ATHENS — Georgia coach Kirby Smart embraced the scorching heat his football team practiced in for two hours at Sanford Stadium on Sunday.

The Bulldogs’ tempo, enthusiasm and effort was on display, even if the execution — particularly on offense — reflected it being one of the first practices of fall camp.

More than 1,600 subscribers to UGA’s “Glory Glory” media website got an eyeful of the Georgia football talent and an earful of Smart’s coaching under a blazing sun that produced a heat index of more than 100 degrees on the field.

UGA requested that no videos, photos or written notes be taken at the scrimmage.

Smart’s voice boomed through the stadium — and out onto Sanford Drive — via the microphone he uses each practice to coach up players with non-stop encouragement, critique and humor.

“Full-speed, you gotta go, go, quick, quick, quick!” Smart said during drill work preceding limited scrimmage action with players in helmets and shoulder pads. “The only way you get a real picture is full speed.”

Tailback Jae Lamar provided an ideal example of how Smart’s coaching takes effect.

Smart chided the freshman for bouncing a run outside during one repetition, and moments later, Lamar cut a run upfield between the tackles and broke loose for arguably the most explosive rushing play of the day.

Smart, of course, turned his coaching in another direction after that play, wondering aloud on the microphone, “Where in the hell was the middle safety?”

There will be plenty of film study to answer that question, and the many other breakdowns that come in early fall camp practices when players are still getting dialed in on their reads and assignments.

Georgia has three more weeks of practice before the game week leading up to the season opener at 3 p.m. on Sept. 5 against Tennessee State.

The FCS-level Tigers figure to be no match for the Bulldogs, but the schedule grows increasingly harder with a home game against Conference USA member Western Kentucky at 12:45 p.m. on Sept. 12, a road trip to Arkansas at noon on Sept. 19 and then a home game with No. 9-ranked Oklahoma on Sept. 26.

The Sooners figure to be the first team with a legitimate shot at upsetting the No. 3-ranked Bulldogs.

That’s why Smart’s aim in August is to put the players through tougher situations than they will face in any game this season.

Georgia safety KJ Bolden said that’s what the players sign up for when the choose to play for the Bulldogs.

“Coach Smart is going to push you to your limit every day, he’s going to get it out of you,” Bolden said at the team’s opening fall camp press conference last week.

“I tell all the recruits, if you don’t love football, if you’re not really bought into it, don’t come here if you’re about NIL. Don’t come here if you really don’t care about football and growing as a person and as a man.”

UGA quarterback Gunner Stockton has grown as much as anybody in his time with the Bulldogs, rising up to a No. 7 Heisman Trophy finish last season and SEC Championship Game victory over Alabama.

Stockton, however, faces a great challenge heading into this season and playing against Georgia’s talented defense in practice doesn’t make things easier.

Stockton looks thicker and more athletic than last season, a testament to the work he said he put in during the past offseason with hopes of maximizing his durability.

UGA’s reloaded receiving corps, however, had its struggles getting much separation from the Bulldogs’ sticky defensive backs.

It left Stockton with little margin for error on his decision making and throws.

“Gunner don’t force it,” Smart said after 2025 FWAA Freshman Defensive Player of the Year Ellis Robinson IV leaped high to record one of at least three interceptions he made during the two-hour workout.

Later, Smart commented that “We’re about 0-for-30 over 30 yards” as Georgia’s secondary denied the deep ball much of the day, looking like the most impressive unit on the field.

Smart said in the spring and start of fall drills the team needed to find ways to make explosive plays, and that starts with a strong running game that will make play-action passes more effective.

Nate Frazier, Chauncey Bowens, Dwight Phillips and Bo Walker had a degree of success behind a Georgia offensive line that looked as powerful and effective as advertised.

The receiving corps was more of a mixed bag, as Landon Roldan made a great catch on one play with defensive back Jontae Gilbert draped all over him, but also had two dropped passes.

“This is the temperature we need … “ Smart said at one point before suggesting his players may look for reasons they couldn’t hold on to the football “I can’t catch coach, because my hands are wet from sweating.”

Receiver London Humphreys seemed as busy as anyone between the reps he was taking with the offense and on special teams.

Smart has mentioned Humphreys’ leadership and effort before, but seeing it in person for more than two hours was believing, as the No. 16 flashed throughout the action for most of the two hours.

Five-star freshman Kaiden Prothro was another player who enjoyed a strong practice catching the football and seemingly handling the heat.

Prothro, the No 35 overall player in the nation per the 247Sports composite, is said to have the ability to line up at tight end or in the slot as a receiver.

The action was at times hard to keep up with, as Smart had two live scrimmages going on at one time on either end of the football field.

Bolden knocked down a Stockton pass at one end of the field, while back-up quarterback Ryan Montgomery was making impressive plays to Jaden Redell and Tyler Williams on the other end of the field.

It was hard not to notice preseason All-SEC linebacker Chris Cole, who went from making an impressive interception in coverage to recording a QB pressure as a blitzer.

Josh Horton, a defensive tackle from Miami, was among the players pouring effort on to the field, Horton recorded at least one pressure when not sprinting on or off the field during his substitutions.

The team took a four-minute break in the middle of practice, going into the locker room to cool off.

But Smart kept the heat turned up on the microphone, particularly in the latter stages of the practice, telling his players, “Ask yourself, what kind of shape you are in?”

Georgia senior kicker Peyton Woodring, another of the Bulldogs’ preseason All-American candidates, answered that question on his own behalf near the end of practice with three made field goals including a 50-yarder.

Smart did not make any public comments after the practice and is not expected to meet with the media until Tuesday.