This will be happening in Tampa later today.
I came up with 3 serious and 3 not-so-serious questions for Kirby if I were at SECMD.
Serious:
Q: Who would be the first 5 on the offensive line to run out for the first snap if you were playing a game today?
My thoughts (or hopes) on an answer would be Greene at LT, Glover at LG, Bobo at C (I’m assuming he’s fully healthy since he’s going to Tampa), Calhoun at RG (is that too much to ask), and Gaston at RT. I admit I’m not as sold on Jah Jackson as others appear to be. I want Gaston to be groomed to take over at LT in 2027. I also want Helton to get a bunch of snaps (just not the first one) this season.
Q: The narrative this off-season is all about going deeper in the playoff. Would you rather win the SEC and lose a quarterfinal or go deeper in the playoff without winning either the national title or an SEC title?
My answer (if I were Kirby) would be: A number on the wall should mean something. Winning the SEC title is an outstanding year regardless of how the season ends. Do we want to go deep in the playoff and win the whole thing? Absolutely. Should we discount the value of winning our league in the name of the playoff? Absolutely not.
Q: You made a big deal about being more explosive on offense and disruptive on defense throughout the spring and the offseason. Who are the players you expect to make that a reality?
After injecting Kirby with truth serum … here’s the answer as opposed to coachspeak:
On offense, that starts with the offensive line playing to their immense potential to give Gunner time to allow plays downfield to develop or holes for our backs to run through. Then, Gunner has to be willing to take calculated risks in the passing game with the intermediate and downfield routes. Don’t be stupid with it, and also don’t default to the check-down or the behind of line of scrimmage throw. Finally, make the first guy miss. Talyn Taylor, Nate Frazier and Elyiss Williams need to be those guys for us.
On defense, it starts again up front. Take away the run game and force teams into poor down and distance. Move the line of scrimmage back. We started doing that in games later in the season last year but didn’t do that consistently in New Orleans. Cover a second longer to give our front 6 a chance to get home and disrupt the QB. I would love to get more sacks, but taking the QB out of rhythm is the most important thing. Look at the 2 Alabama games. Game 1 we didn’t do that and they had their way in the first half. Game 2 we never let them truly get comfortable. Elijah Griffin, Chris Cole, Q Johnson, and Gabe Harris need to play to their potential.
Not-so-serious (with in some cases not-so-serious responses):
Q: Your son Andrew recently attended a Georgia Tech camp and seemed to come away with an offer. Is there any way your son plays for that good-for-nothing program where he has held up whiteboards with “We Run This State” written on it multiple times?
Andrew is Weston’s little brother, but no way will I allow him to play for a little brother program like Fech, Texas Tech, the Barn, the Handbags, or Texas AgCult. FTMF.
Q: It’s been reported you are a member of the new golf club, The Rose, right outside of Athens. You can take anyone to play. Who are you taking?
That guy, EE, who writes at GTP Refugees, seems like a guy I would enjoy a day on the course with. I know he would bring a couple of members of the best community in the Dawg interwebs with him.
Q: You and Mike (Bobo) are both SAE alumni. Do you think you two would have gotten in if you didn’t play football?
Hell, no. They would have sent both of us to sit in the TV room watching 1980 highlights on VHS with a paper cup of tepid water while they schmoozed their rich boy legacies.
Those are my questions.
Inquiring minds want to know what your questions and answers would be.
Refugees, assemble and discuss.
