Kirby Smart shares how Georgia will prepare for Florida's offense, his reaction to Missouri fight
The toughest matchup for most defenses when opponents face Florida is the matchup with TE Kyle Pitts and QB Kyle Trask. Georgia coach Kirby Smart said it’s a situation where a defense can’t stop Pitts, but could work to contain him.
“He’s a really great player and anytime you play a great player, you’ve got to have a great game plan,” Smart said. “I don’t think anybody’s stopping him, it’s limiting explosives, matching up, winning some 50/50 balls, that’s what he’s best at. It’s impossibly, people think you just double cover him, ‘Just double cover him,’ you can’t do that. They put him in places where you can’t double him and you’ve got to do other things to other people. They’ve got other players besides just him and the quarterback knows where to throw the ball to give him a shot. There’s not an easy answer to that. There’s not a textbook answer of this is how you stop him. What you do is contain him and hope that you don’t get hit on explosives and the team understands where he is.”
Speaking of Florida, Smart was asked about the fight at halftime of the Missouri-Florida game. Smart said someone texted him about the fight as he came back from the hospital after checking on star safety Richard LeCounte, who was injured in a serious motorcycle accident on Saturday.
“Obviously it’s a teaching moment for all of us,” Smart said. “But it concerns me every time a player gets tackled on the sideline or gets close to the sideline of an altercation of two teams that are heated rivalries breaking out. They all know, Dan (Mullen) knows and Eli (Drinkwitz) knows that you can’t have that, they understand that.”
He said it could happen to any team in the country, and you don’t want that.
Smart also addressed the challenges Trask presents the defense. He said it’s all about his experience, and Trask has seen defensive alignments and blitzes, so he knows how to attack them.
“He’s played in our league now and once you get that valuable experience, it’s hard to trick them,” Smart said. “You have to ultimately be able to defense their people with your people. You’re not going to win a scheme battle.”
I’m not sure what FLA is thinking but they may want to consider putting Trask in an orange “no hit” jersey. I’m sure GA’s defense is thinking, “You guys feel Mizzou shoved Trask too hard? LOL.”
Listen, I agree it wasn’t a dirty hit but it was a late hit. That hit isn’t allowed in today’s age of football, period. However, Trask is a big guy and he can take it. What happened on Saturday was a bunch of young men being stupid. No hard feelings to Missouri, I hope they finish off strong. Last week is behind us and hopefully, that hit on Trask will serve as fuel to protect him
Don’t use facts with Missouri fans they won’t admit that it was a roughing the passer and a personal foul
As a Gator grad, I uphold the standard of being honest and using facts. I don’t like to conveniently forget about the flaws the Gators do have. That being said, you’re correct with the assessment. Missouri fans CAN have a problem with the fight happening — it was a dumb altercation. They CANT have a problem with people being pissed at the no-call, because that is obviously what it was.
But they are conviently forget that fact. You think any fan or coach wants their players fighting? No it’s causes injuries and suspension. That being said this is all due to an easy missed roughing the passer call where the player could have definitely held up and not hit him. Also what about the first play of the game where the Missouri player dove right at Coxs knee. This isn’t the first fight Missouri has been in this year either
Yeah, its easy to point fingers in that game. I just try to avoid stooping low and hope to have good conversations. They took the L, we will pay our fines. On to bigger things
Agreed. More of your fellow FLA fans need to take your lead. I’ve said it was a late hit but not egregious or malicious in any way. Unfortunately a lot of FLA fans have issue with that and suddenly gone “soft” trying to claim this was not only late but blatant targeting. Please explain to them what targeting is, and what a poor decision Mullen made acting the way he did for his team to follow. Good luck against GA.
Lol I’m sure Missouri is worried about how to play offense after the gator game
Sorry Gator Fans but you are only 5-4 against us since we joined the East and are not as superior as you talk. And it took last year and this year’s victory to reach that mark for you. You are PLUS 1. So pump your brakes, with all of this tuff talk. We are in a reset year with a new coach. We are already moving ahead of schedule. Congratulations on the win that everybody knew you were supposed to win. Don’t forget we spoiled your last homecoming that we played in. And after that brawl your classless coach incited you better believe this matchup is circled for next year already.
Talk is cheap, I agree. Yall have a good team but recently, the Gators have been good for the last two years and they were okay three years ago (All in Mullens tenure). Before that is certainly a dark age. Personally, I think the 5-4 record-keeping is dumb and that applies to other similar stat lines. The true stat should be 1-0, coach vs. coach as they are usually what defines a program. Unfortunately, that stat does not do us any justice against Georgia. Again, Missouri has a fun team to watch precisely because they seem to be a thorn in our side. If anything, that’s why I think some fans are taking it more personal for a non-rival game.
UF never circles Missouri on the SEC football schedule when it comes out each year. And how many conference and national titles has Missouri won?
Love how you mention you are in a reset mode but the wins you have against us are when UF has been the worst they’ve been in a decade and Mullens first year( also reset mode) UF has played in 2 NY6 bowls and finished in the top 6 Mullens first to years.
Missouri beat us in two of our 4 win seasons a 6 game winning season and Mullens first year. Since Missouri has joined the Sec the gators have had their two worst seasons in like 20 years so congrats on beating us at our worst
Nahh bro the no contact jersey is not needed but thanks for the suggestion. You may want to put out an APB to see if you can find your offense though. I heard you were supposed to have one of those
And good luck finding a playoff birth, I’ve been hearing for the last decade you guys are supposed to have one of those each year.
Lol good look being relevant again ever
And the most relevant you’re program has ever been is winning two East titles when everyone else in the East sucked
Brooches. The only time a Missouri player hit Trask was two steps after the ball had been released by him. And that happened once and with no time on the clock. And no UF player was LOL.
Yeah, he only got hit once and it wasn’t even a real hit, more like a shove and you guys have been crying for two days over it. When did FLA fans get so soft?
No one is being soft, I saw a whole team have the QB’s back. Florida will only become stronger. Proud to have Mullen as Florida’s coach.
You’re soft as fk crying over Trask getting shoved down. It was a fking hail mary for pete’s sake. Time expired, take a hit like a man and go to halftime.
You’re the one that won’t shut up about it poochy
My thoughts exactly Ben. This guy and TigerTD have been crying for days about this and he says Gator fans won’t stop talking about it? Hilarious!!!
Since when did fighting become such a shocking situation? Most college football fans would be in shock evidently if they watched a hockey game.