ATHENS, Ga. — University of Georgia football student-athletes Terrell Foster, Cole Speer, Malaki Starks and Gunner Stockton previewed the upcoming G-Day game during a media availability on Tuesday afternoon and provided the following comments.
#30 Terrell Foster || ILB || R-So.
On why he chose to attend Georgia…
“It’s Georgia. This program is known for developing good players and I came to here to become a good player. That was the main intention.”
On the running back room…
“I think we have a lot of depth in our running back room. Each running back has a certain skillset that they bring to the table. I think moving forward and going into the season, we’ll be good in the running back room.”
On what he is looking forward to this G-Day...
“It's just been a journey for me through this entire spring in general. Constantly trying to make sure I'm improving day in and day out. G-Day is just another day of making sure I add a plus one to it, in my opinion.”
#83 Cole Speer || WR || Jr.
On what excites him about the offense this spring...
"We've been very explosive and Coach Bobo is a very good play caller. There's some very talented weapons that are going to be used during the season and in the spring game, so I'm looking forward to it."
On what it's been like being coached by James Coley this spring...
"He's a more technical guy. He's really smart and was the previous offensive coordinator here, so he knows what he's doing. He's been coaching hard just like Bryan McClendon and other coaches that have been here. Any coach that's coming through here that Coach Smart is going to hire, is going to coach you hard. It's been good so far and I'm looking forward to keep getting better with him."
On his relationship with Stockton and his progression this spring...
"Yeah, me and Gunner are pretty close. I roll with the two's a lot, so we get to throw together a good bit and he's continued to get better every single day and continues to deliver good balls to me. I can't complain."
#24 Malaki Starks || DB || Jr.
On being limited this spring and being a leader for the younger players…
“It’s tough, I haven’t been out for this long since I started playing football, so just for me to sit out and not be able to do stuff is tough. I just started doing independent work not too long ago, so I’m able to get back into it a little bit. I guess it’s a blessing in disguise because it’s teaching me how to lead from a different perspective and how to be there for the younger guys plus the older guys in the DB room. It’s teaching me how to connect with certain people.”
On what has stood out to him about the safety competition this spring…
“There’s a bunch of depth in that room. That room is very competitive. Just to go out there and watch them compete to try and beat the guy in front of him but in a healthy way. Healthy competition is what we talk about a lot in that room from every guy, from the oldest guy to the youngest guy in there. They’re all going out there and trying to get better every day so it’s a good thing to see.”
On what defines a successful spring to him…
“Probably how much I can actually learn and affect others. That’s the biggest thing for me in my role right now is being able to affect other people, whether it’s a young guy, old guy, grad assistant or coach it doesn’t matter, just bringing that energy and knowing that every day I’m going to go out there and be the same guy no matter what. I can’t practice but I’m not going to sit there and pout about it, I want to see everybody get better and I want to see the defense grow. Being able to learn and teach is important to me.
#14 Gunner Stockton || QB || R-So.
On what defines a good G-Day to him...
"Probably being productive, but at the end of the day, I want my team to win no what side I'm on. Red or black, whatever I can attribute to that role of winning would probably make me happy."
On how spring practice has been...
"Yeah, it's been good. It started off really hot. I think the first, I think it was the first padded practice, I didn't throw an incompletion, so just going from there and trying to build. I mean, everybody has their bad days, and I've had them, but just keep trying to build and finish it the right way."
On why he would wait behind Carson Beck rather than transfer...
"Yeah, I mean, Carson is the perfect example. He's shown resilience, and, heck, he's waited his turn. I mean he's worked hard. He's proven that he's one of the best quarterbacks, and it's just a privilege to kind of take from him and just get to learn from him. It's pretty awesome. I mean, heck, at Georgia, you're going to win, so that's the biggest part. And, you can go to a lot of different places, but there's a lot of things that Georgia has that they can't offer, so that's probably the biggest part."
On the value of bowl practice and playing in the Orange Bowl...
"Yeah, it was awesome. Leading up to it I got a bunch of reps, and just like this spring I've gotten, heck, a couple ones reps, twos, and a bunch of threes, and just because, yeah, but I got a bunch of reps. And, I think it's valuable, like, I try to cherish it and just make the most of it."
On the opportunity G-Day this Saturday provides...
"I just want to show everybody that I can play. That's what I tried to do in the Orange Bowl, and I thought I did. And, take this opportunity just to go play a game, that's the way I look at it. Play with everybody."