CFP NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: ALABAMA VS GEORGIA

January 5, 2022

Kearis Jackson

Lucas Oil Stadium

Georgia Bulldogs

Press Conference

Q. I know you weren't necessarily around on that 2018 team that lost to Alabama in the championship, but I'm curious, does it seem like they sort of have your number in that every time that Georgia goes up against them, no matter if you're leading in the half, that they're still just this team you can't quite overcome? Does it seem like -- not everyone else -- but a few other teams like LSU and Clemson have been able to get a win over Alabama, does it just feel that Georgia has not been able to measure up to that?

KEARIS JACKSON: This team hasn't played Alabama in a national championship before other than the 2018 team. But just being able to get this opportunity to go play in a national championship, the biggest stage for all of our careers, we're playing one of the biggest games of our lives, it's awesome.

Just being able to go against a fantastic team like Alabama on a big stage like this, can't take this opportunity for granted. Just gotta go out there and play our best game.

Q. On that note, as an elite athlete, all you guys are, both sides, both sidelines, how do you handle that, moments like this? Bright lights, cameras flying around, cameras in your face everywhere you turn around -- and focus on playing as well as you can. Do you get anxious? Is there a routine that you have that helps you deal with all the expectations and pressure?

KEARIS JACKSON: I mean, gotta trust the technique and tunnel vision throughout the entire week. Made it this far. There have been ton of cameras and things on the sidelines for every game. But this game you're playing for something bigger, that's the national championship. Just can't let it let us lose our focus, but keep our tunnel vision of what got us here.

Q. Describe the energy it's given the rest of the wide receiver room to have George Pickens back? And what did you think of the pancake block against Michigan?

KEARIS JACKSON: George brings a lot of interest to the team and receiver room. And the block he put up against Michigan was kind of funny. I didn't notice it until I seen the video going around. He does it all the time, did it last year, the year before it. That's just the way that George plays, very physical and just love to do things to go viral, I guess.

Q. Being a kid from Georgia, a guy from Georgia, what would it mean to be part of the team that ended the 41-year drought for you personally?

KEARIS JACKSON: It means a lot, especially growing up in south Georgia, Fort Valley, Georgia. There's a lot of border offense down that way.

Ever since I've been going to school here, when I committed here, the whole community just been showing love, even in Athens as well, just being able to know that all they want, for everyone, all they want is a Georgia championship.

So with me knowing that, with my team knowing as well, not only are we fighting for each other but we're fighting for the ones in our community as well because they're Georgia fans just like we are. And in order for them to get a championship we've got to go out there do our job so we can get one as well. It's going to be a major win for us to go win one.

Q. How important is it to have guys like Ladd and Brock and some of these other guys who have helped especially when you guys have dealt with a lot of injuries at the receiver position this year?

KEARIS JACKSON: Those guys have stepped up tremendously. Like you say, we had guys down early in the season. Those guys stepped up -- next player up mentality. And they always prepare for the moments. We practice hard every day, every game. Every practice is like a game.

They have prepared mentally and physically as well the things we do, Coach Smart put us through in practice, be well prepared for the game.

Q. At what point in the season did you realize maybe even before the season that Brock Bowers would have as big an impact on your offense as he has? And is there one specific play either in practice or in the game that really stands out to you about his play this season?

KEARIS JACKSON: I knew Brock Bowers was going to be a playmaker back in the fall. He was out there making plays. He reminded me of Travis Kelce just the way he was making plays. And having a tight end like him has been a huge addition to the team.

The play versus Bama in the SEC Championship game, he caught the ball, felt like, three, four times and ended up scoring. He's a dog. But he's been certified in my book and just the way he plays, he's a dog, that's all I can say.

Q. Could you describe briefly the walk-on culture at Georgia? Do they dress in a different place before practice? And what kind of confident does it take from a guy like Stetson Bennett, you weren't there, but to step on campus and believe I can be the starting quarterback at Georgia?

KEARIS JACKSON: I don't know where you get the dressing part from, we're all a team. We all dress in the same locker room. We all treat each other the same. One has a scholarship, one doesn't have one. But we don't look at that as any -- makes any one bigger or not.

But Stetson, he came in as a walk-on. He came back, was on scholarship. He worked his way up. He listened, didn't listened to everyone who was down here. He just kept his head down and kept pushing and kept chopping. Everyone has the ability to be able to make plays. It's all about the opportunity you're given. He made every opportunity the best.

Q. Couple of historical type questions. One is as a Georgia receiver, how tuned in are you to the legend of Lindsay Scott?

