Kirby: "We're not where we need to be from a mental toughness and physicality standpoint."

ATHENS-- Kirby's Thursday presser was full of highs and lows. I'm a bad news first kind of guy, so that's how we're going to roll here.

The worst news had to offer today was the status of wide receiver Michael Chigbu‍, who has been missing practice the last few days. He didn't offer an explanation of what Chigbu's injuries were exactly but said that he was considering, "hanging it up," because of them, though nothing is final yet.

A topic Kirby covered for a good chunk of the presser was sophomore DB Richard LeCounte III‍. Kirby talked highly of LeCounte, yet also used this time with the media to call LeCounte out a little bit too. 

"Sometimes I think Richard really wants to be good," Kirby said. "But sometimes, I don't know if Richard knows what it takes to be good. He's a very talented young man, but he has to meet the demand the position requires." 

It wasn't just skill-wise that Kirby called out LeCounte. He also went after his leadership a little bit as well. Kirby said that he wasn't sure if "he wants that responsibility on him," when talking about making calls and making decisions as a safety. 

Kirby also talked about the inconsistencies of LeCounte, saying that, "Five minutes, I would say yeah," when asked if he likes what he has seen from him. "Another five minutes, I would say what the hell. It's up and down."  

After losing several key players in the secondary, Kirby was not soft when talking about the current status of the defensive backfield. This has been a frequent conversation point for Kirby, and today he said, "We've still got a long way to go," in regards to it. 

Another place Kirby isn't completely pleased with is along the defensive line, where he cited a major depth issue. That problem is what led to the switch from offensive line to defensive line for Chris Barnes. Kirby didn't make it sound like Barnes' switch was going to well, citing a lot of issues he needed to fix, but also mentioned that missing off-season meetings with the D-line set him back quite aways.

And finally, we'll end with the best news Kirby had to offer: His thoughts on the new additions to Sanford Stadium. 

"I'm certainly excited about the west end zone," Smart said. "I think we'll have the most premier on-campus, stadium recruiting site in the country because we'll be able to host a lot of prospects and we'll have one of the best locker rooms in the country at the stadium."