Chances are you've had to wrestle with a number of big decisions in the heat of the moment on game day, and if you haven't then you're surely guilty of questioning a call or two during a big moment from the comfort of your home. A whole lot goes into those big calls in the heat of the moment, and sometimes your emotions - or gut - can get you call something that you later regret. Other times it works out better than you could have imagined.
Sometimes making that decision is the toughest part, and everyone has a different way they come to the final conclusion.
For Kirby Smart, the big decisions being made in the heat of the moment have been hashed out long before that moment arrives on game day. He enters every game with a detailed plan on what he'd do in certain situations.
Asked about the Bulldogs 49-yard field goal against Auburn and how much he leans on input from someone else during that moment, Smart responded, "I don't believe in making a decision like that in the heat of the moment, to be honest with you."
"To me, that decision is made in pregame warm-ups and on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday."
Smart went on to explain that he meets with some of the guys that work with the specialists and they hash out where they have to be on the field (while taking the wind into consideration) to feel comfortable sending the field goal unit out there to win the game.
"When you start making those decisions, it changes. It was within his yard line, so we were going to stick with that, or go for it, or punt because I don't think that you always make good decisions when calmer heads don't prevail sometimes."
https://youtu.be/lDGYW82t0VY