KEARIS JACKSON: Just proud of what's going on. And just, as a receiver, we just have to see what's going on and that's the most important thing for us to just focus on what's going on.

Q. He was a member of the 1980 team. And how much does that team get brought up to you guys, even now?

KEARIS JACKSON: It gets brought up pretty often just knowing that that was the last national championship that was won at Georgia, which meant, like, 41 years from now. And just knowing that that's the goal is just to win a championship here and just hearing those names and things like that going on just kind of motivates us that we have the team to do it.

And it's the year now with the opportunity right in front of us, January 10th. We have to go make a statement so we can be the next ones that people are going to be talking about, the 2021 team.

Q. I think you were an early enrollee in 2018. So I'm not sure if you were there while the team was practicing for the national championship game. But if you were, what do you remember about that time and what do you remember about watching the game and maybe some of the disappointment in the result?

KEARIS JACKSON: Actually, I was here when we was practicing for the national championship. And just being a part of the team just for that short amount of period for a whole week, it felt like I was part of the team. Felt like I was getting ready to go play. But that wasn't the story.

But just the work those guys put in -- I was a scout team member -- I felt like I was trying to give my best look to try to push myself that I'm going against one of the top defenses in the country and just knowing that they was going to get ready to go play a national championship game made me feel a part of the team as well.

Just going back home after all the practices, being able to watch the game on TV kind of fueled myself that, man, in the next few months I'm about to be in those same colors with those same guys, can be playing for something that's bigger than I ever expected, the national championship.

And today it's finally presented itself that I'll be playing in my first national championship. It's been like a dream come true and a journey as well.

Q. What kind of competitor is Kirby Smart, and do you have any memories, any stories about him in practice that kind of shows his competitive side?

KEARIS JACKSON: I'm pretty sure you can see his competitive side on the sideline when they flip the camera on him during the game. He's always hyped up. Gotta (indiscernible) mindset. That's why I like playing for Coach Smart. He's always been a competitor. He lets us compete in practices as well by letting us going good on good and showing what we've got and what we're capable of doing.

When you do that, competitor versus competitor, all you're doing is sharpening the iron. And that's what Coach Smart preaches every day, compete.

Q. Talk about your journey. I guess we've seen you go through just about everything, too -- tailback reps, hamstring, wrist injury, go-to guy, nine catches, 147 yards, return guy, and now a blocking receiver playing a smaller role maybe with the ball in your hands. Talk about that perseverance and how have you maintained such consistency going through all those different things in your career?

KEARIS JACKSON: I pretty much say I started when I was a child. My mom was always hard on me, things like that. Everything is not going to go your way. Once you hit adversity just gotta know how to respond with it.

My mom always just taught me just keep your head down, don't let one injury or one bad downfall define who you is as a person.

And I know my role is a little smaller this year, I still take it as a major key part of this team because I am. And just knowing what I'm doing for this team, I'm playing my role just being there for my teammates. That's the best thing I can do right now. And I'm enjoying it, man.

So far, it's just to play in the national championship. It's not just what I can do as a person but what can we do as a team.

Q. Earlier on you mentioned practice being tougher than games. When did you first realize that was the case at Georgia, and how do you make that adjustment to where you're practicing harder than you are playing in games?

KEARIS JACKSON: My first spring here, honestly, we had like 18 some peers. I was, like, I'm not used to this but at the same time, I'm not going to say I wasn't used to it. I just wasn't used to the volume of running we was doing.

Growing up at Peach County, going to Peach County High School, all our practices was physical. We could be playing on a Friday and be still tackling on Thursday. I'm pretty much built for like the physical part.

Just all the volume, all the running and things like that, had to get in shape, get adjusted to, like, the way of Georgia practicing. I just wasn't too far behind when I got here, things like that as far as in terms of being physical. But I did have to learn like how to push myself a little bit harder, be able to sustain reps, sustain practice time, because everything gets a little bit longer once you get in college and things like that.

It's just been like pretty much been an adjustment in the way I was prepared before I got to college as well.

Q. Can you take me back to the SEC Championship game and your emotions once that game was over, how did you feel?

KEARIS JACKSON: I was hurt. I was hurt. The SEC Championship game is always around my birthday. And, like, for the past three, four years I've been at Georgia, that's all I wanted for my birthday was an SEC Championship win.

Obviously I haven't won anything yet. But it's always just a tough moment. Of course I want to win it for myself, but I want to win it for my teammates as well.

Just being able to lose those championship games really was hurtful. But now I'm just grateful and blessed that you see the thing behind me, 2022 national championship, I'm able to play in something that's bigger than the SEC Championship.