📡 ‘No sleep for about a week’: Georgia players recount final-play nightmare

[BAMANEWSBOT]

INDIANAPOLIS — Nick Chubb didn’t even bother to look over at the person who asked the question. It came from somewhere off to the left, and he stared straight ahead as he issued a terse response.

“It’s over with,” he said, his eyes fixed on the curtain in the very back of the room.

Eight weeks had passed between the National Championship Game and the NFL scouting combine, and Chubb had zero interest in rehashing the final moments of his Georgia career.

His defensive teammates were not able to brush off the topic so easily. They were on the field, after all, when Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa unleashed one of the greatest passes in college football history; a 41-yard scoring throw to DeVonta Smith that gave Alabama its 17th national title and sent Georgia back to Athens empty-handed.

Words such as “hurt” and “heartbreak” tumbled out.

Here is a collection of responses from safety Dominick Sanders, linebacker Lorenzo Carter, linebacker Davin Bellamy and defensive lineman John Atkins as they recounted the last-second nightmare of an otherwise dream season.

‘I wish I could do it all over again’
It’s still fresh in college football fans’ minds: Alabama, trailing 13-0 at halftime, benched starting quarterback Jalen Hurts and replaced him with freshman Tua Tagovailoa. The Hawaiian southpaw gave Georgia’s defense fits. Put simply by Bellamy: “He was able to drop back and pass, and that’s something that we didn’t prepare for at all.”

SANDERS: “You’ve got to give it to the guy. He was a guy that we didn’t really rep that much because he didn’t play as much throughout the season. But when his time came up, he stepped in and he made plays.”

BELLAMY: “We were surprised how fast he was. We had prepared for Jalen Hurts. He’s a great athlete. But 13 [Tagovailoa] was just quick. I think about that third down [in the third quarter] all the time when he reversed field on us. That kinda changed the game also. But that play right there is where I realized, ‘OK, this kid is a baller.’ He just reversed field in the National Championship Game and picked up a third-and-[7].”

BELLAMY: “I thought I had done it again. This is crazy, right? This season couldn’t be any more scripted. It was second-and-26. Their field-goal kicker had missed a couple easy chip shots early … I’m thinking, ‘This game is over.’ “

CARTER: “We got a big play. Went out there, and we knew what we had to do. We had to get a stop.”

BELLAMY: “You go from that to the very next play that’s a deep ball. Nothing you can do about it. By far the biggest heartbreak that I’ve had.”

ATKINS: “When I saw the ball in the air, my head dropped. I was like, ‘Oh. My. God.’”

CARTER: “To turn around and see the ball in the air. … It was demoralizing.”

BELLAMY: “I knew it was over. I was like, ‘Man, I hope he drops it.’ But that’s a D-1 wide receiver over there at Alabama. I knew it was game over as soon as the ball left his hand.”

SANDERS: “He kinda looked me off. I kinda opened up toward the middle to try and honor the post that was coming backside. I also had a 9 route on my side to the same receiver. I tried to honor the post, and by the time I opened up, the guy was 5 yards ahead of me and it was pretty much over with.”

BELLAMY: “The quarterback did a great job looking him off. It was a hell of a play.”

SANDERS: “It was a good throw, though. Put it right there in the pocket for his receiver to get it. It was a mistake on my end. Everybody makes mistakes. Quarterbacks are gonna look off, especially at the next level. That’s what they’re good at, trying to look the DBs off. And he did that. It’s just something I’ve got to live with. Like I said, if I could have that play all over again, I’d do it all over.”

ATKINS: “It was real quiet in the locker room.”

SANDERS: “I couldn’t get no sleep for about a week.”

This weekend, players had bittersweet reactions to an unforgettable season.

ATKINS: “We kinda knew, ‘OK, we got here. A lot of people didn’t expect Georgia to be in the National Championship Game.’ … Everybody had it marked down for next year.”

SANDERS: “When I go back and look at it, I wish I could do it all over again. I wish I could get that last play. And I know everybody that was on that defense and our team wishes we could get that last play.”

