those things?
But make no mistake about it, you want to play well in these types of games, you need good players. And good players play well.
Q. You mentioned about it being a business trip. I think Oscar Delp was saying you talked about having a plan to avoid distractions. Do you feel like your team is pretty locked in this time around?
COACH SMART: I didn't feel like they weren't locked in anytime around. I haven't been a part of a team that I didn't think was locked in. I don't measure locked-in-ness in terms of wins and losses. It's just the approach to the game that we have here and the culture we have here. That's important to me that our guys approach that the right way, and they have thus far.
Q. How difficult has it been to balance the playoff and winning a national championship? And then looking ahead to '26 with the transfer portal opening on Friday. If you were in charge, what would be the perfect calendar? Would it be to push back the signing period to February? Or the transfer portal back to the spring? How would it work?
COACH SMART: Man, I can't solve that. I wish I could; I wish I could solve it. Everybody will tell you there's an answer. I can tell you that the answer isn't currently where we stand. I can promise you that. I told myself before I came up here, I'm not getting up on a soap box. I can't express all the things that are going on. When you've got kids officially visiting places they're currently at. They're going to go in the portal and then official visit the place they're currently at? It's crazy what's out there.
We created a system that only allows you to gain advantage if you want to leave. And that's not the players' fault. It's not the agents' fault. It's not our fault. It's not anybody's fault. It's just, you've created a system that inherently rewards what defies a team concept. And in a team sport, it just makes no sense. You tear at the culture of every organization by promoting something that doesn't exist.
It's almost like it just permeates what society is now, where it's me, me, me, me, and nothing about the teams. It's very unfortunate. But it's not the kids' fault. It's not the agents' fault. Ryan Day said it before: Nobody wants to be playing in the playoffs and dealing with the portal windows.
We knew when we made the new portal windows that was going to happen. And that's going to happen on January 2nd for teams -- I guess four teams are still involved. But I still think that's better than where we were at this time last year, where we had visits and portals going on all December. But we're still not there yet. And I don't have the answer in terms of the best way to do it.
Q. Where potential transfer quarterbacks are getting $3 million or $4 million. Is it sustainable?
COACH SMART: I think you would have to ask the ADs that. Because ultimately, they're the ones that are going to be footing the bill and paying the bill. Again, it's supposed to be NIL, and it's supposed to be revenue share, and sustainability is a big word. I don't think it's just about quarterbacks. Certainly, I do believe quarterbacks deserve their share of that, and they do a great job and they have the most pressure on them. They're the highest paid guys usually in the NFL.
But when you go back and look at it and say, if we're actually operating off of what people say is a rev share, it's hard to do the math and pay the guys on your team. Everybody is taking a different philosophy in how they manage that money. It doesn't seem like everybody is operating under the same premise of numbers.
Q. In the spring, you talked about fire, passion, and energy, and running the football. And we've watched that identity come to fruition. How much does this team look like the model that you started with in the spring? How are you able to diagnose exactly what this team would need to do to get to this point?
COACH SMART: Well, I don't know that we knew then this is what the team needed to get here. We just knew what the team needed. The best version of this team was only going to get there with fire, passion, and energy. Ability to run the ball and ability to stop the run. Those are things we didn't do well last year. So it wasn't about we scripted out what we needed to make the playoffs. We scripted out what we needed to be the best team.
My goal every year -- I learned this a long time ago, Coach [Bobby] Bowden and Coach Saban and even my dad (Sonny Smart), is like did you get the most out of that team? Did that team get the most out of their potential? I think there's a little bit of flawed system out there. There's some coaches that get the most out of their team and they don't win a national championship. That's a hell of a year
We used to be able to credit a lot of people with a hell of a year. It's unfortunately gotten to where it's win it all or nothing. And we don't evaluate our success that way. I don't. I look at it intrinsically, as did this team get the best out? And this team needed fire, passion, and energy. It needed the ability to run the ball and it needed the ability to stop the run. We haven't done that perfectly either, but we've done it at a little bit higher level than what we did in years past.
Q. When you guys left here last year, I think probably the center of the criticism from Georgia fans was Mike Bobo. That's probably not new for him over the course of his career. I'm curious what you think fans get wrong about him? Why do you think he's the right guy for Georgia and for that job right now?
COACH SMART: I don't think he's the right guy, I know he's the right guy. Like I've said multiple times, I don't really pay much attention to what our fans say, seek, what they feel like. I don't respond to them.
I don't work for them. Honestly, my job is to put the best product, the best football team I can out there.
I need motivators, leaders of men. I need people who have offensive experience, knowledge.
I put him up against anybody in the country because of his knowledge, his experience, what he's done, the staff he has. Mike doesn't do it alone. He's got an incredible staff who bring information to him, cutting-edge ideas. I love what they do offensively and how they utilize our players' skill sets.
You have to conform the offense to who you have, and I think they've done an incredible of that with the backs, receivers, tight ends, quarterbacks, the specialty pieces we have. He has utilized those guys' skill set. And I don't think anybody in the country has done a better job doing that than he has.
Q. [Mike] Bobo recently indicated something on the order of you're not afraid to get on to him. With these coaches who have been your long-time friends, do you expect more from them? What is that dynamic like? Is it difficult suddenly being, let's say, the boss of someone that was your long-time friend?
COACH SMART: No. I mean, we hold everybody accountable in the organization. That's my job. That's what I get paid to do is hold everybody accountable within the organization. And I think good leaders do that. They can separate work from friendship. I take input from those guys. I listen to those guys. They're very knowledgeable.
There's a reason why you pay the people on your staff to be on your staff. The better staff you assemble, the better coach you are. I'm a reflection of the staff we have. I don't look at it as getting on people. I think that's a media thing. I look at it as demanding excellence and demanding accountability to be at a high standard.
I learned a long time ago that you hold everybody to that standard, there are no free passes. So that's my job. Their job is to lead, command their groups, get the most out of their players, and they do a tremendous job of that.
Q. A moment ago, you were talking about the "me, me, me" and the challenges that we have in college football with the transfer portal and NIL. I want to ask you specifically about dealing with contracts. You talked about this long ago. I think Coach Saban talked about it long ago. What's the answer for there to be a give-and-take and some accountability when maybe a player leaves that you thought you were going to have? Because the way the calendar goes, if you lose a player late in the portal, you may not have time to replace them.
COACH SMART: I would really prefer there to be uniformity in the contracts so that it went more smoothly and easier in terms of everybody had the same contract. Whatever that contract is, whatever can be agreed upon. I'm not saying it has to be completely the team's way or the kid's way or the agent's way. It would be better if there were uniformity, because you would not get into special situations where somebody is saying: Well, I'll do this. Well, then I'll do this.
Everybody's going through it right now. There's red-lining of contracts. I respect that, I understand that. But you're not dealing with that in some of the major sports because that's already been negotiated. There's a CBA. There's anti-trust laws in some of those.
With ours, it makes it much more difficult, because every team can have an independent contract. If a kid doesn't go to class at all, should he get paid? I feel strongly that you're here to get your education. You should go to class. You should be held accountable. Most parents want that accountability.
Then you've got guys who want to strike things out of there. Does a kid have a right to say: I want to redshirt, and he's being paid by somebody and I'm going to say I want to redshirt and not play. Or a kid that's already redshirted, he can't redshirt, electing not to play but still get paid. There's things all throughout a contract that can be talked about, debated, and generated, and makes it really tough.
But the timing issue is the toughest one, because the teams in the playoff are going to have a little less time to operate in the portal than other people, so it makes it tough if a kid says: Yeah, I want to be there and I want to be a part of your program, and re-signs and then has a change of heart a week later? You missed out on every opportunity to replace that player. It makes it very difficult.
It's a very tough scenario and I think everybody in college football is trying to navigate it right now. Players, parents, representation, and colleges, and it's just a really tough time.
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PLAYER QUOTES
Q. When you wrapped up the game last year, did you have it in the back of your mind: Can't wait to get a second bite at this? Were you hoping to end up here and have this opportunity?
GUNNER STOCKTON: Yeah, it left a bad taste last year. But this venue is always a great experience, and I'm glad we're playing here.
Q. Even though you didn't get the outcome you were hoping for last year, what does it mean to be back at the same place you got your first career start?
GUNNER STOCKTON: Yeah, I'm just glad we're playing in the playoffs really, didn't matter where it was. Playing here last year, the experience, just excited to be here.
Q. What area of your game do you feel like has improved the most?
GUNNER STOCKTON: I would say my confidence, playing a full season, having a bunch of games under my belt. Just playing that and playing with my teammates and having fun.
Q. What feels different about this team this time around versus last time?
GUNNER STOCKTON: I would like to say for myself, just the confidence part of it. I feel like I help the team in that way compared to last year, I didn't have that much confidence. Many games played under my belt. So just going through a full season and getting to play in this venue, it's going to be an unreal experience.
Q. We talked to Lawson [Luckie] yesterday. He made a statement that he felt like last year, y'all didn't take the practices leading up to the Sugar Bowl as seriously. This year, it feels like there's a different edge. Do you feel that as well? And why do you think that is?
GUNNER STOCKTON: Yeah, I don't know why, but I give credit to everybody on the football team. The older guys, younger guys, everybody buying into what Coach [Kirby] Smart says and just attacking practice and not taking it for granted and trying to get better every day.
Q. When it comes to the confidence you've built, how much has [Mike] Bobo played a role in helping bring that out in you?
GUNNER STOCKTON: Yeah, a lot. Coach Bobo, he's awesome. The amount of work he puts in, you can see the love he has for everyone and the university, and it makes me want to go out here and play my best for him.
Q. I get the sense you guys (Mike Bobo) are a lot alike. Like personality-wise, approach to the game. Do you see similarities between the two of you?
GUNNER STOCKTON: Yeah, I would say so. Both hate to -- I think we're both competitive. So I think we share that, too.
Q. What impact would potentially having Colbie [Young] back and Ethan [Barbour] back have on Georgia's offense?
GUNNER STOCKTON: I don't really know yet. That's more of a Coach [Kirby] Smart question, but it would be great if they were back.
Q. Over the last year, you've become the pride and joy of Rabun County, if you will. What it's going to mean to get a playoff win knowing what going back home means to you? What has changed?
GUNNER STOCKTON: Not a whole lot. I still love going back home and seeing everybody I grew up with, from teachers to my buddies I went to high school with. So it's always fun when I go back home.
Q. Do they treat you differently now that you've had a full year as starting quarterback at Georgia?
GUNNER STOCKTON: I think anybody who is the quarterback at Georgia gets treated a little different, especially in the state of Georgia, but it's always fun going back home and going where I grew up.
Q. There were tragic circumstances surrounding this game last year and the terrorist attack and the game getting postponed. Anything you can remember specifically about that? The adjustments you had to make on the fly and how you all reacted when you got if news?
GUNNER STOCKTON: Yeah, it was uncertain. I woke up that morning getting ready for game day, eating breakfast, hadn't checked my phone or anything. And I forgot who I was sitting next to, like, hey, we might not play. I thought they were messing with me trying to play a prank. But seeing that stuff, just a bunch of uncertainty. And we really didn't know what was going on, so it was crazy last year.
