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» Your hometown newspaper since 1861 The Eatonton Alessenger THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 2025 | B3 Smart preaches clear message at fall camp Lance McCurley lance@msgrnews.com Georgia football head coach Kirby Smart is known for his ability to prepare and motivate his teams each season. Whether it’s coining a saying like, “better never rests,” or a lesson in history about Spanish conquistador Hernando Cortes telling his soldiers to “burn the boats” as they headed into battle, Smart conveys the message effectively. This past offseason, he’s been preaching about wanting players who possess FPE — “fire, passion, and energy.” Smart wants players who lead and hold others accountable. The message has been well received by Bulldog players, including junior inside line backer Raylen Wilson, heading into his third season with the program. “I feel like everybody’s more bought into the fire, passion, energy thing because I feel like nowadays college football, mostly people care more about money and here we make sure that’s not the biggest issue,” Wilson told reporters last week on the first day of fall camp. “We focus on the passion and the love for the game.” Georgia’s back-to-back national championship rosters in 2021 and 2022 had outspoken leaders. Despite winning the SEC Champion ship and making the College Football Playofflast season, the Bulldogs appeared to lack some of that strong leadership. Tight end Oscar Delp has returned to Georgia for his final season. He’s seen what it takes to win a national title. Delp acknowledged that he LANCE McCURLEY/Staff Georgia tight end Ethan Barbour runs over cones during a drill on the first day of fall camp. and veteran players like Wilson have preached that message to the younger guys. “I know how it was when we won games and we won national championships. I was here for that, so I just share with them the standard and what those older guys were holding me to when I was younger,” he said. “I try to keep it the same. The standard is the standard. You’ve got to do it a certain way to win championships.” This season’s roster is young. Smart acknowledged in July at SEC Media Days that this team is mostly made up of first- and LANCE McCURLEY/Staff Georgia veteran defensive back Joenel Aguero prepares to catch a pass while participating in position drills during a practice on Thursday, July 31. second-year players. However, the loth-year head coach believes this young group is “hungry” to win. “We are young ... but we are hungry. We’ve got a team that’s fun to coach. We go out to practice each day, and they’ve been enthusiastic,” Smart said. “They’ve been out there working out, just doing all the things you ask.” Smart also recognizes FPE in his staff, which includes veteran coaches who have been with the program for a long time. “I feel it every day, because if you don’t have it, it’s hard to be successful,” Smart said. “You can’t keep up. Our staff has it. Our staff has great juice. We’ve had a chance to reenergize.” Georgia’s been practicing in the heat over the last week, but Smart highlighted his players are still bought in. “I see it in the players every day. And it starts with 110 heat index last week, seeing them out there running in that and facing it. They don’t always have it all the way through that ... but they do push and chal lenge each other,” he said. “That’s what I’ve enjoyed about this team so far, is they’re not afraid to hold each other accountable and get after each other, because they know that they’re stronger together than they are apart.” TITLE CONTINUED FROM » B1 travel ball teams and arranged games against them before the start of the state tournament in Greensboro. “That gave us four to six games a day on Saturdays with these girls,” Huskins said. “I truly believe that was the turning point. I can’t remember the exact record, but it was around 12-1 or 13-2. We knew we had something special with them, and it all depended on the competition.” Putnam finished 4-1 at KIRBY CONTINUED FROM » B1 the records of Saban and Smart are so impressive. Kirby has always been very respectful of his old boss, saying, “I wouldn’t be where I am today without having coached with him.” I can’t think of another successful coach who has seen one of his assistants win two national cham pionships, as has Saban with Kirby. Obviously, there continues to exist more opportunity for the protege, but you also must have an enormous amount of luck to win a champion ship. But the Smart man knows if you are in the hunt year after year, you create your opportunities to claim the big prize. Kirby has been a differ ence maker, making an impact from the begin ning by winning the SEC championship in just his Follow us on facebook |www.facebook.com/EatontonMessenger CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS O M o REFER TO PUZZLE ON PAGE C5 O w the state tournament to win the championship. The team easily beat Johnson County (23-1), Berrien County (13-1), and Metter (16-0) to reach the final round from the winner’s bracket. In the final, Putnam faced Adel, out of Cook County. However, after