ATLANTA _ Georgia coach Kirby Smart said his Bulldogs have moved on from last season's gut-wrenching overtime loss to Alabama in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.
"We watched it and evaluated it as a staff afterward. Obviously, I see it on replays and different ESPN highlights," Smart said of the loss, which took place less than a mile down the road from the SEC's football media days at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. "... I think we embrace that as coaches. I think that's something that you guys think about a lot, but not really us.
"We're on to the next year. We are on to the new recruit. We're on to the next strategy, whether tactical, medical or physical. We're constantly looking for the next edge to get the next edge for next year. It's something we don't have to rehash all of the time."
Georgia went on to capture a conference championship last year for the first time since 2005 and the Bulldogs are expected to be an overwhelming favorite to win the East Division for the second straight year.
Smart believes the painful lesson his team learned in the title game could be a teaching moment for the players.
"I think how players will use that experience to grow, and I think that's big for our program and understanding that if you do things a certain way, that you can get to certain places. We just have to be able to finish it when we get there," he added.