Q. How did you and the players take full advantage of having a first-round bye?
GUNNER STOCKTON: I think attacking practices like Lawson [Luckie] talked about. Just taking advantage of practice. And we had like a day off, getting our rest in and will taking care of our bodies is a big part.
Q. How did you take full advantage of the rest? Did you spend time with family?
GUNNER STOCKTON: Yeah, I went home. We had a couple days off; I would go home on the weekends. It was good to see them.
Q. Kirby Smart, he's a veteran coach. He's been around. He's seen a lot of success. What are the sentiments he's sharing with you guys going into this match up and heading into the playoffs overall?
GUNNER STOCKTON: Yeah, the match up, he talks about the Sugar Bowl and being in the College Football Playoffs, it's a one-game season now. He's been preaching on that. And we've played Ole Miss, and he isn't preaching we've already beat them. It's a whole separate game, so we're excited to play them and for the experience.
Q. It must seem -- the fact you played Ole Miss already this year and you were here one year ago, is it a little deja vu? Or does everything feel familiar in a certain way?
GUNNER STOCKTON: Maybe a little bit, but you can't transfer a win or anything like that. So it's a whole separate game. It's a whole separate season because it's a one-game season now. So I'm excited to play in it.
Q. Any particular emotions from last year's total experience and being one-year anniversary, basically? We were in this room talking to you over there last year. How do you feel about that?
GUNNER STOCKTON: It's crazy. It's crazy how much I've grown in a year, I feel like. I feel more comfortable and more confident. So it's crazy just how it's getting the season under my belt and playing with all the guys in here and just having fun while I'm doing it.
Q. You guys have improved over the course of the season. Talk to me about how you guys have consistently improved over the course of this season, ever since the Tennessee football game.
KJ BOLDEN: Oh, yeah, we just had to take a minute to look at our scrims and see what we are good at. I think Coach Smart put us in a great position. The last couple of weeks, just seeing what we best at, even if it's man coverage or different zone coverage. It doesn't matter what the coverage is. He's just been seeing what the defense is doing great at. I feel like we are trying to get better every week. We have been trying to grind. We consistently try to keep getting better every day. I feel like our team keep doing that right there, we just keep getting better and keep improving every week.
Q. How have you guys improved in the back seven, in that area?
KJ BOLDEN: I say just communication and more confidence. We had a lot of guys who didn't play last year who had to step up for us this year. So just confidence, learning the defense. I feel like everybody got good knowledge for the defense now, and everybody is confident in their ability to go out there and compete.
Q. Having to play a team like Ole Miss for the second time this year, what have you guys seen from the first time that you played them to where they are at this point in the season?
KJ BOLDEN: We just got to execute. They are a very explosive offense. They score a lot of points every game. It's not one game they are not putting up points. You usually have to execute when your number is called. Just trust your teammates. Trust that your teammate is going to do their job, and you will do yours. You can't make nobody else play, and rely on fundamentals and technique. I feel like we are going to do that. After the first game, defense, we didn't feel good. We didn't have a good taste in our mouth about that one. So we will definitely try to go out there and compete for this one.
Q. They didn't punt until the third quarter in that football game. Guys, obviously, starting to get some three and outs and force them to punt and stop drives. How do you guys do that going up against a quarterback like Trinidad Chambliss?
KJ BOLDEN: We just got to start early. We got to start fast. I feel like last game we played them, we didn't start fast. We came out there and sloshed a little bit. Trinidad is a great quarterback. He's explosive and can use his legs. He's got a great deep ball. He throws every ball pretty good. We just got to just work as one, work as a team. You can't be trying to make a play out there by yourself. You got to do what the coaches call and keep them in the trap a little bit, just force them to do little things that they don't like to do.
Q. KJ, a year ago, you guys were in New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl, and now you're back with an opportunity in the game. Can you take me back to what that was like as a player, when you're going through everything, and maybe you woke up the next morning and saw the news of the attack on Bourbon Street. Just what went through your mind?
KJ BOLDEN: Yeah, there was a lot going through my mind. Definitely had a lot of distractions. A lot of things going on in the organization, that we just had our minds all over. But I'm not making that as an excuse as why we lost the game, because Notre Dame had the same distractions as well. I just feel like this year, we just got to come out faster, start better. We kind of already -- we been here last year. We already know what to expect from a bowl event. It's really a business trip. We have to come down here and focus and lock in and know what we got to get done.
Q. When that happened, just as a person, what was that like? Were you getting text messages from family? When did you find out? Did you have to wake up the next morning? Can you walk me through what that was like?
KJ BOLDEN: Definitely nerve wracking, just hearing about that. I would say I figured that out at night, but I went to sleep. I didn't believe it. When I woke up that morning, I definitely checked my phone and see all the news going around. You feel sorry for those who lost their loved ones, and our shout out goes to them. It was definitely, definitely scary moment, but I just knew we were going to protected in the hotel. We had security, and I wasn't worried about that.
Q. Is it interesting being back here a year later? Not the game, but back in New Orleans again one year later after something like that happens?
KJ BOLDEN: It's definitely interesting, but I know they are definitely going to make sure we are taken care of this year. I have seen it last night when we were outside, just the security, the high level of security, a lot of different police officers out there. So they are going to do a great job of taking care of us. We just have to make sure we're safe.
Q. How excited are you to get back on the field again?
KJ BOLDEN: I'm definitely very excited. I can't wait to go to practice today, complete a little bit, and this weekend go out there and have fun with my brothers. We worked so hard for this moment. So go out there and put it all out.
Q. So a couple of quick questions. What does it mean to play in a historic bowl like the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Six bowl?
ZACHARIAH BRANCH: It's definitely a blessing to get a chance to play in this game. There's a lot of hard work and preparation that goes into playing the games like this towards the end of the year. It's definitely just a blessing to be able to do it with my team and the group of guys that we have on this team.
Q. And your uncle (Cliff Branch) played a Super Bowl in the Superdome and won. How does that make you feel that the family history in the Dome, and what you hope to be able to do this week?
ZACHARIAH BRANCH: Oh, yeah, that's my guy. He's an all-time great. Just to get to play in a stadium that he played in, and actually won a prestigious game as well, it's something that's important for the family. Definitely just trying to do the same thing and represent my family in the right way.
Q. And does your uncle (Cliff Branch) have any advice, or has he given you any advice on being on such a big stage. Like obviously, Super Bowl is huge, but this is a new era of college football. This is College Football Playoff. Has he given you either any advice or kind of told you what to expect and how to move through the day?
ZACHARIAH BRANCH: No, I haven't gotten any advice. He, unfortunately, passed away a couple of years ago. I haven't had a chance to chop it up with him too much about the college playoffs and everything like that. But he definitely gave me advice throughout my life and things like that. Just to put your best foot forward and let God control everything and your destiny after that. So that's something that I will always live by. I just let God control the things that I have in the future. So very blessed for this opportunity again.
Q. How are you guys going to attack the Ole Miss defense? Do you have a specific mentality going into this game, and how you are going to go against them?
ZACHARIAH BRANCH: They have a really good team. We played them last time, and we saw that as well, that they have a great team. They are always going to fight and have good energy. So our goal is just to go out there and execute the game plan that our coaches have provided for us, the best as possible.
Q. You lead the nation, I believe, in yards after catch. What's the key to being great with the ball in your hands?
ZACHARIAH BRANCH: I didn't even know that. That's pretty cool. But I think just having that mentality of just trying to do what's best for my team, trying to get us in the best position possible. I know that the coaches, if they have enough trust in me to give me the ball, I want to make the best of it every time, because I want the ball again.
Q. How do you feel about the nickname YACariah?
ZACHARIAH BRANCH: I've been seeing that at a lot of places. My mom actually started calling me that when I went back home for Christmas and stuff. She was, like, YACariah. It was pretty cool just to know that I can go things with the ball in my hands after I get the ball to help my team be in certain positions. So it's pretty good.
Q. Non-Georgia-related question. I had a buddy that coached on Brookwood High School staff. Tell me about the performance you put on when you were at Bishop Gorman against Brookwood. I think you scored a touchdown in every facet possible. You had 49 points first half by yourself.
ZACHARIAH BRANCH: Yes, I did. I think I had four touchdowns total, three receiving and then one punt return. That was actually my first game back from -- I think I had a little ankle injury. So I had to come back with a little vengeance to show that I had still had it. It was definitely -- they were a good team. It's pretty cool just to get a chance to play somebody from Georgia and have them come into our house. And then we had a great team that year as well. It was fun to be able to do with my teammates.
Q. Obviously, got really good bloodlines through your family, a number of great athletes. Where does the speed come from in your family? You are a 10 300-meter runner, aren't you?
ZACHARIAH BRANCH: Yes, sir.
Q. Where does that come from?
ZACHARIAH BRANCH: I feel like it probably comes from my parents. They got great genes too. My dad was an athlete; my mom was an athlete as well. My dad played collegiately and professional level as well. So he definitely has a lot of the speed that carried over, and my mom was an athlete as well in high school and things like that. And then we just have a history of fast people in our bloodline. Like Cliff Branch is my great uncle for the Raiders. Everybody know he was pretty fast. He had the little speed corner and things like that. It just runs in the family for sure.
Q. What do you personally need to improve upon from that first match-up against these guys?
ZACHARIAH BRANCH: I think just bringing that energy every single play and kind of being there for my team every single play and just execute every single call that's given to us to go out there and be victorious.
Q. You're, I think, four catches away from breaking the UGA record for receptions on the season. What would that mean to make school history in the first year that you are with this team?
ZACHARIAH BRANCH: That's a blessing, man. I can only give credit all to God to be able to allow me to play the game that I love every single week in and out with a great team. I wouldn't be able to do it without everybody on the offense as well. Coach [Mike] Bobo drawing up the plays, the O-line blocking, because if they don't get their blocks, then I won't be able to get the ball. And Gunner [Stockton] making the right reads, the other receivers doing the right things to be able to get me open as well, is something that's really important for all of that to happen. And that's a pretty cool opportunity to hear, for sure.
Q. Monroe, second time match-up with Ole Miss. When you play a team twice, is there a level of familiarity or comfort with the opponent, which you know what you are about to get into?
MONROE FREELING: Yeah, definitely. You prepare every game the same way. Try to come out with a new approach and just try to see what you did bad last time and try to get better this time.
Q. What are some areas of improvement for you from the last match-up to this one?
MONROE FREELING: I think towards the middle of the season, I kind of lacked in my fundamentals from the start of the season. I'm trying to put those fundamentals back up this time, pass pro and stuff like that.
Q. What do you notice about this Ole Miss team when you watch them on film? How have they progressed since the last time you played them?
MONROE FREELING: I still think they move a lot. A lot of movement on their team. Some good edge rushers. So I'm up for a challenge. But we will just go out there and do the same thing we did last time.
Q. You guys have gotten so much better at absorbing stunts, slants, wraps, all their good stuff, particularly in the run game. What has been the major transition from last year to this year in handling those things?
MONROE FREELING: Really just working it. I can't tell you how many stunts we've worked this week and the time coming up to this game, just over and over and over again at practice. It's just a lot more repetitions compared to last year.
