Kirby Smart details Arik Gilbert's progression, concerns
Kirby Smart is hopeful for Arik Gilbert and what he can do for Georgia’s loaded tight end room in 2022. But the Bulldogs head coach also knows that for Gilbert, what’s going on between the ears matters as much as his ability between the lines.
Smart is prioritizing Gilbert’s mental wellbeing, he said after Georgia’s scrimmage on Saturday. Gilbert’s in a good spot it seems and when all is right upstairs for the redshirt sophomore tight end, he can show his tremendous talent.
“I’m always more concerned with Arik’s wellbeing, mentally, than I am his wellbeing on just knowing assignments and knowing what to do,” Smart said. “And that’s the most important thing, that he feels comfortable on our team and can help us.”
Gilbert, a Louisiana native, transferred to Georgia from LSU in the summer of 2021 after spending his true freshman season in Baton Rouge. He appeared in eight games, catching 35 passes for 368 yards and two touchdowns. He redshirted the 2021 season at Georgia.
In Athens, Gilbert features in a position group that includes star sophomore Brock Bowers, 6-foot-7, 265 pound Darnell Washington and four-star freshman Oscar Delp, among others. It’s a deep group, but some injuries in the spring, and Delp arriving over the summer — meant Gilbert got a lot of work in this offseason.
Now that Georgia is back in better health at the tight end position, Gilbert will be fighting to stand out among the group.
“Arik’s done a really good job. He’s been tough. He’s understood his assignments. Spring, he got thrust into things a whole lot more in terms of number of reps and volume of reps,” Smart said. “With the other guys being healthy, and Delp being further along — we couldn’t do two spot in the spring, we didn’t have enough guys — we’ve been able to do more two spot, so that’s helped. Darnell coming off the injury, Brock coming off the injury, Delp coming off being a mid-year, and then Arik, he got a lot more reps. He has to be able to sustain — he’s developing as a special teams player. Something that he has not done as much before.”