Former University of Georgia quarterback David Greene recently finished hosting his third season of "Film Room" on the SEC Network and was recognized at this month's Southeastern Conference title matchup in Atlanta as the MVP of the 2002 game.
Greene was a guest this week of "Press Row" on ESPN 105.1 FM.
Q: You beat Alabama twice when you played at Georgia, yet you weren't booed by Tide or Florida fans at the SEC title game. How is that possible?
A: "I thought I heard some boos. I was glad they called me early, because the Florida fans went nuts for (Tim) Tebow, and the Alabama fans had to do the same when their guys were called. They couldn't be upstaged, so they went nuts, too.
"There were guys who really got booed. If you played at Auburn, you were in bad shape."
Q: How would you assess Georgia's first season under Kirby Smart?
A: "I think it certainly went worse than people had planned. I think Kirby is a phenomenal coach, and I know he coaches those guys up hard, but where I was most disappointed was offensively and that we didn't have more production than we did. There were times we moved the ball between the 20s, but we couldn't score touchdowns, and when you don't do that, it's obviously very difficult to win in this league.
"Not being able to close out some games we should have closed out also hurt. I don't think Georgia is as far as some people think in terms of turning things around and being a great team, but you can't lose some of the games we lost this year, especially Georgia Tech there at the end. That was as gut-wrenching as it gets."
Q: Could more rebuilding be in store next year given that an offensive line that struggled this season loses three starters?
A: "You never know, but in this day and time, it's not that big of a deal for true freshmen to come in and play compared to 10 years ago. You're seeing more true freshmen, even on the offensive line, getting on the field and making an impact. Players now know what to expect of Kirby, whereas before they were trying to get familiar with the way he does things.
"Georgia fans would be all over Coach (Mark) Richt when he won 10 games, but I thought they were actually pretty patient this year. Long term, we have the right coach. We just have to get the right players and the right system, because we never settled in offensively and got an identity."
Q: Who's your favorite coach to sit with when you're doing "Film Study" on the SEC Network?
A: "That's hard to say, because they're each kind of unique in their own way. They're all fun. The last show I did with Derek Mason was a lot of fun. As much as Vanderbilt goes through, it was exciting to see Coach Mason turn that program around. They really played some great football towards the end of the year, and it was fun going in there after their big win over Ole Miss.
"It's always fun to sit down with Nick Saban, because that's him in his element. I don't think he necessarily likes talking to reporters at a podium, but when you get him in the film room watching football, that's what he loves to do. The one thing that's consistent with all the coaches is attention to detail."
Q: Which coach has the best sense of humor when you're filming, and which coach is the most guarded?
A: "I would say Bret Bielema is the funniest, clearly. He's hilarious, and what you see is what you get with him. Will Muschamp is great in the film room, too. I would say Kirby may have been the most guarded, but he's a first-year head coach and really doesn't want to give away any secrets.
"Coach (Mark) Stoops is a little the same way, and then you take a guy like Nick Saban, and he'll say all kinds of stuff."
Q: Has doing that show given you the itch to coach?
A: "Not really, and the main reason is that it's a 24/7 job, and I can see the stress on their faces when I walk in there. A lot of times, those guys are exhausted. Shooting 'Film Room' is something different from their typical week, and it's a little bit of a curveball for them.
"They will ask, 'Now, what are we doing again?' You can tell they're just going from one thing to the next. I know coaches make a lot of money, but they earn it, too. They are flat working nonstop."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.