ATKINS: “I look at it like, you can’t cry over spilt milk. It happened. You can’t change it now. You can’t cry about it now. ‘Man, we should’ve did this…’. It wasn’t just that play we messed up. There were a lot more plays in that game we messed up.”

SANDERS: “I wish we could have pulled it out, man. Georgia hasn’t won a national championship in so long. Just having everybody there. The fans. The atmosphere. The fans were very supportive. Just not being able to accomplish that, it really hurt.”

CARTER: “It made us work even harder, especially the guys that are still here at Georgia. I got a chance to go back and stop by a couple days before I came up here. And seeing those guys work let me know that they’re hungry. They’re ready to get back.”

'No sleep for about a week': Georgia players recount final-play nightmare

 

[TerryP]

So these quotes contradict each other? The first is from a player, the second from the coach...

It’s still fresh in college football fans’ minds: Alabama, trailing 13-0 at halftime, benched starting quarterback Jalen Hurts and replaced him with freshman Tua Tagovailoa. The Hawaiian southpaw gave Georgia’s defense fits. Put simply by Bellamy: “He was able to drop back and pass, and that’s something that we didn’t prepare for at all.”

Q:

They go to [freshman quarterback] Tua [Tagovailoa] in the second half. Was that something you expected to see in this game?

KIRBY SMART: Yes, absolutely. We talked long about it and talked about the ways we play him. We played enough snaps. We’d seen him on tape. We told everybody at halftime there was no question they were going to him because they were struggling and they needed some momentum. He provided them some juice, got them some momentum, got the momentum swung back their way.

He’s a good player. He’s got confidence in his arm. He scrambles and makes plays, throws the ball down the field. He’s a really talented freshman, reminds you of Jake with a lot of things he did. He’s got poise in the pocket, and he made the plays when he had to.

 

[TUSKtimes]

I think Smart brought up Tua getting in the game, knowing how thorough he is. But the weak link for the Georgia defense was the D-backs. Hurts wasn't going to be able to expose them but Tua just destroyed #14 Malkom Parrish in the entire second half. Smart was patting him on the back and talking to him throughout. Didn't matter, they didn't have anyone to put in that was better. I don't think the players or the coaches will ever really say our defense just couldn't stop #13.

 

[BamaFan334]

So these quotes contradict each other? The first is from a player, the second from the coach...

I'm gonna say Kirby is being untrue. As a head coach he should prepare for just about anything, but I never think he expected Tua to play leading up to the game, so it may have been a quick five minute film session on him, then back to Hurts and his tendencies. Gotten to where I can't stand Curbee, and after his not so honest side has shown and been proven the last couple of years, I'm saying he is leading others to believe he prepared and told his players, but maybe his players didn't.

 

[im4uainva]

I would have to opine that the Bama players felt much the same way after the NCG a year ago. That's a hurt that remained for a long time.

Roll Tide!

 

[UAgrad93]

So these quotes contradict each other? The first is from a player, the second from the coach...

My thoughts exactly!! KS says one thing while his players say the complete opposite.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

@BamaFan334 totally agree....i don't believe anybody thought that NS would pull a seasoned vet like JH for a true freshman.... a senecio might have unfolded where JH comes infor one more series and if nothing changed...put Tua in for a couple of series..for change of pace....but to start himin second half and stay with him the entire ( cept one play) second half... nobody would believe that....
NS isnt a big chance taker...and 13 points isn't that big a deficit...
Sounds to me like KS was deflecting criticism.....but really...they had one week to get ready....
The whole thing unfolded perfect for Bama..the loss to AU.. and not having to play UGA in the sec CCgama ....the relative easy game vs Clemson...the tough win for UGA....the long trip back for UGA...the short week....The is respect for Bama in the press...all perfect....

 

[TerryP]

I'm gonna say Kirby is being untrue.

I think Smart brought up Tua getting in the game, knowing how thorough he is.

If we're to believe Kirby here they not only brought up Tua coming in but talked about it a long time and ways to play/defend him. It leads me to ask, "talked about it with whom?"

