"But it’s not where it needs to be on either side of the ball": Kirby Smart sees glimmer of hope amid clouding disappointment

Head coach Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs have had several weeks of spring practice already. Having started on March 11, the Bulldogs have been back at practice for nearly a month. However, it is not where it needs to be according to Smart.

On Tuesday, Kirby Smart spoke with the media after practice. He spoke about what he saw from the run defense at Saturday's scrimmage. Although he was happy with the energy levels and effort, he did not like the performance on either side of the ball. However, he admitted that the offense performed better than the defense:

"Spurts of each. I mean, we had a couple explosive runs. We had a lot of two-three-yard runs that, you know, one guy misses an assignment, one guy makes a play. I think the energy level and the passion on the defensive side was ahead of what the offensive was in the run game. But still, the offense dominated the red area.

"The third down was like 50-50. You know, it was a toss-up in a lot of the other periods. But it’s not where it needs to be on either side of the ball, to be honest with you. We don’t run the ball well enough or stop the run. I think a lot of that comes from a physical mentality."

Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs are already dealing with several injuries from spring practice

Although the 2025 college football season is still several months away, the Bulldogs are already struggling to stay healthy. Smart spoke at the press conference briefly about a few of the injuries the team is dealing with:

"Isaiah Gibson is dealing with a little bit of an injury, and he should be back from here shortly. Saturday, I think Drew Bobo had a little bit of a hyperextension of a knee. He should be back shortly. He wasn't able to go today. I can't remember anybody else."

The Bulldogs also have several players who underwent labrum surgery. Gabe Harris, Colton Heinrich, Christen Miller and Jaylan Morgan all underwent labrum repair surgeries. There are also several players with soft tissue injuries, including Branson Robinson, Rod Robinson and Brett Thorson.

The injuries the Bulldogs are currently dealing with are not expected to have a long-term impact on Kirby Smart's roster. These players are expected to be available sometime later in the spring or summer before the season starts.