ATHENS — Arik Gilbert’s first catch and touchdown reception as a Georgia player checked off the final “feel good win” boxes on Saturday.
In doing so, the Bulldogs engaged a potentially key piece in their offensive arsenal.
“It was great,” said UGA coach Kirby Smart, who has provided support and direction for Gilbert as the ultra-talented tight end has worked through personal issues since arriving from LSU before the 2021 season.
“It was great for that kid confidence-wise,” Smart said, “trying to get him something to celebrate and be happy about.”
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Smart’s No. 1-ranked team dominated Vanderbilt by a 55-0 count at Sanford Stadium, playing three quarterbacks and emptying the bench in the process.
Gilbert played in the first two games this season for the Bulldogs, but he had been targeted only once and failed to make a catch.
Gilbert didn’t play the four games leading into the contest with the Commodores, leading many to ask about his status each week.
And, each week, Smart would tell media that Gilbert was practicing with the team and he hoped he’d be able to help them this season.
Gilbert made his first catch in a regular-season game at Georgia with 9:05 left, reeling in a 12-yard Carson Beck pass with 9:05 left in the game.
Moments later, Gilbert made his second catch, a 4-yard grab from Beck with 7:21 left in the game that made it 48-0.
The last time Gilbert had caught a pass in a regular-season game was his freshman season at LSU, when he had five grabs for 29 yards in his final game for the Bayou Bengals against Alabama on Dec. 5, 2020.
Gilbert had 35 catches for 368 yards and two touchdowns in eight games that season, his most recent scoring catch coming on Oct. 10, 2020.
Georgia fans got a preview of Gilbert’s great potential during spring drills, when he had 3 catches for 49 yards and 2 touchdowns and drew pass interference penalties in the end zone.
ESPN analyst Greg McElroy called the spring game and noted the 6-foot-5, 255-pound Gilbert had an “unbelievable skillset.”
NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. has ranked Gilbert a first-round talent, his top-rated player at the H-Back /fullback position.
Smart has prioritized Gilbert’s personal development over his football development this season, bringing him along slowly in that sense.
“You sign (players) into your family, and I look at all the players as our family members and we’re going to do everything we can to make them more successful in life because they chose to come here,” Smart said. “And we owe that to them by them choosing to come here.”
Speaking more specifically on Gilbert, who Smart was riding just as hard as every other play during the dog days of fall camp, the head coach had set the tone in the preseason.
“I’m always a lot more concerned with Arik’s well-being, mentally, than his well-being just on knowing assignments and what to do,” Smart said during preseason camp.
“That’s the most important thing is that he feels comfortable with our team and can help us.”
On Saturday Gilbert did both, and now Georgia has a bye week to work on itself before facing Florida on Oct. 29 in Jacksonville.