If we're to believe what his players said, those long talks didn't include them because they said, "we didn't prepare for it."

I'm seeing what Kirby said to be untrue--at least to a degree. Yes, they likely did bring up a QB change. But it's my opinion he's saying this to placate the fan base. The problem is some of their fans are asking the same question I am. Others realize they weren't on par with Bama in that second half.

What's a little ironic to me is seeing, reading, and hearing so many UGA fans refer to Smart's time in Tuscaloosa as the very reason Bama's been good on defense. But, it was his defense that was out of sorts. Is it a coincidence that we talked about their defense against OU before we faced them in terms of both Smart and Tucker calling assignments and plays which could (and did) lead to a breakdown.

Officially ... :devil:

...officially, I'm saying he's been loose with the truth.

 

[jdpas29]

I seriously doubt that they expected Tua to get any meaningful reps... they certainly didn't think that the reps he could get would be quite so meaningful as they were.

The kid smoked 'em.

Bama is too much to prepare for with a passing threat like Tua.

 

[TUSKtimes]

If we're to believe Kirby here they not only brought up Tua coming in but talked about it a long time and ways to play/defend him. It leads me to ask, "talked about it with whom?"

If we're to believe what his players said, those long talks didn't include them because they said, "we didn't prepare for it."

I'm seeing what Kirby said to be untrue--at least to a degree. Yes, they likely did bring up a QB change. But it's my opinion he's saying this to placate the fan base. The problem is some of their fans are asking the same question I am. Others realize they weren't on par with Bama in that second half.

What's a little ironic to me is seeing, reading, and hearing so many UGA fans refer to Smart's time in Tuscaloosa as the very reason Bama's been good on defense. But, it was his defense that was out of sorts. Is it a coincidence that we talked about their defense against OU before we faced them in terms of both Smart and Tucker calling assignments and plays which could (and did) lead to a breakdown.

Officially ... :devil:

...officially, I'm saying he's been loose with the truth.

I didn't go into much detail but I tried to cover both of your points. Coach speak is what we got and what we will continue to get. I'm sure Kirby didn't want to concede that he overlooked any part of this Bama team in preparation. Not when everything he says and does is in the belief he's the next Alabama. I'm sure the players don't want to verbally concede that their DBs were the weakest part of their team and got pushed around in the second half. Coach speak and player speak.

The truth is they got ready for the starters and spent a lot less time on the backups, period. How do I know that? They only had a week to get it done. I'm sure they spent a good deal of their practice reps during the Holidays trying to figure out how to stop Baker Mayfield and the Sooner's offense. I would imagine the second game of the playoffs is like a fire drill compared to the reps and time you put in the semi-game. I always felt that playing Clemson in the finals really put us behind the 8 ball in preparation and scheme. If something got changed up like a whole new offensive scheme with Tua, someone could be in trouble.

 

[TerryP]

The truth is they got ready for the starters and spent a lot less time on the backups, period. How do I know that? They only had a week to get it done. I'm sure they spent a good deal of their practice reps during the Holidays trying to figure out how to stop Baker Mayfield and the Sooner's offense. I would imagine the second game of the playoffs is like a fire drill compared to the reps and time you put in the semi-game. I always felt that playing Clemson in the finals really put us behind the 8 ball in preparation and scheme. If something got changed up like a whole new offensive scheme with Tua, someone could be in trouble.

Maybe. I know Bama was prepping for both UGA and OU while they were prepping for Clemson as well. Not to the same degree, but they definitely had broken down film and had game plans for each team. I'd think Kirby did the same.

Funny we're talking about OU again in regard to UGA. Remember the discussions we had post-game about OU's offense? So much of it being scripted and as soon as they get off of that script we didn't see the same offense?

 

[TUSKtimes]

Funny we're talking about OU again in regard to UGA. Remember the discussions we had post-game about OU's offense? So much of it being scripted and as soon as they get off of that script we didn't see the same offense?

Maybe the best prep is developing the muscle memory in practice to execute? For both sides of the LOS.

 

[ChemE]

One of the best reads after the game ever! Dawg tears are so sweet!