Georgia strives to avoid complacency in quest to return to College Football Playoff
It was hard not to notice the silver edges of the retractable roof in the skyline above Terry Godwin’s left shoulder. There stood Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the site where Georgia’s national championship hopes fell painfully short on a final play.
Godwin was outside on a poolside patio previewing the upcoming season when a reporter noticed the backdrop he was standing against. Godwin turned around, saw the stadium and let out his trademark smile.
“To be honest, that’s my first time seeing it since I’ve been here,” he said. “I didn’t even notice it was over my shoulder.”
The image was fitting. Georgia got to play at Mercedes-Benz Stadium twice last year. The first time resulted in jubilation following Georgia’s SEC title game win over Auburn. The second concluded in heartbreak, with an excruciating 26-23 loss to Alabama in overtime.
The primary goal is to get back to Mercedes-Benz Stadium to play for another SEC championship. Winning the conference title all but ensures a spot in the College Football Playoff. And given what transpired a season ago, the expectations have ramped up a notch for the Georgia football program.
“People ask me every day, ‘Are you guys going back?’ ” defensive lineman Jonathan Ledbetter said. “Of course that’s every team’s goal.”
A common theme the Georgia players spoke about was not being satisfied with simply reaching last season’s national championship. While it was a memorable year for the players involved, the Bulldogs fell one play short. It was a tough grind that ended in hurt and sorrow. It can also serve as a building block for a potential return.
Given the fact Georgia is coming off of its biggest season since the early 1980s, it is already being considered a heavy favorite to win the SEC East. Given the long grind Georgia endured in 2017, Godwin said he understands the time and effort needed to get there.
“We can’t be complacent with just getting there. We have to be better,” Godwin said. “We have to win. For us, we’re set in stone that we’re going to do our best to get there again.”
Since head coach Kirby Smart took over the Georgia program in 2016, a focal point of his has been for his players to avoid complacency. He doesn’t want them feeling too great about themselves after big wins. He doesn’t want them to feel too low after a loss.
Asked about this Tuesday, Smart said it is incumbent on the coaching staff to ensure the players are in the correct mental state throughout a season to avoid being satisfied with the level they are competing at.
“Every guy on our staff is going to come in and demand excellence,” Smart said. “That’s the challenge, it’s on us. We drive them by how we prepare them and what we do with them. The challenge is getting the younger players to develop into the leaders that we had last year.”
Throughout Georgia’s time at SEC Media Days, Smart and his players fielded plenty of questions about the national title game against Alabama. Godwin claimed he isn’t thinking of the Crimson Tide, even after a couple of reporters – perhaps in jest – said they didn’t believe him.
At the same time, Godwin said Georgia’s team facility and weight room only has reminders of the season-opening opponent – Austin Peay on Sept. 1.
The goal is to get back to a College Football Playoff now that Georgia has been to one. The long and arduous process of doing so will soon begin.
“Just getting back, that’s one of the toughest steps to overcome,” Godwin said. “And hopefully, once we do get there, we can make the best of our situation.”
This story was originally published July 17, 2018 at 5:07 PM.