outscoring their oppo nents 52-4 in its first three contests, the Eatonton girls lost 7-3 to Adel, forcing a winner-take-all game two to decide the state champion. Putnam rebounded, defeating Adel 12-6 in the deciding game for the state title. “Cook had to win, and second season and getting his team to the national championship game where it lost in overtime to Alabama. It took Vince Dooley 16 years to win a national title. Bear Bryant needed 19, Darrell Royal required 16, Saban, 14, Tom Osborne, 11. Woody Hayes and Dabo Swinney grasped the Holy Grail after nine seasons. Bobby Bowden had the best record in football during his peak years at Florida State, but his first title came after 28 years as a head coach. That Kirby almost won it in his second year further reflects his brilliance as a coach. Georgia has upgraded its facilities across the board; other UGA sports teams are enjoying note worthy success, too — the rising tide lifts all boats effect — and the univer sity remains in popular demand, regionally and nationally. Home state they won the first game. They were a really good team,” Huskins said. “It was a challenge, although we knew what to say to our players, because they were beaten down. They hadn’t lost a game in a long time, and then they just lost one. But they came back and really swung the bat well to • » win. Arthur said the entire season’s journey to winning the title was exciting for everyone involved. “They built lifelong friendships and memo ries,” he said of his players. “One day, they can share those with their kids.” pride in the Bulldogs has never been higher. With that success, however, comes an unre lenting pressure to win. Everybody has the highest expectations, but Kirby can handle that and will work harder to over achieve. He will never fall victim to resting on his laurels. He will never underestimate an oppo nent, and he will never get fat-headed with the potential of any of his teams. A UGA alumnus who wants nothing but the best for his alma mater, Kirby is built for the long haul and is as anxious for the season to get underway as even the most passionate Bulldog fan. The Kirby kickoff awaits. Natural Gas Customers If You Ever Smell Gas Call Us Immediately at 706 486 3311 or 911 City of Eatonton Natural Gas Department Natural Gas is odorless in its natural state; therefore, a chemical is added which allows you to smell it. Gas leakage may occur from faulty appliances, loose connections, service lines inside or outside of your home, or from gas mains. Leaks can be dangerous, and should be dealt with promptly by people who are trained in this field. If you ever smell gas, even if you don’t use it in your home, take these precautions promptly. You may also hear a hissing noise coming from gas lines going to appliances or near gas meters. 1. Call City of Eatonton Natural Gas Department at: 706 485 3311 immediately or in an emergency call 911. 2. If odor is very strong and you are indoors, open windows and doors to ventilate. Go outside. Call us from a neighbor’s house. 3. DO NOT TURN ANY ELECTRICAL SWITCHES ON OR OFF, OR USE THE TELEPHONE. LEAVE IMMEDIATELY AND DO NOT RE-ENTER UNTIL NOTIFIED BY GAS DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL THAT EVERYTHING IS OK. 4. DO NOT light matches, smoke cigarettes, or create any other source of comubstion. HOWEVER SLIM THE CHANGES, IT DOESN’T PAY TO TAKE CHANCES. To learn more about our natural gas service or the benefits of natural gas: Call us: 706-485-3311 Call before you dig, 911 or 1-800-282-7411 PRESS RELEASE ANNOUNCING A PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX INCREASE The Putnam County Board of Education announces its intention to increase the property taxes it will levy this year by 20.03 percent above the rollback millage rate. Each year, the board of tax assessors is required to review the assessed value for property tax purposes of taxable property in the county. When the trend of prices on properties that have recently sold in the county indicate there has been an increase in the fair market value of any specific property, the board of tax assessors is required by law to re-determine the value of such property and adjust the assessment. This is called a reassessment. When the total digest of taxable property is prepared, Georgia law requires that a rollback millage rate must be computed that will produce the same total revenue on the current year's digest that last year's millage rate would have produced had no reassessments occurred. The budget tentatively adopted by the Putnam County Board of Education requires that a millage rate higher than the rollback millage rate, therefore, before the Putnam County Board of Education may finalize the tentative budget and set a final millage rate, Georgia law requires three public hearings to be held to allow the public an opportunity to express their opinions on the increase. All concerned citizens are invited to the public hearings on this tax increase to be held at the Putnam County Board of Education Office, 158 Old Glenwood Springs Road, Eatonton, Georgia on August 11, 2025 at 12:00 PM and 6:00 PM and on August 18, 2025 at 5:00 PM.
