Georgia arrives in Miami connected for Orange Bowl

MIAMI, Fla. — The Georgia players who arrived healthy are all in and ready to put the squeeze on Florida State in the Orange Bowl.

Kirby Smart said it’s the healthiest the Bulldogs have been since October — even if the team is most notably missing All-American Brock Bowers and projected first-round offensive tackle Amarius Mims.

This, in addition to some 20 players who have entered the NCAA transfer portal.

“We’re excited to get down here,” Smart said, minutes after stepping off the chartered Delta flight.

“I’m really proud of the guys that are dying to go play. Everybody thinks like these guys aren’t going to play, our guys are going to play, our guys want to play, our guys are excited to play.”

Several mid-year enrollees made the trip along with Vanderbilt receiver transfer London Humphreys, Smart said. Freshman cornerback Daniel Harris, who recently went in the portal is also on the travel roster along with kicker Jared Zirkel.

Smart said the motivation for the team is clear.

“Our senior class and guys leaving, they really want to finish on top, they really want to get 50 wins for the senior class,” Smart said. “I think we’re at 49, (and) it’s really important to them to hit that 50 number.”

Here are 5 key takeaways from Smart from the arrival press conference:

Scouting report?

Smart said he doesn’t know what to expect from Florida State, as the Seminoles are reloading after some starters opted out.

The Bulldogs head coach coolly explained why he has taken the approach that it doesn’t really matter.

“We’ve taken the approach it’s not about them, it’s about us,” Smart said. “We don’t really know (what to expect), it doesn’t matter to us because we’re trying to play to our standard, we’re always trying to play to our standard.”

Intense practices

Smart said the pace of Georgia practices have picked up and run hot since the team returned from Christmas break.

“We’ve got a lot more good on good in practice,” Smart said. “It’s probably been the best bowl practices in terms of not going against the scout team and going against each other.

“When you don’t know 100 percent what you’re going to see, you’re better off going against really good people. So we’ve had a lot of ones on ones and twos and twos….”

About Brock Bowers

The fact Bowers wasn’t on the flight was telling, and to an extent, so were Smart’s comments when asked if the two-time All-American would play.

“It’s up to Brock really, Brock has been with us the whole time,” Smart said. “It’s more important that he’s 100 percent healthy. The guy probably played earlier than he should have and came out there and competed his butt off.

“He’s done everything he can for Georgia. He’s not 100 percent, so that makes it a little hard to do.”

About Ladd McConkey

McConkey is a fan-favorite many are following closely, including Smart, hotly anticipating his decision for next season.

“Ladd is great, Ladd has been practicing with us, working out, Ladd wants to play,” Smart said.

“Ladd missed some games, and he is still coming off an injury from the SEC Championship Game that he was not 100 percent,” Smart said. “He’s out there every day at practice, he’s taking reps, he’s catching punts and doing lots of things. We’ve had to hold him back some. I expect Ladd to be able to go.”

McConkey has yet to declare his intentions for next season.

First round ringer

Georgia cornerback Kamari Lassiter stepped off the flight with his game face on, a projected first-rounder who will play.

UGA safety Javon Bullard — who has yet to declare if he will return another season — is another key Bulldog who will be dialed in and on the football field.

Smart is not surprised by his secondary aces, both of whom figure to turn the heat up on a Florida State freshman quarterback making his second career start.

“Guys that are healthy and cleared to play, they’ve all said they’re going to play,” Smart said. “They’ve been practicing, doing everyting.

“We do have guys dinged up and injured that have been trying to fight their way back/ We’ll see if they can go in the game.”

Linebacker Smael Mondon would seem the most prominent of the injured players on defense who may not play but is on the trip.