Q. Where do you see your quarterback (Gunner Stockton) grow the most since this game a year ago?
MONROE FREELING: Just confidence. A lot more confidence. I think that he has a lot more confidence in the pocket, and just, like, getting out and making plays. I'm really excited to see how he comes and responds in this bowl. It was his first game starting last year. So excited for him.
Q. A year ago, obviously, the emotions before the game took a turn with the tragedy that night. What do you remember from all of that, and how the team came together, learning that information and just processing what went down? You guys had to do your job 24, 48 hours later.
MONROE FREELING: It's still surreal to this day. It was kind of crazy just waking up. I looked out my hotel room, and I seen a bunch of cop cars. I was, like, what just happened? And then flowing into the team meeting, you certainly get that mood. It's a lot of pressure this year. I'm really excited to go into the bowl game with hopefully no tragedies, and I'm excited.
Q. We're doing something with Lawson [Luckie] and his brother (Cannon). How much do you know that story, and what does that embody about him, the program, and how there's the game, but there's also the harsh realities of life?
MONROE FREELING: Yeah, I mean Lawson is my dawg. He's my roommate. I lived with him every single year I've been here. It's really awesome. He's got a really big sweet spot for his brother, obviously, but it really shows the guy he is and the character he is. that he will really go out there and put everything on the line. He has something to lose. We know what he's fighting for, and so it makes us fight harder for him.
Q. Monroe, I will ask you a quick question. You can look at Zach when you answer it. But being Lawson's [Luckie] roommate, when you first learned about his story with Cannon, and everything that had been going on in his life, what kind of changed in the relationship for you? What kind of was your takeaway from that when you learned?
MONROE FREELING: I mean, you go into college, and you don't really know your roommate, right? Some people hate 'em; some people love 'em. I just went in, and he was a little bit cocky guy, but everybody is when you come to college and playing like that. Just getting to know him, slowly getting to know his story, and his brothers Carter, Cannon, it just makes you feel for him. It makes you vie for him. Give him an extra inch, whatever it comes down to. Yeah.
Q. Some questions about what happened during the season. Do you remember the catch that London [Humphreys] made in Knoxville, and what did you hear? What did you see during that play?
MONROE FREELING: I mean, that was -- I think that's still one of the craziest plays of our season. It might have been the craziest play of our season so far. I mean, I remember I was just -- I think I gave up a strip sack in game, and I was like, ah. I was down, but I was trying to keep going. And then we got that point, I think it was 4th and 6 on the 25, on their 25, and I was like, all right. I did my block. I turn my head, I think in the middle of the rep, but I just seen the ball going up in the air. It was just quiet. I mean, there's so much noise, but all of this was happening. Seeing the O-line catch the ball and sprint to the end zone. I was like, wait a minute. We got to go for two. Do not sprint too hard. I have to go another play. It was surreal.
Q. When Chauncey [Bowens] broke through against Florida, could you see that? When he was going that was the fast, fast run. It was fast enough to get to the end zone, right? But do you recall that moment?
MONROE FREELING: Yeah, I do. I love Chauncey. I sit next to him in the locker room. Yeah, that was actually surreal because I don't remember if it was very clean of a run.
Q. I think he had to zigzag a little.
MONROE FREELING: He still got to the hole. He just kept seeing him running and running. I was like, run, Chauncey. He finally got there, and it was awesome.
Q. Talk about maybe just the journey getting here, going through the SEC, finding a way to win the SEC, and just the year that it's been so far, the schedule, all the teams that you've had to go through to get to this point.
EARNEST GREENE III: Yeah, well, you never take the SEC schedule for granted or anything. That's why you come to a school like Georgia, to play in the games we played in, get battle tested throughout the year and have a chance to play in the postseason. Not taking anything for granted. Just happy to be here, especially this bowl game, knowing what happened last year.
Q. So Ole Miss is one of those teams that you had to face, obviously, to get to this point. What do you remember about that contest a couple of weeks ago there in Athens. And what do you expect to see from them maybe that's a little bit different here in this match-up?
EARNEST GREENE III: Yeah, well, that's a good team. And they put up a lot of points on the other side of the ball on the offense. They do a lot of exotic stuff, movements and stuff like up front on defense. We just have to make sure we're all on the same page and communicating well. I feel like it has nothing to do with the first game. Every game is its own game and its own stats. So I'm just getting ready to go out there and got two more days to prepare for them and perform.
Q. You mentioned briefly being in this game a year ago and not going the way that y'all wanted it to. Is that something that y'all have talked about in locker room. We're in the same place, the same opportunity, and this time we want it to go differently?
EARNEST GREENE III: I mean, for sure, it's just human nature to have that bad taste in your mouth. We're using that as motivation to make sure we don't have that same taste in our mouth again.
Q. What bowl is the Sugar Bowl competing with for the best for you? What other bowl games have you been a part of it?
EARNEST GREENE III: I've been to the Peach Bowl, the Orange Bowl. The Orange Bowl is pretty cool in Miami and all that stuff. I'd say the Orange Bowl for sure, but I think Sugar Bowl got them beat, for sure.
Q. I want to talk about the rushing you have seen out of Gunner [Stockton] last year to this year.
EARNEST GREENE III: Yeah, that's one thing about Gunner that you know will happen. You get a guy that is the same every day. He's consistent, never too high, never too low. Not a roller coaster ride with Gunner. That's the recipe for success, the recipe for growth. So if you are the same person every day, without getting too high or too low in the emotions and everything like that, it puts you in a better mind space and puts you in a better position for the team to be behind you if you keep getting better every week, and I feel like that's what we have done.
Q. How does it feel to be back in this game, with all the outside distractions last year? Do you think it will be a better outcome?
EARNEST GREENE III: Yeah, for sure. We feel like we are a completely different team from last year's team. We don't really try to compare teams or compare situations, or stuff like that. But, obviously, it's human nature to have that bad taste in your mouth. We want to make sure that we're preparing this whole week or however long we had to prepare for this game, to make sure we don't have that same taste in our mouth again.
Q. How do you basically feel about this rematch against Ole Miss from earlier this season. Does anything go into this game or is it a new game?
EARNEST GREENE III: I feel like every Saturday, or in this case Thursday, it's its own game. It doesn't really have anything to do with what people make it up to be. It comes down to execution, preparation and communication for us up front. So we just want to make sure that we take care of those two things, for sure.
Q. What is the brotherhood like on the O-line? How do you orchestrate that you, yourself?
EARNEST GREENE III: Yeah, playing O-line, we never score touchdowns our whole life. So we pride ourselves on -- we got a thing on one of our team -- it's not our team culture, but we pride ourselves on having mudita, and mudita is just finding joy in other's success. As an O-linemen, that's what you play the game for, paving the way for other guys to succeed and score and stuff like that. We just take that mudita aspect to heart and make sure that he get as many guys in the end zone and however many yard and really win the game.
Q. Talk to us about the season. How has it gone? What's your recollection so far?
DAYLEN EVERETTE: I feel like it's going pretty good. I feel like we've shown a lot of growth going through each game, to where I feel like each game we go, you can see the improvement. I think that's the main thing.
Q. What do you think of playing at Ole Miss Again?
DAYLEN EVERETTE: It's good. They're a really good SEC team. Pretty much, it is like playing a conference game again, just playing them. They're a really good team, so I'm just excited about the matchup.
Q. Looking back on the season, what are some your personal favorite memories?
DAYLEN EVERETTE: Winning the SEC championship? That was a really great feeling. SEC is a hard conference to play in, so to come out on top in a real prestigious conference has meant a lot to me and my teammates. I'm glad we got that done.
Q. Georgia wins this game and moves on if...?
DAYLEN EVERETTE: Everybody does their job. Executes the right way. I feel like we're ready. We've had a good couple of practices and we want to continue stacking on that.
Q. When you look at them, do you see anything from their first game in the playoffs without Coach [Lane] Kiffin, and where you guys won back in mid-October?
DAYLEN EVERETTE: Not really. I feel even with Lane gone, they're still the same team. They still have all their players. They still have the play-makers they had on offense back when we played them.
Q. You talked about the first Ole Miss game. For a while, you weren't getting thrown at. There was not a lot coming your way. Then in that game, you had a huge pass breakup on third down late in the fourth quarter. That seemed to jump-start things. What do you remember about that moment and what it did for you in that season?
DAYLEN EVERETTE: I think for that moment -- I think for the whole team, it fired us up. Our first third-down stop, especially in that game. I think it gave us a lot of energy and confidence going into the next couple of drives. The drives before that, I think they scored every one. So just to get that first stop, I think that's what got everything going.
Q. The preparation going into this one, how are you feeling?
CJ ALLEN: I feel overall good. Just changing the mindset of the whole trip. It's a business trip. You are here to win a football game.
Q. As one of the team leaders, what is your message to the young guys who may not have played in this game last year, and how to prepare?
CJ ALLEN: My message has been you can come to New Orleans another time, any time you want to come. So just be here for the reason, play your role, and understand why we are here.
Q. What is it like being back here?
CJ ALLEN: It actually feels good being back, considering what happened last year. It wasn't the outcome we wanted to have. So we actually are blessed to be here.
Q. There's been a couple of players who said you weren't as prepared as you thought you maybe could have been last year. Why do you feel like that is? Why do you feel like this year, you guys are prepared?
CJ ALLEN: I thought y'all can be more prepared. That's one thing you are going to do. But ultimately in these type of games, you are away from your home, or miles away. So you got to understand what type of trip this is. It's a business trip.
Q. Why do you feel that Georgia is playing its best football right now?
CJ ALLEN: It starts in practice. That's something we have been talking about all season long. If we want to play good, we have to practice good. That's the type of team we are. I think just executing those type of things, executing our cause, that's the reason why we are playing better.
Q. Speaking of practice, who gets yelled at the most over the loudspeaker at practice by Kirby [Smart]?
CJ ALLEN: Honestly? Everyone. Everyone gets it. He might be on field one, you are on field three, he might still call you out. I don't know how he can see you, but you will hear your name out for sure.
Q. What is unique about this defense this year, do you think?
CJ ALLEN: I think just like the way we play. We play for each other. We play together. We never back down, give up. It's never enough for us. No matter what's going on, we are not going to stop. We are going to keep going. We are hard to kill for sure.
Q. Coach Schumann, what do you appreciate about him?
CJ ALLEN: I appreciate how much he goes the extra mile for us. He demands excellence from all us of and he pushes us to be better. I think Coach Schumann does a great job preparing us for the game.
Q. You guys obviously got a good look at them first time around. Talk about how you guys have prepared for an offense like Ole Miss the second time around, a team that has really done well in the one game and really physical up front on the offensive line as well.
CJ ALLEN: I think ultimately with a team like Ole Miss, they go fast on offense. Number one, you got to be in good condition. You also got to be able to communicate and just get the calls to each other and set your feet.
Q. Talk to me about what they do offensively this time around compared to what they did in the first game that you guys played.
CJ ALLEN: I think it's a very explosive offense, they've always had that with some great skill players. The offense, especially with the quarterback (Trinidad Chambliss), his ability to stay in place and move his feet.
Q. Being able to play in a College Football Playoff football game this time around, you have been in quite a few of these yourself. What does this mean for you, knowing that you have another opportunity to potentially play for a national championship if you win and continue to advance?
CJ ALLEN: It means a lot inundating. We can't get there without winning this one. We are focused on what is in front of us.
