ATHENS, Ga. — Coach Kirby Smart was disappointed in the somewhat muted performance of home fans in No. 5
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Following this week’s game against Mississippi State, Georgia will play three consecutive games away from Athens, including an Oct. 19 game at No. 1 Texas and a Nov. 9 game at No. 9 Ole Miss. The Bulldogs return home on Nov. 16 to play No. 8 Tennessee.
Smart’s criticism of fans was a popular subject of questions at his weekly news conference Monday. He grew testy after he was asked at what point of the game he felt fans let the team down.
“It’s like you’re wanting to make this us against them,” Smart said. “That’s not really what this is about. We’re a team. We’re a unit and I think it’s OK to say how you feel and try to pull the family together and pull in the right direction and you guys want to make it about ‘Kirby said this.'”
Two Georgia players made available for interviews Monday, left guard Dylan Fairchild and outside linebacker Chaz Chambliss, said they were not aware of a decline in fan support in the game.
“Saturday, I mean, I was locked into the game,” Fairchild said. “I’m fully focused on what I have to do.”
Added Chambliss: “When I’m on the field, I’m not really big into all the juice and all that. I just want to focus on my assignment and getting communication across the field. You know, it’s kind of just like a dead silence out there.”
Smart said Georgia’s long streak of consecutive home wins may have spoiled fans.
“You win these games at home and maybe you take it for granted if you win so many games at home,” Smart said. “But I know this. It’s hard. These teams going on the road across the SEC, you make it hard on them by what you do and what you create. … It’s about us all pulling in the same direction.”
