Georgia details reasoning for Vanderbilt postponement. Why frustration abounds
Vanderbilt athletic director Candice Lee Storey wants to ensure Saturday’s postponed game with Georgia gets played. Greg McGarity knows that. Georgia’s AD is not going to call it a sure thing, however.
The SEC’s decision to postpone Saturday’s game comes after Vanderbilt failed to meet the recommended minimum requirement of 53 scholarship players. McGarity said it came from a combination of Commodore injuries, COVID-19 issues and opt-outs, and that a three-ingredient recipe such as that “is not good,” the outgoing Georgia athletic director added.
The Tennessean reported that Vanderbilt players considered opting out after Sunday’s firing of seven-year head coach Derek Mason. The Commodores entered the scheduled game with Georgia at an 0-8 SEC record.
“That’s the fear,” McGarity said on the hesitancy of playing the rescheduled game Dec. 19. If Georgia is eligible to represent the SEC East in the conference title game, then a makeup contest with Vandy will be deemed a no-contest. “If they’ve got that same mixture, those three ingredients still in play, you just worry due to the whole dynamic. We’re hopeful.”
Senior day has to wait
A tad more than 24 hours before kickoff, Georgia’s finale at Sanford Stadium against Vanderbilt got postponed. The Bulldogs were ready to recognize 23 seniors and mark a milestone in a chaotic, pandemic-shortened season. It got called off, much to the frustration of administration, football coaches and players. Georgia also had its Nov. 14 game at Missouri postponed due to COVID-19 issues.
The two games are set to be played Dec. 12 at Missouri, then on Dec. 19 to close out Georgia’s regular season by hosting Vanderbilt.
McGarity received an “alert,” as he called it, from the SEC on Thursday night. He was told that Vanderbilt “may have a problem.” At that moment, the Bulldogs started to develop contingency plans. But Georgia didn’t get another update until Friday morning.
As of 11:29 a.m. Friday, the game was still on. A conference call happened at 11:30 and the news broke. Georgia’s administration was told Vanderbilt was “well, well under” the 53-player recommendation, McGarity said.
“That’s the frustrating part of it. We all know the Thursday test is critical,” McGarity said. “I’ve said a million times that you’re only as good as your Friday results. There’s a combination (of factors) and that’s what caught up to Vanderbilt.”
After last Saturday’s 45-16 win at South Carolina, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart didn’t open about his team’s play. He spoke about his team’s sacrifice. Smart indicated that Georgia players had to miss out on family time over the open weeks and Thanksgiving break. The Bulldogs have had ailing close ones and haven’t been able to visit them because of COVID-19.
Through a tumultuous season where Georgia doesn’t control its own championship destiny, Smart commended his players to staying true to protocols.
“I don’t know if anybody really understands the college football environment this year,” Smart said. “2020 has been so different in terms of motivation and what these kids go through. They’ve sacrificed a lot. They’ve stuck through it.”
Everything can change in a moment’s notice because of protocols. The teams are tested three times per week, so a last-minute game cancellation hasn’t been a rarity. But players can opt out of the season at any time without losing eligibility, and that also depletes team’s numbers across the SEC.
Georgia has remained strong in every facet other than a rash of injuries. The Bulldogs have been eligible for all of their games. They’ve made sacrifices, and McGarity doesn’t believe every program has followed those guidelines to the same strict level as Georgia.
“Our young people have illustrated that it can be done by sacrificing, listening and a strong show of discipline,” McGarity said. “You don’t see that with others and it frustrates you. It doesn’t translate into any type of competitive equity.”
Each week, Georgia has been ready to play because of being “fortunate” with COVID-19 outbreaks. There’s a desire for this game to get played on each side, but it’s a disappointing development for Georgia.
Another team’s issue with player availability makes the Bulldogs sit out and wait. And it’s no sure thing Georgia-Vanderbilt happens in two weeks, either.
“It’s so frustrating. We have not had an issue with COVID all fall — no spread or anything to this date,” McGarity said. “I don’t want to jinx us, but we have proven you can deal with this if you do everything possible to prevent it.”
This story was originally published December 5, 2020 at 6:37 PM with the headline "Georgia details reasoning for Vanderbilt postponement. Why frustration abounds."