How To Avoid Championship Hangover

Georgia won their first title in over forty years last season, but they can now move in two different directions.

In sports, celebrations are short-lived. Georgia may have ended their historic drought by winning a national title for the first time in 41 years, but six months later, they are moving full steam ahead towards the 2022 season.

There are two ways to move after winning a national title. Most teams falter and regress to the mean, leaving their brief success as a flash in the pan. Florida State, LSU, Auburn, and Florida have dealt with this over the past twenty years.

Others use their championship as a springboard to vault their program into the upper echelon of college football. Georgia has been among the top teams for the better half of a decade but has played little brother to Alabama, Ohio State, and Clemson until the 2021 season.

Head coach Kirby Smart seems determined to ensure that Georgia continues a run of dominance. However, that is easier said than done. Many teams suffer from championship hangover, resting on the laurels of their success rather than going all-in on defending their title.

Every team will have Georgia circled on their calendar. Players on title teams often remark that defending a championship can be more challenging than the initial climb because you are getting everyone's best week after week.

There are several things Georgia needs to do to manage expectations and avoid that dreaded championship hangover. Emotions will run high during the season, so laying the foundation during the summer is vital.

Stetson Bennett takes the next step

Quarterback Stetson Bennett became somewhat of a national sensation last year. He was immortalized as the quarterback that finally got Georgia over the mountaintop, forever etching his name into history.

He opted to exercise his additional year of eligibility granted to him due to the coronavirus pandemic. While Bennett may not have NFL First-Round lore, he is one of the top returning gunslingers in college football.

That begs the question: what does taking the next step look like? For Bennett, the answer is simple. He needs to find that perfect wavelength of consistency to run their offensive operation successfully.

That doesn't mean he needs to light the world on fire with viral side-arm tosses. Consistent means keeping the ball out of harm's way, succeeding in high-pressure situations, and executing on passing downs.

Bennett must have the offense on script in the red zone, third down, and two-minute drills. He must play efficiently against quarters coverage, loaded boxes, and soft zones. Everyone knows he has the maturity to lead a locker room, but he has to take his on-field play to the next level.

Next man up on defense

The good news? Georgia's defense last season may have been the most historic defensive unit in college over the past decade. The bad news? They have to replace eight impact defenders from that unit.

The next-man-up mentality will be critical for this defense. They have several proven commodities, but even those players will adapt to new roles. Fortunately, Georgia has some of the best defensive staffers across college football.

The list is lengthy, and these players are undoubtedly well-prepared. The execution is a different matter. Georgia can't afford a learning curve with too many defenders this year if they hope to attain similar heights.

That means young players must rise to the challenge, and veterans must lead the way. Maybe they won't field four future first-round picks, but that doesn't mean they can play assignment-sound football that yields productive results.

Be yourself

The most crucial step. The one differentiating factor between the championship winners that faltered and Georgia is that those teams aren't Georgia. The Bulldogs have laid a championship foundation for several years, preparing for this scenario.

This program may be better suited to defend a title than it was to win the first one. After all, Smart has preached short-term memory since his arrival and coaches extremely hard.

While the team did bask in the triumph of their accomplishment, it was evident at G-Day that they had a new goal. Many of the key contributors this year weren't in the spotlight last year, meaning they get a chance to prove they belong.

The players understand the expectations, and the coaches understand how to prepare them for the challenges. They don't need to create fake mantras or adopt a new philosophy because of the title; they have been ready for this moment since 2017 without even realizing it.