Jeremy Pruitt reveals what characteristics to expect from a Kirby Smart-led Georgia team

Georgia is still riding high off of their 2022 College Football championship. Kirby Smart’s first as the head of his own program following several titles while at Alabama. Could the Bulldogs be in store for a step back in 2022, though? Well, former Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt believes with Smart’s background, he’ll have his Dawgs chomping at the bit for a repeat next January.

Pruitt recently appeared on On the Beat with Mike Griffith to talk Georgia football, particularly, how Smart and his staff can stave off any championship hangover.

Here were his comments:

“I think one thing that Kirby has done an outstanding job is getting his staff to buy into complementary football. You look at this past year they had one of the best defenses in the history of college football.”

But Pruitt doesn’t want to skip over the offense, which played in excellent complement to the historic defense.

“You look at the offensive staff, and they were very efficient. One of the things that didn’t jump out to me during the season…statistically how good Georgia was offensively. They were one of the best teams in the country statistically on offense as well. But you didn’t since that as you were watching the games. They weren’t flashy, but they just kinda stayed within themselves and stayed the course. Now, they’ve done an outstanding job of doing that.”

He then explained how Kirby Smart’s experience with winning championships as an assistant and his iron wall approach to each new year will help the Dawgs defeat any post-title malaise.

“People don’t realize the advantage Georgia has by having Kirby. After you win a championship, the next year it’s so hard — everybody has relief syndrome. So it’s a new year. Guys who made All-America or All-SEC, nobody cares. It’s time to do it all over again. Kirby’s been through that a couple of times as an assistant coach, and he has seen what has happened. The pitfalls and mistakes that can happen the following year. I think that’s gonna be key for Georgia next year. The fact that they have a coach that’s been there and done that. So I look for Georgia to possibly avoid some of those pitfalls this year because of Kirby’s experience.”

Jeremy Pruitt believes if there’s one coach, besides Nick Saban, who can prevent his team from falling flat in the year after a title, it’s Kirby Smart. He expects that Georgia team to be just as hungry and riled up as last year.