Q. How have you guys improved defensively from the beginning of the season to where you are now?
CJ ALLEN: I think executing our cause and getting lined up and playing together. That's a big part, just playing together, obviously just making the right calls and putting us in the best situation.
Q. It feels like in that second half of that game, they obviously started out scoring five touchdowns on the first five drives. You guys really hit an inflection point. Do you feel like that was kind of Raylan the turning point of the season for the defense?
RAYLEN WILSON: Every game feels different really. You could say that from their point of view. Out here, we just look at it as just another game. It's the next game.
Q. By the time you guys play in this game, it will have been three and a half weeks that you have taken the field of play action. How do you keep up, just staying hot and staying physical in that time?
RAYLEN WILSON: Staying physical is really easy around here, because of how we practice. So that comes with just practicing and how we do things around Georgia.
Q. Kewan Lacy, I think you held him to a season low the last time you played. What is the key to making sure that you contain him, as one of the better running backs in the SEC?
RAYLEN WILSON: Just striking blocks up front and not going off blocks and making tackles.
Q. Everybody talks about year three here in this system. Roquan [Smith] one had his biggest pop year three. Monty [Rice] had his biggest pop year three. CJ [Allen] is in the midst of it. You are in the midst of it. What is it about the third year in this system? What allows you to unlock?
RAYLEN WILSON: The more you have reps, just take reps in practice, then you get them in the game. You just come with more confidence the next time you are out there. I feel like it's easier. You just go out there and lead and execute the cause.
Q. It's your third time preparing for Ole Miss, I think. Is there a level of comfort now? You have watched so much more film on this opponent than a standard opponent. Do you feel like you know this, a little bit more familiarity?
RAYLEN WILSON: I feel like it's more plays you have seen. They don't run too many plays. They just put little wrinkles in different plays. You see it. I've seen it through the past three years. So it will be easier to key off.
Q. When you went back and watched your personal performance in that first match-up, what do you got to get better at when you play them again?
RAYLEN WILSON: I would say my awareness, just because, like, having confidence in my eyes, like, trusting what I see.
Q. Raylen, to start this off, I got to ask you, what's in the jug over there?
RAYLEN WILSON: Powerlyte. That's my hydration right here.
Q. It feels like you are one of those guys, you are on a plan to make sure that you are staying hydrated here at the Sugar Bowl.
RAYLEN WILSON: Yes, sir, I am. You got to stay hydrated.
Q. I guess especially when you play in an offense that likes to go fast as well. This Ole Miss team, there's no wasted time, no wasted movement, and I'm sure that's a part of it.
RAYLEN WILSON: That's definitely a part of it. It plays a big role in my success. Really good team success is hydration.
Q. Do you expect anything different maybe from this Ole Miss offense? I know the staff is still there, Lane Kiffin is not there. He's now coaching at LSU. Do you expect it to be the same tempo, kind of the same things that they like to get done?
RAYLEN WILSON: I feel like it will still be the same because I don't think they would change that on the players, what they have been running all year. I feel it will be the same.
Q. A lot of people talk about the Ole Miss offense, and they just talk about the tempo, but they want to run the football. And a lot of people think just because you go fast, that you are in an air raid, but Ole Miss tries to run the football. You have always prided yourself on being a physical team. This feels like a match-up where you have to win the physicality.
RAYLEN WILSON: Yeah, I feel like physicality is probably the top tier, like if you don't have that, you don't have anything really. Mental toughness and physicality. At the end of the day, if you are not physical, you don't have anything.
Q. I've heard from a couple of your teammates, obviously, this is a different opponent than you played last year in the Sugar Bowl, but being back in this same place, going to play in the same building, and certainly want to change the outcome, kind of using that as extra motivation?
RAYLEN WILSON: Yeah, I feel like the guys on our team that were here last year come with more experience this year, just being around the place and just being in the Dome playing there. I feel like everybody is playing with a different level of confidence.
COACH SMART: I want to open with thanking the Sugar Bowl Committee, who is so kind and gracious to greet us getting off the plane. I don't think people know the class of people that the Sugar Bowl Committee is. I feel like I've played in this game or coached in this game a lot of years, and very few groups do it quite like the Sugar Bowl does it. They have a lot of traditions here, and we appreciate those, and they don't go unnoticed.
But they've been welcoming at the hotel. We got there yesterday, and we're locked in for our guys. We got some prep we've got to do today and get ready to go play a game that I know everybody is excited to see in the country. It's a great time to be involved in college football. There's some great games ready to be played, including ours. I'm excited to see our kids go play.
Q. When your team walked off the plane yesterday, they described it as a business trip. How much did the result of last year's contest factor into that mindset?
COACH SMART: Well, it was a business trip last year. It's always a business trip for us. There's a bowl game, there's a reward at the end of season, and then there's a College Football Playoff game. When you're part of a CFP, a College Football Playoff game, it's meant to be a business trip it's win or go home. I think that requires a certain kind of demeanor when you play in a game like that. That doesn't change from year to year.
Q. One year ago, when you guys were down here, the incident surrounding New Year's Eve and being back; and also the loss of your father during that week. When you look back on that, is it surreal to be back in the city one year later?
COACH SMART: It's a different feeling. I think my attention and focus is always forward on what we have to do here. I think landing yesterday brought back some memories, because the last time I was here, I was just leaving two or three days after the game with my family and it was different. It was a different mood, a different time. Very different frame of mind.
You can't help but think a little bit about last time I was here, what I was going through. I was going to a funeral home and going to meet with people that I had never met with, and it was a very unique experience.
But that's not what this trip is about and our guys know that. We owe it to all those guys over there in sweat suits to be focused on the task at hand. It was a terrible time in this city. Unfortunately, people lost their lives during that event. It was a horrific deal. It changed everything in this city and really the celebration of New Year's.
But our guys are excited to be back, and they're excited to have an opportunity to play in one of the best events. An all-SEC matchup in the Sugar Bowl? I don't think many people could have thought of that 5 to 10 years ago.
Q. You guys were talking about you want to move forward. Have you had an opportunity or have you had that conversation with your players to discuss how maybe some of the returners are feeling about last year, and them trying to move forward as well?
COACH SMART: We don't really talk much about last year. We didn't talk about last year's games that we played other teams on the schedule. It's never really about last year for us. It's way more about living in the moment, how do we prepare for the moment. There's nothing about last year's game that's going to help us in this game. There's nothing about our last game against Ole Miss that's going to help us in this game.
It's really about what can we do for the next 48 hours to prepare better, to be ready to play a big game.
Q. As the season went on, it looked like you guys have gotten better. Are you pleased with the progress? Did you ever think, if we can get to the point where you want to be, that you could be a playoff team, a national championship caliber team, as you often are? Did that change over the course of the season? Where earlier, you're like, there's things to work on, things to develop.
COACH SMART: I think every team is a work in progress. You're constantly trying to reshape and retool your team. We certainly grew in a lot of areas. We lost some players in some areas and had to replace them. I don't know that there was ever a point where I said, okay, this is a playoff team. It was a team that was in the playoffs during the year.
Because every game, every road game and every home game we play in our conference, is one game away from being out of it. You don't control a lot of the outside wins and losses of other teams. All you control is how you practice and how you prepare.
I was really proud of the improvement this team made. But they are a playoff team. They're an SEC championship team. And their next opportunity to play is in two days. You'll be judged by how you play then, not how you played in the past.
Q. After the Georgia Tech game before you knew you were going to play Alabama again, you talked about looking at the layoff differently and talking to some folks and trying to handle that differently than you did last year. Can you go through some of the people maybe that you talked to and how you guys approached the layoff differently this year?
COACH SMART: I don't want to go into details of who all I talked to, because some people don't want their information disclosed. But I think as a coach, you would be remiss if you don't get other people's information and input. It doesn't mean you use it, and we didn't use all of it. But we talked to a lot of people, a lot of people who were in the playoffs last year.
COACH SMART: We talked to a lot people who were in the playoffs last year, guys that had the bye, guys that didn't. NFL teams who had the bye in past years and didn't play in the wild card. You just look at different ideas of trying to do things and simulate things and maybe try to do a better job
Look, we think our process works in terms of the layoff we've had. I've been part of a really good program for a lot of years now, and it's worked for us, what we've done. You tweak it, but you don't make major overhaul.
Q. What are some of the biggest concerns for you to attack during a long layoff for your team?
COACH SMART: Well, shape, game shape. You can run all you want, but you can't get into game shape until you play a football play. Football consists of sprinting 10 to 15 yards, tackling somebody, getting up, repeat that, repeat that. You don't do that in a layoff. You don't go tackle live and hit people and risk injury, especially this time of year.
So your fundamentals, blocking and tackling, can deteriorate really quickly if you're just worried about being in shape. So we try to attack it all. We try to simulate things, make things happens. As coaches, you get really comfortable and you don't make decisions in critical moments. Next thing you know, you're out there in special teams and something happens you haven't prepared for -- where in the season you have a routine you follow. There's things you try to simulate as best you can. But it is different.
There's no sport where you have this long of a layoff. Not basketball, not football, not baseball, where you go from playing once to 25, 30 days playing again.
Q. Another community question. I remember after last year's game, you took a moment to credit the Sugar Bowl and the city and the state and community and how they handled a difficult situation. In that light, and just in terms of the life perspective that it gives people who experience that, is it special in a way to be able to come back one year later? Or is it just difficult personally? Has there been any chance to dry to go to Bourbon Street and see the memorial or anything like that yet?
COACH SMART: No, we just got in yesterday, got in late yesterday. Our time is really precise in terms of to and from places. They got us tied up in things. Players got a little bit of time to eat dinner and move around some and see the city, which I think is important.
I give the Sugar Bowl Committee a lot of credit. They bring the city of New Orleans into us a lot more now. A lot of the same activities you would see out on Bourbon, they bring to the hotel. They bring events into the hotel and share some of that culture and atmosphere of New Orleans, which I think is important. They do a great job of doing that, and our guys are excited about the game.
Q. Can you reflect on what Gunner [Stockton] has become over the last year or so? It wasn't an ideal situation being thrust into the SEC Championship, the craziness that happened here. But now the stability of this season, how he's grown from that first opportunity last year to getting you guys here.
COACH SMART: We knew the minute that -- when we realized at halftime of the Texas game that Carson [Beck] couldn't go, Gunner was going to be our guy. And as much as you say: Well, he's new, he hasn't done it, woe is me, you say there's a reward in this, and the reward is the experience you get moving forward
He capitalized on that experience. He got a ton of bowl practice. He got to develop earlier. I think maybe that helped us early in the season when he had success, the fact that he had done all this in the runup to this game. He played against one of the top defenses in the country in this game, and he's gotten better. I mean, he's the leader of our team. He's the guy, the catalyst that makes us go with his legs and his arm, and the players play hard for him.
I'm proud of his growth this season. He's played some really good teams. He'll play another good team in two days, and I have so much appreciation for what he's done for our overall team with his leadership, his mindset, and his approach.
Q. Kirby, what early enrollees are now practicing with the team, or were back in Athens in preparation for this game?
COACH SMART: There's nine of them.
