UGA Football Player: “If You Don't Want To Work, Don't Come To Georgia"
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ATHENS - “If you do not want to work, do not come to the University of Georgia”.
That’s what Georgia Bulldog offensive lineman Tate Ratledge said on his “Real Talk” podcast recently.
“If you love your free time, do not come to Georgia”, he added. “But if you want to win, come to the University of Georgia. We win, we have fun doing it, but it sucks because you work so hard.”
That’s what separates Georgia from just about every program in the country.
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Georgia’s not for everyone. It used to be, back when the team was going to the Ramsey Center to swim instead of practice, but those days are long gone.
Kirby Smart has changed the Georgia football program for the better. He changed the identity.
“Discipline. Composure. Physicality.”
Those are the three components that Kirby Smart built the program on. He has changed the standard at Georgia, not only on the field, but off of it as well.
If you don’t have a hunger or desire to work hard and push yourself, Georgia’s not the place for you. However, that’s what you have to do to win championships.
It’s not all fun and games when you play for Kirby Smart’s program. It takes hard work. It takes blood, sweat and tears both on the practice field and in the weight room.
The great Michael Jordan made a great point during “The Last Dance” documentary. “If you don’t want to play that way, don’t play that way”.
Jordan, like Kirby Smart, knew what it takes to win championships. If you don’t want to practice as hard as you can, and don’t want work as hard as you can in the off-season, don’t do it. However, you won’t see the field at the University at Georgia. You likely won’t be on the team much longer, either.
When most college coaches are hosting recruits, they make sure to tell that prospect and their family how great everything is. They’ll show off the facilities, the locker rooms, the dining hall, the weight room, all the great things.
It’s different at Georgia. When current players host recruits, they’re honest with them.
“If you do not want to work, do not come to the University of Georgia”.
The same can be said for the assistant coaches. It’s not easy to work for Kirby Smart. They’re held to high standards too. They’re on the road recruiting as much as any staff in the country. They’re up early making sure their players are ready for morning workouts. They’re up late watching film. They’re adding and updating their recruiting board all year. It’s a grind for them as well.
But that’s how you build a championship program.
Kirby Smart gets it. Nick Saban gets it.
Does Brian Kelley get it? What about Josh Heupel? Ryan Day? Lincoln Riley?
They might understand it to a point, but they’re not out-working Kirby Smart and his players. That’s a fact, and Kirby Smart has two national championship trophies to prove it.
According to FanDuel, Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs have +220 odds to win their third-consecutive national championship in 2023.
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