ATHENS — The highlight for Kirby Smart was getting to bang the gavel to bring the Georgia statehouse to order. The highlight for the members of the Legislature was getting to hear from the coach of the national champion Bulldogs.
Smart visited the Capitol and glad-handed lawmakers in a short visit Tuesday. Accompanied by UGA President Jere Morehead and athletic director Josh Brooks, Smart was the star attraction as he was recognized for leading the Bulldogs to their first national championship in 41 years earlier this year.
In a 90-second address, Smart thanked lawmakers for their part in making it happen.
“You don’t win championships without support and don’t win championships without team effort,” said Smart, with Morehead and Brooks on the podium to his right. “Pres. Morehead and Josh Brooks have been tremendous support for all our athletic programs and for myself and our program. And the people in this room who support this great state attract a lot of players from all over the country as well as our state, they want to come to Georgia. That’s usually a good sign of leadership. The leadership in this room has driven this state for a lot of years. We’re trying to do the same things you’re doing over at our place in Athens. We don’t get that without tremendous support.”
Smart said he was uncomfortable being honored for last year’s accomplishments because he and the team are now focused on defending their title next season. He said the Bulldogs have been deep into workouts and offseason conditioning and actually had a team run at 6 a.m. Tuesday.
“I want to be focused on next year, not last year,” Smart said. “If you sit long, that guy across the state line will catch up with you. The idea is to stay ahead. So the big thing for us is looking forward to next year and that’s kind of where we’re at.”
It’s assumed “that guy across the state line” to whom Smart was referring was Alabama’s Nick Saban.
The Bulldogs will be fully focused on next year in two weeks as spring practice opens with the first of 15 practices on March 15. The annual G-Day spring game is set for April 16 at Sanford Stadium.
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