Q. Is Dontrell Glover expected to start in the Sugar Bowl?
COACH SMART: Bo (Drew Bobo) and Dontrell have done a great job in response to what they've had. We demanded a lot of them. We put a lot in front of them. I'm proud of where both those guys are and what they've done to earn the right back with us and the way they manage it.
Q. I'm sure you got a lot of questions about the first matchup already with Ole Miss. But when you look at how each of your teams has evolved to this point, what is the way that you've seen Ole Miss change that you guys are preparing for, coming off a long break?
COACH SMART: Well, they're very potent offensively. They've got weapons all over the field. One of the best backs in the country. One of the hottest quarterbacks in the country with legs. They spread you out. They go tempo. They create a lot of issues because of the skill set they have. The offense fits the quarterback in the back and the skill players -- they have assembled a perfect crew there.
Defensively, people don't give them enough credit for disruption and the way they move and stunt and do things up front. They play a lot of guys up front. They play really hard. I don't know that I can say there's a ton of change. We haven't changed that much. If you're a good team you do what you do and you do it well. You don't trick people. You go out and you beat them with what you do best. I feel like Ole Miss has continued that.
Even after our game, they went and played in a CFP environment -- I guess it was on the road at Oklahoma, right? They played in tough weather conditions and they found a way to win that game. They beat a really good Florida team, in my opinion, that was a tough game. They played a rivalry game, like we did against Georgia Tech, they played Mississippi State. That's a rivalry game in that state that's very valuable to the people of that state. It doesn't matter what your record is.
They've continued to improve. They've grown. They had a couple of guys step up and play big for them. Just like us, you have to have next-man-up mentality when you have injuries.
Q. You and Pete Golding share a lot of similarities in your background as players and then coaches. Could you talk about him and what you thought when he got the job at Ole Miss?
COACH SMART: I got a lot of respect for Pete. He worked his way up through the ranks, very similar to the way I did. He's coached under some really good coaches. He's been a part of some really good defensive staff. Whether Ron Roberts, [Nick] Saban, all the guys that are really good defensive coaches.
I don't know Pete that well. I just know Pete through other people. I'll be honest with you, when he got the job, I feel like we were in the middle of chaos ourselves. I want to say that was around maybe the Alabama game? I don't remember when that was. So I didn't initially see it.
But as we found out and the playoffs came out and we were aligned to possibly play them, I'm happy for him. I'm happy when someone that works as hard as he did and worked his way up and dedicated himself to being a coordinator, position coach coordinator, and then head coach. That's the way it's supposed to go in terms of if you have success and you're able to do it. He's done it in a place that's special that he loves and in a state that he's been a part of that state for a long time.
Q. What's your familiarity with Charlie Weis Jr.? How well do you know him? What do you think of him as a play-caller?
COACH SMART: He's really good. He does a great job. Charlie was at Alabama when I was there. He was young. You could tell how bright he was then. He stayed in his lane. He understood the coaching profession, I think coming from his dad's footsteps, he didn't ever overstep his bounds. He did his job.
He was really good at his job, and he was intentional about his job. He was not a blinking light guy that wanted everybody to look at him.
When you work with Lane [Kiffin] like he has, you learn a lot of football, and you learn what you like and what you don't like. Very similar to my career, he's had a blessing of being able to be with Lane and do things well.
But make no mistake about it, he does the offense. He calls it, he prepares it, he does a great job of leading those guys. And just as much as the preparation and the calling of game is the assembling of the talent, and you have to go get those players nowadays and find them. And whether you grow them from home state and you develop them, or you go in the portal and find them, they've done a great job of both those things, and he's a part of that.
I have a lot of respect for Charlie because of the way he did it. He did it the old-fashioned way and worked his way up and grinded hours, and he's been really successful and he's got good players.
Q. You had said last week, and I don't know if you were joking or not, that Andrew [Smart] had kind of discovered Zachariah Branch. Was that accurate?
COACH SMART: He made me aware of him. He definitely didn't discover him, but he made me aware, when he went in the portal, of the value he had and who he was. So he would bring the video to me and like: Look at this guy, Dad. Look at this guy's punt return. Are we going to get this guy?
I knew who he was, because he was a five-star coming out of high school, but we didn't actively recruit him. We weren't in his top three. Just knew who he was. Andrew made sure I knew that he was really good, but that's not why we got him. We had connections on our staff, once he went in the portal, between Donte [Williams] and D. (David) Hill that all had a relationship with their family.
Q. What impressed you the most about him?
COACH SMART: Probably the things that impressed me the most is his love for the game and his love for football. I wouldn't say that I didn't think he had it, but some guys that are so highly touted, they don't really buy into the culture and the work ethic that we have. He's never flinched. He's like, Coach, I want to be part of that.
I forget when they first got there, maybe mid-January, I don't even remember. But he wouldn't leave the building. He was there every day. He's like, I don't want to go to my apartment. I don't want to go home. I want to be up here. Is there anything I can watch? What can I learn? Can we work out again? Can we throw?
The guy has just been a football junkie. It probably should be that way. His dad (Sheva Branch) trains people and trains athletes. He worked out his whole life. He's a gym rat. He and his brother (Zion) have created a culture on our team of like, they love football. I won't say it's a shock to me, but you just never know. You have a perception of what you might get, and I told him, I said I had no idea that you would love football, work as hard as you do, practice as hard as you do. And I appreciate that about him.
Q. Coach, do you have a favorite play from this season executed by your team?
COACH SMART: Yeah, there's a lot of them. There's a lot of selfless plays. One that sticks out the most would be the run we had in the second half -- maybe the opening drive or the second or third drive, second half against Alabama, where London [Seymour] came around and had a key block and sprung Nate [Frazier].
The play Gunner [Stockton] had in Tennessee was executed -- a guy that we don't normally throw it to on that route. He's not usually number one in the progression, on the fourth-down play Gunner had. Both those plays were highly executed offensive plays that you work hard at, but you never know they're going to be that big of plays in the game moment.
Q. You've had a willingness to use gadget plays in big games. Like the on-side kick against Texas this year, the fake punt last year. Where does this willingness to take a risk like that come from?
COACH SMART: Well, film study. It's part of coaching. Everybody is looking to gain an advantage and edge. There's not a coach in the country that's not trying to gain a competitive advantage. There are things you work on, try to highlight maybe your kids' strengths, maybe try to highlight their weaknesses.
But they're only good if they work. It could be the greatest idea in the world, but if it doesn't work, it wasn't very smart. And that's just roll of the dice, I guess.
Q. You've obviously been here before. What do you think is the key to performing well after an irregular layoff since the last time you played on the field? What are the qualities that make a team successful when you can just come out and perform at the level you want to, even though they haven't played in the game action just a few weeks extra than other teams?
COACH SMART: Well, being in shape is one. Being focused. Understanding this is a business trip and you're here for a purpose. And recognizing that you've had a long layoff and you address the advantages or things you will lean on that you feel like are an advantage for you.
We try to list those things out: Okay, here's things we're strong at and we're going to lean on these things. These are our core identity, regardless of when the last time we played was. How do we lean on those things?
But make no mistake about it, you want to play well in these types of games, you need good players. And good players play well.
Q. You mentioned about it being a business trip. I think Oscar Delp was saying you talked about having a plan to avoid distractions. Do you feel like your team is pretty locked in this time around?
COACH SMART: I didn't feel like they weren't locked in anytime around. I haven't been a part of a team that I didn't think was locked in. I don't measure locked-in-ness in terms of wins and losses. It's just the approach to the game that we have here and the culture we have here. That's important to me that our guys approach that the right way, and they have thus far.
Q. How difficult has it been to balance the playoff and winning a national championship? And then looking ahead to '26 with the transfer portal opening on Friday. If you were in charge, what would be the perfect calendar? Would it be to push back the signing period to February? Or the transfer portal back to the spring? How would it work?
COACH SMART: Man, I can't solve that. I wish I could; I wish I could solve it. Everybody will tell you there's an answer. I can tell you that the answer isn't currently where we stand. I can promise you that. I told myself before I came up here, I'm not getting up on a soap box. I can't express all the things that are going on. When you've got kids officially visiting places they're currently at. They're going to go in the portal and then official visit the place they're currently at? It's crazy what's out there.
We created a system that only allows you to gain advantage if you want to leave. And that's not the players' fault. It's not the agents' fault. It's not our fault. It's not anybody's fault. It's just, you've created a system that inherently rewards what defies a team concept. And in a team sport, it just makes no sense. You tear at the culture of every organization by promoting something that doesn't exist.
It's almost like it just permeates what society is now, where it's me, me, me, me, and nothing about the teams. It's very unfortunate. But it's not the kids' fault. It's not the agents' fault. Ryan Day said it before: Nobody wants to be playing in the playoffs and dealing with the portal windows.
We knew when we made the new portal windows that was going to happen. And that's going to happen on January 2nd for teams -- I guess four teams are still involved. But I still think that's better than where we were at this time last year, where we had visits and portals going on all December. But we're still not there yet. And I don't have the answer in terms of the best way to do it.
Q. Where potential transfer quarterbacks are getting $3 million or $4 million. Is it sustainable?
COACH SMART: I think you would have to ask the ADs that. Because ultimately, they're the ones that are going to be footing the bill and paying the bill. Again, it's supposed to be NIL, and it's supposed to be revenue share, and sustainability is a big word. I don't think it's just about quarterbacks. Certainly, I do believe quarterbacks deserve their share of that, and they do a great job and they have the most pressure on them. They're the highest paid guys usually in the NFL.
But when you go back and look at it and say, if we're actually operating off of what people say is a rev share, it's hard to do the math and pay the guys on your team. Everybody is taking a different philosophy in how they manage that money. It doesn't seem like everybody is operating under the same premise of numbers.
Q. In the spring, you talked about fire, passion, and energy, and running the football. And we've watched that identity come to fruition. How much does this team look like the model that you started with in the spring? How are you able to diagnose exactly what this team would need to do to get to this point?
COACH SMART: Well, I don't know that we knew then this is what the team needed to get here. We just knew what the team needed. The best version of this team was only going to get there with fire, passion, and energy. Ability to run the ball and ability to stop the run. Those are things we didn't do well last year. So it wasn't about we scripted out what we needed to make the playoffs. We scripted out what we needed to be the best team.
My goal every year -- I learned this a long time ago, Coach [Bobby] Bowden and Coach Saban and even my dad (Sonny Smart), is like did you get the most out of that team? Did that team get the most out of their potential? I think there's a little bit of flawed system out there. There's some coaches that get the most out of their team and they don't win a national championship. That's a hell of a year
We used to be able to credit a lot of people with a hell of a year. It's unfortunately gotten to where it's win it all or nothing. And we don't evaluate our success that way. I don't. I look at it intrinsically, as did this team get the best out? And this team needed fire, passion, and energy. It needed the ability to run the ball and it needed the ability to stop the run. We haven't done that perfectly either, but we've done it at a little bit higher level than what we did in years past.
Q. When you guys left here last year, I think probably the center of the criticism from Georgia fans was Mike Bobo. That's probably not new for him over the course of his career. I'm curious what you think fans get wrong about him? Why do you think he's the right guy for Georgia and for that job right now?
COACH SMART: I don't think he's the right guy, I know he's the right guy. Like I've said multiple times, I don't really pay much attention to what our fans say, seek, what they feel like. I don't respond to them.
