When a reporter described the Georgia Bulldogs’ wide receiver room as a question mark at SEC media days, Kirby Smart did not dispute the premise.
In a piece written by On3Sports’ Anthony Dasher, he noted where the Bulldogs head coach turned questions about Georgia’s wide receiver room into motivation.
“I am just very thankful for people like you that keep questioning them. Because the more you question them, the more it helps me motivate them,” Smart said. “Everybody says they don’t listen to you guys. The wide receivers are listening, so they’ll have a new challenge issued based on your question.”
It was a familiar response from Smart, who has long used outside criticism as fuel inside his program. Georgia does not have to pretend its receiver situation is settled. The Bulldogs lost Zachariah Branch, Colbie Young, Dillon Bell and Noah Thomas from last season’s group, leaving substantial production to replace.
That turnover explains why the position has drawn scrutiny. London Humphreys is the most experienced returning receiver, while Georgia Tech transfer Isiah Canion adds another veteran option. Canion caught 33 passes for 480 yards for the Yellow Jackets last season before making the move to Athens.
Georgia’s young receivers have a major opportunity
The Bulldogs will also need larger contributions from returning receivers Sacovie White-Helton, Talyn Taylor and Landon Roldan. CJ Wiley and Craig Dandridge are among the younger players competing to establish themselves before the season opener.
The room is inexperienced by Georgia’s recent standards, but that does not mean it lacks talent. Smart’s response made clear that he sees the uncertainty around the group as an opportunity to create urgency rather than a reason to lower expectations.
The true answer will arrive once Georgia begins playing games. Until then, Smart appears more than comfortable with the questions surrounding his receivers. In fact, he wants them to keep coming.
