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Kirby Smart 'concerned' as Georgia football program deals with spike of COVID-19 cases

In the Georgia football team meeting room, coach Kirby Smart stood at a podium early Monday afternoon and answered questions at his weekly press conference.

That's a regular part of the routine for the sixth-year Bulldogs coach, but this one marked the return of reporters in person to Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall for the first time since the pandemic began.

It came during a time when Smart said the program is dealing with increasing cases of COVID-19, the most it's had since the start of preseason practices in August.

"I'll be honest with you guys, I'm as concerned as I've ever been because we have three or four guys out," said Smart, whose team hosts Alabama-Birmingham on Saturday at 3:30 p.