I don't work for them. Honestly, my job is to put the best product, the best football team I can out there.
I need motivators, leaders of men. I need people who have offensive experience, knowledge.
I put him up against anybody in the country because of his knowledge, his experience, what he's done, the staff he has. Mike doesn't do it alone. He's got an incredible staff who bring information to him, cutting-edge ideas. I love what they do offensively and how they utilize our players' skill sets.
You have to conform the offense to who you have, and I think they've done an incredible of that with the backs, receivers, tight ends, quarterbacks, the specialty pieces we have. He has utilized those guys' skill set. And I don't think anybody in the country has done a better job doing that than he has.
Q. [Mike] Bobo recently indicated something on the order of you're not afraid to get on to him. With these coaches who have been your long-time friends, do you expect more from them? What is that dynamic like? Is it difficult suddenly being, let's say, the boss of someone that was your long-time friend?
COACH SMART: No. I mean, we hold everybody accountable in the organization. That's my job. That's what I get paid to do is hold everybody accountable within the organization. And I think good leaders do that. They can separate work from friendship. I take input from those guys. I listen to those guys. They're very knowledgeable.
There's a reason why you pay the people on your staff to be on your staff. The better staff you assemble, the better coach you are. I'm a reflection of the staff we have. I don't look at it as getting on people. I think that's a media thing. I look at it as demanding excellence and demanding accountability to be at a high standard.
I learned a long time ago that you hold everybody to that standard, there are no free passes. So that's my job. Their job is to lead, command their groups, get the most out of their players, and they do a tremendous job of that.
Q. A moment ago, you were talking about the "me, me, me" and the challenges that we have in college football with the transfer portal and NIL. I want to ask you specifically about dealing with contracts. You talked about this long ago. I think Coach Saban talked about it long ago. What's the answer for there to be a give-and-take and some accountability when maybe a player leaves that you thought you were going to have? Because the way the calendar goes, if you lose a player late in the portal, you may not have time to replace them.
COACH SMART: I would really prefer there to be uniformity in the contracts so that it went more smoothly and easier in terms of everybody had the same contract. Whatever that contract is, whatever can be agreed upon. I'm not saying it has to be completely the team's way or the kid's way or the agent's way. It would be better if there were uniformity, because you would not get into special situations where somebody is saying: Well, I'll do this. Well, then I'll do this.
Everybody's going through it right now. There's red-lining of contracts. I respect that, I understand that. But you're not dealing with that in some of the major sports because that's already been negotiated. There's a CBA. There's anti-trust laws in some of those.
With ours, it makes it much more difficult, because every team can have an independent contract. If a kid doesn't go to class at all, should he get paid? I feel strongly that you're here to get your education. You should go to class. You should be held accountable. Most parents want that accountability.
Then you've got guys who want to strike things out of there. Does a kid have a right to say: I want to redshirt, and he's being paid by somebody and I'm going to say I want to redshirt and not play. Or a kid that's already redshirted, he can't redshirt, electing not to play but still get paid. There's things all throughout a contract that can be talked about, debated, and generated, and makes it really tough.
But the timing issue is the toughest one, because the teams in the playoff are going to have a little less time to operate in the portal than other people, so it makes it tough if a kid says: Yeah, I want to be there and I want to be a part of your program, and re-signs and then has a change of heart a week later? You missed out on every opportunity to replace that player. It makes it very difficult.
It's a very tough scenario and I think everybody in college football is trying to navigate it right now. Players, parents, representation, and colleges, and it's just a really tough time.
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PLAYER QUOTES
Q. When you wrapped up the game last year, did you have it in the back of your mind: Can't wait to get a second bite at this? Were you hoping to end up here and have this opportunity?
GUNNER STOCKTON: Yeah, it left a bad taste last year. But this venue is always a great experience, and I'm glad we're playing here.
Q. Even though you didn't get the outcome you were hoping for last year, what does it mean to be back at the same place you got your first career start?
GUNNER STOCKTON: Yeah, I'm just glad we're playing in the playoffs really, didn't matter where it was. Playing here last year, the experience, just excited to be here.
Q. What area of your game do you feel like has improved the most?
GUNNER STOCKTON: I would say my confidence, playing a full season, having a bunch of games under my belt. Just playing that and playing with my teammates and having fun.
Q. What feels different about this team this time around versus last time?
GUNNER STOCKTON: I would like to say for myself, just the confidence part of it. I feel like I help the team in that way compared to last year, I didn't have that much confidence. Many games played under my belt. So just going through a full season and getting to play in this venue, it's going to be an unreal experience.
Q. We talked to Lawson [Luckie] yesterday. He made a statement that he felt like last year, y'all didn't take the practices leading up to the Sugar Bowl as seriously. This year, it feels like there's a different edge. Do you feel that as well? And why do you think that is?
GUNNER STOCKTON: Yeah, I don't know why, but I give credit to everybody on the football team. The older guys, younger guys, everybody buying into what Coach [Kirby] Smart says and just attacking practice and not taking it for granted and trying to get better every day.
Q. When it comes to the confidence you've built, how much has [Mike] Bobo played a role in helping bring that out in you?
GUNNER STOCKTON: Yeah, a lot. Coach Bobo, he's awesome. The amount of work he puts in, you can see the love he has for everyone and the university, and it makes me want to go out here and play my best for him.
Q. I get the sense you guys (Mike Bobo) are a lot alike. Like personality-wise, approach to the game. Do you see similarities between the two of you?
GUNNER STOCKTON: Yeah, I would say so. Both hate to -- I think we're both competitive. So I think we share that, too.
Q. What impact would potentially having Colbie [Young] back and Ethan [Barbour] back have on Georgia's offense?
GUNNER STOCKTON: I don't really know yet. That's more of a Coach [Kirby] Smart question, but it would be great if they were back.
Q. Over the last year, you've become the pride and joy of Rabun County, if you will. What it's going to mean to get a playoff win knowing what going back home means to you? What has changed?
GUNNER STOCKTON: Not a whole lot. I still love going back home and seeing everybody I grew up with, from teachers to my buddies I went to high school with. So it's always fun when I go back home.
Q. Do they treat you differently now that you've had a full year as starting quarterback at Georgia?
GUNNER STOCKTON: I think anybody who is the quarterback at Georgia gets treated a little different, especially in the state of Georgia, but it's always fun going back home and going where I grew up.
Q. There were tragic circumstances surrounding this game last year and the terrorist attack and the game getting postponed. Anything you can remember specifically about that? The adjustments you had to make on the fly and how you all reacted when you got if news?
GUNNER STOCKTON: Yeah, it was uncertain. I woke up that morning getting ready for game day, eating breakfast, hadn't checked my phone or anything. And I forgot who I was sitting next to, like, hey, we might not play. I thought they were messing with me trying to play a prank. But seeing that stuff, just a bunch of uncertainty. And we really didn't know what was going on, so it was crazy last year.
Q. How did you and the players take full advantage of having a first-round bye?
GUNNER STOCKTON: I think attacking practices like Lawson [Luckie] talked about. Just taking advantage of practice. And we had like a day off, getting our rest in and will taking care of our bodies is a big part.
Q. How did you take full advantage of the rest? Did you spend time with family?
GUNNER STOCKTON: Yeah, I went home. We had a couple days off; I would go home on the weekends. It was good to see them.
Q. Kirby Smart, he's a veteran coach. He's been around. He's seen a lot of success. What are the sentiments he's sharing with you guys going into this match up and heading into the playoffs overall?
GUNNER STOCKTON: Yeah, the match up, he talks about the Sugar Bowl and being in the College Football Playoffs, it's a one-game season now. He's been preaching on that. And we've played Ole Miss, and he isn't preaching we've already beat them. It's a whole separate game, so we're excited to play them and for the experience.
Q. It must seem -- the fact you played Ole Miss already this year and you were here one year ago, is it a little deja vu? Or does everything feel familiar in a certain way?
GUNNER STOCKTON: Maybe a little bit, but you can't transfer a win or anything like that. So it's a whole separate game. It's a whole separate season because it's a one-game season now. So I'm excited to play in it.
Q. Any particular emotions from last year's total experience and being one-year anniversary, basically? We were in this room talking to you over there last year. How do you feel about that?
GUNNER STOCKTON: It's crazy. It's crazy how much I've grown in a year, I feel like. I feel more comfortable and more confident. So it's crazy just how it's getting the season under my belt and playing with all the guys in here and just having fun while I'm doing it.
Q. You guys have improved over the course of the season. Talk to me about how you guys have consistently improved over the course of this season, ever since the Tennessee football game.
KJ BOLDEN: Oh, yeah, we just had to take a minute to look at our scrims and see what we are good at. I think Coach Smart put us in a great position. The last couple of weeks, just seeing what we best at, even if it's man coverage or different zone coverage. It doesn't matter what the coverage is. He's just been seeing what the defense is doing great at. I feel like we are trying to get better every week. We have been trying to grind. We consistently try to keep getting better every day. I feel like our team keep doing that right there, we just keep getting better and keep improving every week.
Q. How have you guys improved in the back seven, in that area?
KJ BOLDEN: I say just communication and more confidence. We had a lot of guys who didn't play last year who had to step up for us this year. So just confidence, learning the defense. I feel like everybody got good knowledge for the defense now, and everybody is confident in their ability to go out there and compete.
Q. Having to play a team like Ole Miss for the second time this year, what have you guys seen from the first time that you played them to where they are at this point in the season?
KJ BOLDEN: We just got to execute. They are a very explosive offense. They score a lot of points every game. It's not one game they are not putting up points. You usually have to execute when your number is called. Just trust your teammates. Trust that your teammate is going to do their job, and you will do yours. You can't make nobody else play, and rely on fundamentals and technique. I feel like we are going to do that. After the first game, defense, we didn't feel good. We didn't have a good taste in our mouth about that one. So we will definitely try to go out there and compete for this one.
Q. They didn't punt until the third quarter in that football game. Guys, obviously, starting to get some three and outs and force them to punt and stop drives. How do you guys do that going up against a quarterback like Trinidad Chambliss?
KJ BOLDEN: We just got to start early. We got to start fast. I feel like last game we played them, we didn't start fast. We came out there and sloshed a little bit. Trinidad is a great quarterback. He's explosive and can use his legs. He's got a great deep ball. He throws every ball pretty good. We just got to just work as one, work as a team. You can't be trying to make a play out there by yourself. You got to do what the coaches call and keep them in the trap a little bit, just force them to do little things that they don't like to do.
Q. KJ, a year ago, you guys were in New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl, and now you're back with an opportunity in the game. Can you take me back to what that was like as a player, when you're going through everything, and maybe you woke up the next morning and saw the news of the attack on Bourbon Street. Just what went through your mind?
KJ BOLDEN: Yeah, there was a lot going through my mind. Definitely had a lot of distractions. A lot of things going on in the organization, that we just had our minds all over. But I'm not making that as an excuse as why we lost the game, because Notre Dame had the same distractions as well. I just feel like this year, we just got to come out faster, start better. We kind of already -- we been here last year. We already know what to expect from a bowl event. It's really a business trip. We have to come down here and focus and lock in and know what we got to get done.
