ATHENS — Expectations are running high in the Georgia football program, a new offseason slogan of “Do More” pushing the coaches and players at every turn.
The oddsmakers at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas aren’t buying it, having set the over-under at 11 wins for the Bulldogs this season.
“Our whole motto this spring and offseason is ‘Do More,’ ” Smart told the SEC Network. “Whatever we’ve done is not enough.
“We know that the best is ahead for Georgia.”
Georgia went 11-3 last season, falling just short of the College Football Playoff in controversial fashion after a 35-28 SEC title game loss to then-No. 1 Alabama.
The Bulldogs faded out with a 28-21 Sugar Bowl loss to Texas, a game that saw first-round draft pick Deandre Baker sit out to protect his draft status.
Georgia lost seven players to the NFL draft, the team’s top five receivers from last season no longer with the team after Jeremiah J.J. Holloman’s recent dismissal.
Fourth-year UGA coach Kirby Smart said following spring drills that the Bulldogs have “missing pieces,” and that the team is “a couple of injuries away from the danger zone.”
The Bulldogs, however return arguably the best offensive line in college football along with third-year starting quarterback Jake Fromm and 1,000-yard rusher D’Andre Swift.
UGA left tackle Andrew Thomas was recently named a preseason All-American by the Sporting News, and Swift was a second-team pick by a well-respected publication.
That returning offensive talent, along with a defense that’s expected to take a step up from last season’s unit, is why Georgia remains among the favorites to win the national championship, per the most recent odds from SuperBook USA.
Smart pays no attention to outsiders expectations, but he has stayed dialed in to his team’s offseason mindset.
“How we’ll play and how this team will perform together is going to be decided this summer,” Smart said at the SEC Spring Meetings. “A lot of that identity, I won’t even know until fall camp, because you have grad transfers and everybody coming together, and that’s what I love about this job.”
Smart sent the Georgia players’ leadership committee to Florida earlier this summer to spend time with a renowned mental coach.
The Bulldogs came away with yet another slogan: ‘It takes what it takes.’
It’s up to the Georgia football team to prove that it has what it takes against a beefed up schedule that includes a home date with Notre Dame and another strong Alabama standing in the way again this season.
