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Brian Kemp discusses Georgia football, potential for 2020 season
Even Georgia Governor Brian Kemp knows that there are questions surrounding the Georgia offense entering the 2020 season.
Kemp, a Georgia alum and Athens native, seems to have a very good understanding of what the Bulldogs’ talent and what they must improve upon on the football field this year.
“Kirby (Smart)’s doing a great job at Georgia,” Kemp said while appearing on the Paul Finebaum show. “The defense is loaded, and I think the question for us is gonna be on the offensive side of the ball. They’ve got a lot of really new talent coming in and some solid folks coming back, so I think we’ll be able to play with anybody.”
Of course, this all assumes Georgia and the rest of college football are even going to even have a college football season. The actions of Kemp and the other various governors across the country will go a long way in potentially helping those chances in the next few weeks.
While appearing on the show, Kemp did add though that he is optimistic about possibly seeing the Georgia defense, along with how the offense will look.
“I’m reserving judgment now, but believe me: I’m optimistic,” Keny said. “I want to see that happen if it’s at all possible, and we’ll try to do work with folks to do that if it makes sense from a public health standpoint.”
A number of states, including Georgia, have begun to re-open after the COVID-19 shutdown. And the coming weeks will likely see a number of industries try and return to some form of normalcy. On Wednesday, the NCAA announced it would be lifting the mandate on on-campus athletic activities for football and men’s and women’s basketball.
The SEC presidents will vote on Friday on when those athletes will be allowed on campus, whether that be June 1 or June 15.
One current Bulldog, Demetris Robertson, seemed to be rooting for the former date based off what he posted online on Wednesday.
Related: NCAA clears path for players’ return to campus June 1, SEC presidents vote Friday
Kemp has spoken with both Kirby Smart and Georgia President Jere Morehead about the future issues that could arise in the coming weeks.
“I know all the presidents, especially in the SEC, are having conversations with the commissioner and making decisions in conjunction with the public health folks, just like we are, and we stand ready to work with them,” Kemp said.
“I think we’ve gotta continue to follow the data and the science and the advice of public health officials and see what that’s gonna look like.”
Georgia was the first state to ease some restrictions and a number of states have done so since. But not all have followed the same timeline, which makes sense as the severity of COVID-19 differs from state to state.
And there are a number of moving parts with a possible return to college football as well. Georgia’s first game this year won’t actually be in Sanford Stadium, but rather Mercedes-Benz Stadium as currently scheduled.
The Bulldogs are set to take on Virginia on Sept. 7. As for what that contest might look like from a fan standpoint, Kemp wasn’t quite ready to declare that it would look like a normal Georgia football game.
“I believe it’s a little too early to tell whether we’re gonna open on Labor Day with a packed house or a sparse crowd or no crowd at all, but I know everybody wants to have a crowd there,” Kemp said.
Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith spoke on Wednesday about what having fans in Ohio Stadium might look like. He announced on Twitter that following current social distancing guidelines it could be as low as 22,000, but if those are relaxed it could be as high as 50,000. Ohio State’s stadium has a capacity of 102,780.
Sanford Stadium holds 92, 746 people. If Georgia fans want to get a chance to see the Bulldogs play in person this year, he made a simple but critical recommendation.
“I would urge people to continue to follow the guidance so that we can drive these numbers down so we can do that, but we stand ready to work with them,” Kemp said.
More Georgia football stories from around DawgNation
- Where Georgia football 2021 recruiting commitments and targets rank after latest updates
- Georgia football podcast: Elite RB recruit Donovan Edwards gives UGA cool shoutout
- De’Jahn Warren: The real nuggets to know about the nation’s No. 1 JUCO prospect
- What Barrett Carter’s decision means for Georgia and where the Bulldogs go next in 2021 recruiting
- WATCH: Mark Richt shares tale of hiring Kirby Smart as RB assistant
- Marquise Groves-Killebrew: Elite in-state junior CB says UGA calls him a ‘No. 1 priority’
- National media continues to hype up Georgia football 2020 defense