Q. When that happened, just as a person, what was that like? Were you getting text messages from family? When did you find out? Did you have to wake up the next morning? Can you walk me through what that was like?
KJ BOLDEN: Definitely nerve wracking, just hearing about that. I would say I figured that out at night, but I went to sleep. I didn't believe it. When I woke up that morning, I definitely checked my phone and see all the news going around. You feel sorry for those who lost their loved ones, and our shout out goes to them. It was definitely, definitely scary moment, but I just knew we were going to protected in the hotel. We had security, and I wasn't worried about that.
Q. Is it interesting being back here a year later? Not the game, but back in New Orleans again one year later after something like that happens?
KJ BOLDEN: It's definitely interesting, but I know they are definitely going to make sure we are taken care of this year. I have seen it last night when we were outside, just the security, the high level of security, a lot of different police officers out there. So they are going to do a great job of taking care of us. We just have to make sure we're safe.
Q. How excited are you to get back on the field again?
KJ BOLDEN: I'm definitely very excited. I can't wait to go to practice today, complete a little bit, and this weekend go out there and have fun with my brothers. We worked so hard for this moment. So go out there and put it all out.
Q. So a couple of quick questions. What does it mean to play in a historic bowl like the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Six bowl?
ZACHARIAH BRANCH: It's definitely a blessing to get a chance to play in this game. There's a lot of hard work and preparation that goes into playing the games like this towards the end of the year. It's definitely just a blessing to be able to do it with my team and the group of guys that we have on this team.
Q. And your uncle (Cliff Branch) played a Super Bowl in the Superdome and won. How does that make you feel that the family history in the Dome, and what you hope to be able to do this week?
ZACHARIAH BRANCH: Oh, yeah, that's my guy. He's an all-time great. Just to get to play in a stadium that he played in, and actually won a prestigious game as well, it's something that's important for the family. Definitely just trying to do the same thing and represent my family in the right way.
Q. And does your uncle (Cliff Branch) have any advice, or has he given you any advice on being on such a big stage. Like obviously, Super Bowl is huge, but this is a new era of college football. This is College Football Playoff. Has he given you either any advice or kind of told you what to expect and how to move through the day?
ZACHARIAH BRANCH: No, I haven't gotten any advice. He, unfortunately, passed away a couple of years ago. I haven't had a chance to chop it up with him too much about the college playoffs and everything like that. But he definitely gave me advice throughout my life and things like that. Just to put your best foot forward and let God control everything and your destiny after that. So that's something that I will always live by. I just let God control the things that I have in the future. So very blessed for this opportunity again.
Q. How are you guys going to attack the Ole Miss defense? Do you have a specific mentality going into this game, and how you are going to go against them?
ZACHARIAH BRANCH: They have a really good team. We played them last time, and we saw that as well, that they have a great team. They are always going to fight and have good energy. So our goal is just to go out there and execute the game plan that our coaches have provided for us, the best as possible.
Q. You lead the nation, I believe, in yards after catch. What's the key to being great with the ball in your hands?
ZACHARIAH BRANCH: I didn't even know that. That's pretty cool. But I think just having that mentality of just trying to do what's best for my team, trying to get us in the best position possible. I know that the coaches, if they have enough trust in me to give me the ball, I want to make the best of it every time, because I want the ball again.
Q. How do you feel about the nickname YACariah?
ZACHARIAH BRANCH: I've been seeing that at a lot of places. My mom actually started calling me that when I went back home for Christmas and stuff. She was, like, YACariah. It was pretty cool just to know that I can go things with the ball in my hands after I get the ball to help my team be in certain positions. So it's pretty good.
Q. Non-Georgia-related question. I had a buddy that coached on Brookwood High School staff. Tell me about the performance you put on when you were at Bishop Gorman against Brookwood. I think you scored a touchdown in every facet possible. You had 49 points first half by yourself.
ZACHARIAH BRANCH: Yes, I did. I think I had four touchdowns total, three receiving and then one punt return. That was actually my first game back from -- I think I had a little ankle injury. So I had to come back with a little vengeance to show that I had still had it. It was definitely -- they were a good team. It's pretty cool just to get a chance to play somebody from Georgia and have them come into our house. And then we had a great team that year as well. It was fun to be able to do with my teammates.
Q. Obviously, got really good bloodlines through your family, a number of great athletes. Where does the speed come from in your family? You are a 10 300-meter runner, aren't you?
ZACHARIAH BRANCH: Yes, sir.
Q. Where does that come from?
ZACHARIAH BRANCH: I feel like it probably comes from my parents. They got great genes too. My dad was an athlete; my mom was an athlete as well. My dad played collegiately and professional level as well. So he definitely has a lot of the speed that carried over, and my mom was an athlete as well in high school and things like that. And then we just have a history of fast people in our bloodline. Like Cliff Branch is my great uncle for the Raiders. Everybody know he was pretty fast. He had the little speed corner and things like that. It just runs in the family for sure.
Q. What do you personally need to improve upon from that first match-up against these guys?
ZACHARIAH BRANCH: I think just bringing that energy every single play and kind of being there for my team every single play and just execute every single call that's given to us to go out there and be victorious.
Q. You're, I think, four catches away from breaking the UGA record for receptions on the season. What would that mean to make school history in the first year that you are with this team?
ZACHARIAH BRANCH: That's a blessing, man. I can only give credit all to God to be able to allow me to play the game that I love every single week in and out with a great team. I wouldn't be able to do it without everybody on the offense as well. Coach [Mike] Bobo drawing up the plays, the O-line blocking, because if they don't get their blocks, then I won't be able to get the ball. And Gunner [Stockton] making the right reads, the other receivers doing the right things to be able to get me open as well, is something that's really important for all of that to happen. And that's a pretty cool opportunity to hear, for sure.
Q. Monroe, second time match-up with Ole Miss. When you play a team twice, is there a level of familiarity or comfort with the opponent, which you know what you are about to get into?
MONROE FREELING: Yeah, definitely. You prepare every game the same way. Try to come out with a new approach and just try to see what you did bad last time and try to get better this time.
Q. What are some areas of improvement for you from the last match-up to this one?
MONROE FREELING: I think towards the middle of the season, I kind of lacked in my fundamentals from the start of the season. I'm trying to put those fundamentals back up this time, pass pro and stuff like that.
Q. What do you notice about this Ole Miss team when you watch them on film? How have they progressed since the last time you played them?
MONROE FREELING: I still think they move a lot. A lot of movement on their team. Some good edge rushers. So I'm up for a challenge. But we will just go out there and do the same thing we did last time.
Q. You guys have gotten so much better at absorbing stunts, slants, wraps, all their good stuff, particularly in the run game. What has been the major transition from last year to this year in handling those things?
MONROE FREELING: Really just working it. I can't tell you how many stunts we've worked this week and the time coming up to this game, just over and over and over again at practice. It's just a lot more repetitions compared to last year.
Q. Where do you see your quarterback (Gunner Stockton) grow the most since this game a year ago?
MONROE FREELING: Just confidence. A lot more confidence. I think that he has a lot more confidence in the pocket, and just, like, getting out and making plays. I'm really excited to see how he comes and responds in this bowl. It was his first game starting last year. So excited for him.
Q. A year ago, obviously, the emotions before the game took a turn with the tragedy that night. What do you remember from all of that, and how the team came together, learning that information and just processing what went down? You guys had to do your job 24, 48 hours later.
MONROE FREELING: It's still surreal to this day. It was kind of crazy just waking up. I looked out my hotel room, and I seen a bunch of cop cars. I was, like, what just happened? And then flowing into the team meeting, you certainly get that mood. It's a lot of pressure this year. I'm really excited to go into the bowl game with hopefully no tragedies, and I'm excited.
Q. We're doing something with Lawson [Luckie] and his brother (Cannon). How much do you know that story, and what does that embody about him, the program, and how there's the game, but there's also the harsh realities of life?
MONROE FREELING: Yeah, I mean Lawson is my dawg. He's my roommate. I lived with him every single year I've been here. It's really awesome. He's got a really big sweet spot for his brother, obviously, but it really shows the guy he is and the character he is. that he will really go out there and put everything on the line. He has something to lose. We know what he's fighting for, and so it makes us fight harder for him.
Q. Monroe, I will ask you a quick question. You can look at Zach when you answer it. But being Lawson's [Luckie] roommate, when you first learned about his story with Cannon, and everything that had been going on in his life, what kind of changed in the relationship for you? What kind of was your takeaway from that when you learned?
MONROE FREELING: I mean, you go into college, and you don't really know your roommate, right? Some people hate 'em; some people love 'em. I just went in, and he was a little bit cocky guy, but everybody is when you come to college and playing like that. Just getting to know him, slowly getting to know his story, and his brothers Carter, Cannon, it just makes you feel for him. It makes you vie for him. Give him an extra inch, whatever it comes down to. Yeah.
Q. Some questions about what happened during the season. Do you remember the catch that London [Humphreys] made in Knoxville, and what did you hear? What did you see during that play?
MONROE FREELING: I mean, that was -- I think that's still one of the craziest plays of our season. It might have been the craziest play of our season so far. I mean, I remember I was just -- I think I gave up a strip sack in game, and I was like, ah. I was down, but I was trying to keep going. And then we got that point, I think it was 4th and 6 on the 25, on their 25, and I was like, all right. I did my block. I turn my head, I think in the middle of the rep, but I just seen the ball going up in the air. It was just quiet. I mean, there's so much noise, but all of this was happening. Seeing the O-line catch the ball and sprint to the end zone. I was like, wait a minute. We got to go for two. Do not sprint too hard. I have to go another play. It was surreal.
Q. When Chauncey [Bowens] broke through against Florida, could you see that? When he was going that was the fast, fast run. It was fast enough to get to the end zone, right? But do you recall that moment?
MONROE FREELING: Yeah, I do. I love Chauncey. I sit next to him in the locker room. Yeah, that was actually surreal because I don't remember if it was very clean of a run.
Q. I think he had to zigzag a little.
MONROE FREELING: He still got to the hole. He just kept seeing him running and running. I was like, run, Chauncey. He finally got there, and it was awesome.
Q. Talk about maybe just the journey getting here, going through the SEC, finding a way to win the SEC, and just the year that it's been so far, the schedule, all the teams that you've had to go through to get to this point.
EARNEST GREENE III: Yeah, well, you never take the SEC schedule for granted or anything. That's why you come to a school like Georgia, to play in the games we played in, get battle tested throughout the year and have a chance to play in the postseason. Not taking anything for granted. Just happy to be here, especially this bowl game, knowing what happened last year.
Q. So Ole Miss is one of those teams that you had to face, obviously, to get to this point. What do you remember about that contest a couple of weeks ago there in Athens. And what do you expect to see from them maybe that's a little bit different here in this match-up?
EARNEST GREENE III: Yeah, well, that's a good team. And they put up a lot of points on the other side of the ball on the offense. They do a lot of exotic stuff, movements and stuff like up front on defense. We just have to make sure we're all on the same page and communicating well. I feel like it has nothing to do with the first game. Every game is its own game and its own stats. So I'm just getting ready to go out there and got two more days to prepare for them and perform.
Q. You mentioned briefly being in this game a year ago and not going the way that y'all wanted it to. Is that something that y'all have talked about in locker room. We're in the same place, the same opportunity, and this time we want it to go differently?
