Credit: Dylan Goodman Photography
Credit: Dylan Goodman Photography
Credit: Dylan Goodman Photography
MIAMI<\/b> \u2014 Count Sedrick Van Pran in. Javon Bullard, too.
Georgia arrived in Miami on Tuesday night to continue preparations for the Orange Bowl. Those two players served as team spokesmen as the Bulldogs\u2019 Delta charter arrived at a private hangar at Miami International Airport slightly later than scheduled. They left little doubt in short interviews upon their arrival they intend to play Saturday — despite whatever might come next — and emphasized they\u2019re in it to win it.
\u201cIt wasn\u2019t a decision that I had to make,\u201d Van Pran, a senior who has NFL inspirations, said. \u201cThis was the last opportunity I get with my brothers so I wanted to enjoy it. In all honesty, for me, I just genuinely enjoy being around the guys.\u201d
Bullard, a junior who likewise could turn pro, agreed.
\u201cWe\u2019re trying to come in here and win, period,\u201d said Bullard, the Bulldogs\u2019 starting strong safety. \u201cFor some of these guys, especially this senior class, we want to go out on top for them. That\u2019s what we\u2019ve been preaching all week.\u201d
The Delta plane carrying the Bulldogs arrived at Signature Aviation later than expected after the team practiced Tuesday in Athens. More than 100 players deplaned. How many will actually play against No. 5 FSU (13-0) in the Orange Bowl remains to be seen.<\/p>\n
It was a varied lot, to be sure. Among them were uninjured underclassmen who definitely will play, upperclassmen with heavy NFL draft stock such as Bullard and Van Pran who may or may not go, injured players who are unlikely to play and newly-acquired players who couldn\u2019t play even if they wanted. Meanwhile, there are at least 20 Georgia players who didn\u2019t make the trip because they\u2019ve entered the NCAA\u2019s transfer portal.
Welcome to modern college football \u2013 non-playoff style \u2013 where opt-outs are monitored on a daily basis and availability is based more on personal preference than \u201ccoach\u2019s decision.\u201d
\u201cThey want kids to have flexibility,\u201d Georgia coach Kirby Smart said of the transfer window. \u201cMy biggest thing is trying to finish what you started, finish the season. And if you notice, the teams in the playoff aren\u2019t dealing with it as much. So, it\u2019s slowly making the bowls harder to deal with. But not really for us because the kids we\u2019ve got are all in and want in and want to play. So it\u2019s not really been a big deal or a problem for us.\u201d
Case in point: Bullard\u2019s opting in.
\u201cYeah I\u2019m playing,\u201d the safety from Milledgeville said incredulously. \u201cI\u2019m going to start what I finish. As far as (draft) decisions, it will be said when things are said. I don\u2019t really want to speak on that. But as far as this game, I\u2019m all in, I\u2019m playing and I want to finish with the guys.\u201d
Smart said Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey have been taking part in practices. Both were injured at the end of the season, including in the SEC Championship game. Whether they play Saturday remains to be seen.
\u201cRight now we have our guys who are heathy ready to play,\u201d Smart said. \u201cIf they are healthy, they all said they are going to play.\u201d
Smart said McConkey, who has even been fielding punts in practices, \u201cwants to play.\u201d Smart admitted that Bowers is \u201cnot 100 percent\u201d and \u201cmight\u2019ve come back too soon\u201d but did not rule out his participation.
The Bulldogs\u2019 attitude stood in stark contrast to their competition. Florida State has had multiple players opt out, including their top six offensive producers and at least three defensive starters.
\u201cWe\u2019re taking the approach that it\u2019s not about them, it\u2019s about us,\u201d Smart said. \u201cWe don\u2019t really know, but it doesn\u2019t matter to us. We\u2019re just trying to play to our standard. We\u2019re always playing to our standard. … It\u2019s probably been our best bowl practices.\u201d
About the Author<\/p>\n
Chip Towers covers the Georgia Bulldogs for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.<\/p>\n