ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia's Kirby Smart spoke to the media on Tuesday before spring football practice.
He answered several questions; among them were about quarterback Gunner Stockton and new defensive backs coach Andrew Thacker, a Gainesville graduate.
After Carson Beck's injury in the SEC Championship game, Stockton assumed the starting QB role.
Smart said the team rallies around the former Rabun County standout QB.
“Yeah, he's a tremendous leader, but that's nothing I didn't already know. I mean, I would be remiss if I said, well, he's done this or that," Smart said. "He's done everything right since he's been here. That's really what he embodies. He's a tough kid who loves football and loves his teammates. You're not going to get a lot of rah-rah out of Gunner. I feel like that's his role. He earns people's respect by how he works and how he carries himself. He's got a tremendous amount of confidence in his ability. He's got a lot of knowledge of our system, and I think that kind of resonates with the other players. They rally around Gunner because they have a lot of respect for him.”
Andrew Thacker, former Georgia Tech defensive coordinator, came to Athens last season and was an analyst for the Bulldogs.
He was elevated to working with the defensive backs this season.
"He's taking on a position job. He's going to be working almost primarily with the secondaries, specifically the stars," Smart said. "He'll be with those guys, the Nickels and Help Coach. Those guys are kind of a quasi-position now. They're half outside linebacker. They're half linebacker. They're half DB. They're a little bit safety. They're special teams players. But he'll take on a role with those guys and spend time with them.”
Georgia will end spring practice with the annual G-Day on April 12. The game will be televised on ESPN.