EARNEST GREENE III: I mean, for sure, it's just human nature to have that bad taste in your mouth. We're using that as motivation to make sure we don't have that same taste in our mouth again.
Q. What bowl is the Sugar Bowl competing with for the best for you? What other bowl games have you been a part of it?
EARNEST GREENE III: I've been to the Peach Bowl, the Orange Bowl. The Orange Bowl is pretty cool in Miami and all that stuff. I'd say the Orange Bowl for sure, but I think Sugar Bowl got them beat, for sure.
Q. I want to talk about the rushing you have seen out of Gunner [Stockton] last year to this year.
EARNEST GREENE III: Yeah, that's one thing about Gunner that you know will happen. You get a guy that is the same every day. He's consistent, never too high, never too low. Not a roller coaster ride with Gunner. That's the recipe for success, the recipe for growth. So if you are the same person every day, without getting too high or too low in the emotions and everything like that, it puts you in a better mind space and puts you in a better position for the team to be behind you if you keep getting better every week, and I feel like that's what we have done.
Q. How does it feel to be back in this game, with all the outside distractions last year? Do you think it will be a better outcome?
EARNEST GREENE III: Yeah, for sure. We feel like we are a completely different team from last year's team. We don't really try to compare teams or compare situations, or stuff like that. But, obviously, it's human nature to have that bad taste in your mouth. We want to make sure that we're preparing this whole week or however long we had to prepare for this game, to make sure we don't have that same taste in our mouth again.
Q. How do you basically feel about this rematch against Ole Miss from earlier this season. Does anything go into this game or is it a new game?
EARNEST GREENE III: I feel like every Saturday, or in this case Thursday, it's its own game. It doesn't really have anything to do with what people make it up to be. It comes down to execution, preparation and communication for us up front. So we just want to make sure that we take care of those two things, for sure.
Q. What is the brotherhood like on the O-line? How do you orchestrate that you, yourself?
EARNEST GREENE III: Yeah, playing O-line, we never score touchdowns our whole life. So we pride ourselves on -- we got a thing on one of our team -- it's not our team culture, but we pride ourselves on having mudita, and mudita is just finding joy in other's success. As an O-linemen, that's what you play the game for, paving the way for other guys to succeed and score and stuff like that. We just take that mudita aspect to heart and make sure that he get as many guys in the end zone and however many yard and really win the game.
Q. Talk to us about the season. How has it gone? What's your recollection so far?
DAYLEN EVERETTE: I feel like it's going pretty good. I feel like we've shown a lot of growth going through each game, to where I feel like each game we go, you can see the improvement. I think that's the main thing.
Q. What do you think of playing at Ole Miss Again?
DAYLEN EVERETTE: It's good. They're a really good SEC team. Pretty much, it is like playing a conference game again, just playing them. They're a really good team, so I'm just excited about the matchup.
Q. Looking back on the season, what are some your personal favorite memories?
DAYLEN EVERETTE: Winning the SEC championship? That was a really great feeling. SEC is a hard conference to play in, so to come out on top in a real prestigious conference has meant a lot to me and my teammates. I'm glad we got that done.
Q. Georgia wins this game and moves on if...?
DAYLEN EVERETTE: Everybody does their job. Executes the right way. I feel like we're ready. We've had a good couple of practices and we want to continue stacking on that.
Q. When you look at them, do you see anything from their first game in the playoffs without Coach [Lane] Kiffin, and where you guys won back in mid-October?
DAYLEN EVERETTE: Not really. I feel even with Lane gone, they're still the same team. They still have all their players. They still have the play-makers they had on offense back when we played them.
Q. You talked about the first Ole Miss game. For a while, you weren't getting thrown at. There was not a lot coming your way. Then in that game, you had a huge pass breakup on third down late in the fourth quarter. That seemed to jump-start things. What do you remember about that moment and what it did for you in that season?
DAYLEN EVERETTE: I think for that moment -- I think for the whole team, it fired us up. Our first third-down stop, especially in that game. I think it gave us a lot of energy and confidence going into the next couple of drives. The drives before that, I think they scored every one. So just to get that first stop, I think that's what got everything going.
Q. The preparation going into this one, how are you feeling?
CJ ALLEN: I feel overall good. Just changing the mindset of the whole trip. It's a business trip. You are here to win a football game.
Q. As one of the team leaders, what is your message to the young guys who may not have played in this game last year, and how to prepare?
CJ ALLEN: My message has been you can come to New Orleans another time, any time you want to come. So just be here for the reason, play your role, and understand why we are here.
Q. What is it like being back here?
CJ ALLEN: It actually feels good being back, considering what happened last year. It wasn't the outcome we wanted to have. So we actually are blessed to be here.
Q. There's been a couple of players who said you weren't as prepared as you thought you maybe could have been last year. Why do you feel like that is? Why do you feel like this year, you guys are prepared?
CJ ALLEN: I thought y'all can be more prepared. That's one thing you are going to do. But ultimately in these type of games, you are away from your home, or miles away. So you got to understand what type of trip this is. It's a business trip.
Q. Why do you feel that Georgia is playing its best football right now?
CJ ALLEN: It starts in practice. That's something we have been talking about all season long. If we want to play good, we have to practice good. That's the type of team we are. I think just executing those type of things, executing our cause, that's the reason why we are playing better.
Q. Speaking of practice, who gets yelled at the most over the loudspeaker at practice by Kirby [Smart]?
CJ ALLEN: Honestly? Everyone. Everyone gets it. He might be on field one, you are on field three, he might still call you out. I don't know how he can see you, but you will hear your name out for sure.
Q. What is unique about this defense this year, do you think?
CJ ALLEN: I think just like the way we play. We play for each other. We play together. We never back down, give up. It's never enough for us. No matter what's going on, we are not going to stop. We are going to keep going. We are hard to kill for sure.
Q. Coach Schumann, what do you appreciate about him?
CJ ALLEN: I appreciate how much he goes the extra mile for us. He demands excellence from all us of and he pushes us to be better. I think Coach Schumann does a great job preparing us for the game.
Q. You guys obviously got a good look at them first time around. Talk about how you guys have prepared for an offense like Ole Miss the second time around, a team that has really done well in the one game and really physical up front on the offensive line as well.
CJ ALLEN: I think ultimately with a team like Ole Miss, they go fast on offense. Number one, you got to be in good condition. You also got to be able to communicate and just get the calls to each other and set your feet.
Q. Talk to me about what they do offensively this time around compared to what they did in the first game that you guys played.
CJ ALLEN: I think it's a very explosive offense, they've always had that with some great skill players. The offense, especially with the quarterback (Trinidad Chambliss), his ability to stay in place and move his feet.
Q. Being able to play in a College Football Playoff football game this time around, you have been in quite a few of these yourself. What does this mean for you, knowing that you have another opportunity to potentially play for a national championship if you win and continue to advance?
CJ ALLEN: It means a lot inundating. We can't get there without winning this one. We are focused on what is in front of us.
Q. How have you guys improved defensively from the beginning of the season to where you are now?
CJ ALLEN: I think executing our cause and getting lined up and playing together. That's a big part, just playing together, obviously just making the right calls and putting us in the best situation.
Q. It feels like in that second half of that game, they obviously started out scoring five touchdowns on the first five drives. You guys really hit an inflection point. Do you feel like that was kind of Raylan the turning point of the season for the defense?
RAYLEN WILSON: Every game feels different really. You could say that from their point of view. Out here, we just look at it as just another game. It's the next game.
Q. By the time you guys play in this game, it will have been three and a half weeks that you have taken the field of play action. How do you keep up, just staying hot and staying physical in that time?
RAYLEN WILSON: Staying physical is really easy around here, because of how we practice. So that comes with just practicing and how we do things around Georgia.
Q. Kewan Lacy, I think you held him to a season low the last time you played. What is the key to making sure that you contain him, as one of the better running backs in the SEC?
RAYLEN WILSON: Just striking blocks up front and not going off blocks and making tackles.
Q. Everybody talks about year three here in this system. Roquan [Smith] one had his biggest pop year three. Monty [Rice] had his biggest pop year three. CJ [Allen] is in the midst of it. You are in the midst of it. What is it about the third year in this system? What allows you to unlock?
RAYLEN WILSON: The more you have reps, just take reps in practice, then you get them in the game. You just come with more confidence the next time you are out there. I feel like it's easier. You just go out there and lead and execute the cause.
Q. It's your third time preparing for Ole Miss, I think. Is there a level of comfort now? You have watched so much more film on this opponent than a standard opponent. Do you feel like you know this, a little bit more familiarity?
RAYLEN WILSON: I feel like it's more plays you have seen. They don't run too many plays. They just put little wrinkles in different plays. You see it. I've seen it through the past three years. So it will be easier to key off.
Q. When you went back and watched your personal performance in that first match-up, what do you got to get better at when you play them again?
RAYLEN WILSON: I would say my awareness, just because, like, having confidence in my eyes, like, trusting what I see.
Q. Raylen, to start this off, I got to ask you, what's in the jug over there?
RAYLEN WILSON: Powerlyte. That's my hydration right here.
Q. It feels like you are one of those guys, you are on a plan to make sure that you are staying hydrated here at the Sugar Bowl.
RAYLEN WILSON: Yes, sir, I am. You got to stay hydrated.
Q. I guess especially when you play in an offense that likes to go fast as well. This Ole Miss team, there's no wasted time, no wasted movement, and I'm sure that's a part of it.
RAYLEN WILSON: That's definitely a part of it. It plays a big role in my success. Really good team success is hydration.
Q. Do you expect anything different maybe from this Ole Miss offense? I know the staff is still there, Lane Kiffin is not there. He's now coaching at LSU. Do you expect it to be the same tempo, kind of the same things that they like to get done?
RAYLEN WILSON: I feel like it will still be the same because I don't think they would change that on the players, what they have been running all year. I feel it will be the same.
Q. A lot of people talk about the Ole Miss offense, and they just talk about the tempo, but they want to run the football. And a lot of people think just because you go fast, that you are in an air raid, but Ole Miss tries to run the football. You have always prided yourself on being a physical team. This feels like a match-up where you have to win the physicality.
RAYLEN WILSON: Yeah, I feel like physicality is probably the top tier, like if you don't have that, you don't have anything really. Mental toughness and physicality. At the end of the day, if you are not physical, you don't have anything.
Q. I've heard from a couple of your teammates, obviously, this is a different opponent than you played last year in the Sugar Bowl, but being back in this same place, going to play in the same building, and certainly want to change the outcome, kind of using that as extra motivation?
RAYLEN WILSON: Yeah, I feel like the guys on our team that were here last year come with more experience this year, just being around the place and just being in the Dome playing there. I feel like everybody is playing with a different level of confidence.
Players Mentioned
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/ FootballGeorgia Football - Pre Sugar Bowl Team Media Day
Tuesday, December 30
Georgia Football: Pre-Sugar Bowl Press Conference - Zachariah Branch
Sunday, December 28
Georgia Football: Pre-Sugar Bowl Press Conference - Gunner Stockton
Sunday, December 28
Georgia Football: Pre-Sugar Bowl Press Conference - Nate Frazier
Sunday, December 28