Georgia Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart Gives Updates Injuries heading into Game w Oregon Ducks
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ATHENS - Kirby Smart is getting his No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs ready for their season opener against the No. 11 Oregon Ducks, and Wednesday he said he knows what’s looming for the Dawgs this weekend.
“Our guys are fired up to play in Atlanta,” Kirby said. “We enjoy playing in these types of games. We are looking forward to playing Oregon, who we have a tremendous amount of respect for. Our guys have embraced the challenge of playing a very good team.”
The Bulldogs are listed as a 17-5 point favorite to win the game according to Fan Duel. The two programs have only met once before in history - a 27-16 home for the Bulldogs in 1977’s season opener in Athens. Since 2011, Georgia is 52-1 straight up in games where the program is at least a 16.5-point favorite (2019 South Carolina).
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Kirby said Wednesday that he was pleased with where returning starting quartabck Stetson Bennett was heading into the fall.
“Stetson has had a lot of reps in different roles (during his college career). He’s gotten a lot of quality work against the No. 1 defense (this season),” Kirby said, noting that Bennett has gotten work as a scout team player, a No. 3 quarterback, a backup quarterback, a junior college player and a starting quarterback since 2017.
Kirby added that he was “excited to see” what his offensive line will do on Saturday.
The seventh-year head coach has won all of his opening games dating back to the last time Georgia played in the Chick-fil-a Kickoff Game - a 33-24 win over No. 22 North Carolina. That was Kirby’s first game as head coach of the Dawgs.
NOTES:
Kirby said WR Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint is close to 100% after returning from his injury.
Kirby said his program made off-season hires to spend time with players to help develop more “connection” inside the program
Kendall Milton has done a “great job bouncing back from injury”. Kirby said Milton “is hitting good numbers on the GPS. The coach added that he was “looking forward to him being a big part of things.”