ATHENS — Kirby challenged and they came.
"Luda" rhymed and they cheered.
Jacob Eason connected with Isaac Nauta and a few just about lost their minds.
The dawning of a new era in Athens provided some unforgettable firsts and even a few goosebumps for those who crammed into Sanford Stadium -- and plenty did, as 93,000-plus "sold out" to witness Georgia's first spring game under new head coach Kirby Smart.
And I caught myself riding the Red and Black wave of enthusiasm along with everyone else just prior to kickoff.
Then came a few mediocre plays from Georgia players that made so many in 2015 and the goosebumps faded -- until they returned with the emergence of the new.
Freshman quarterback Eason, for all his youth, had that "special" look about him. And certainly special was the byword on Saturday in Athens.
I've witnessed several "G-Day" games in my 38 years, but the spectacle of Saturday's practice made an indelible memory. And that's precisely what Smart wanted.
The new coach pegged G-Day as a showpiece for what he knows is the lifeblood of the program -- recruiting.
Surely prospective Bulldogs were impressed by the attendance alone, witnessing a Bulldog nation desperate enough for success that fans battled the traffic snarls of Athens to witness a scrimmage.
But there was something more elevating than just numbers at play Saturday.
From the coaching staff, to the roster, to the live hip-hop music beforehand, there was a newness and uniqueness to this year's spring game unparalleled in my time of following the Bulldogs. (I thought I had seen it all when they allowed Olympic soccer to remove the vaunted hedges in 1996 -- but the live performance of Ludacris beforehand torched that belief.)
Then came the game itself.
In truth there wasn't much different about the play on the field from last year's mediocrity -- until Eason entered the game.
Coaches will play down the early enrollee's raw ability -- as they should, after all, live SEC bullets are miles from a spring fling against teammates -- but there is no doubting the skinny QB's skill. And his performance re-invigorated the crowd, which had begun to drift a little after the immediacy of the pre-game show and Smart's exhortations on the Sanford Stadium video board.
Former Buford star Nauta also helped ignite the crowd in his time on the field. The tight end caught a touchdown pass and showed off both the athleticism and strength that made him one of the top recruits in the nation oh so recently.
It was a glimpse of the future that sent Dogs fans home -- and plenty opted for an early exit as well; there were tailgates still to tend to, after all -- with the warm fuzzies.
And the progression of players like Nauta and Eason will be where the real changes are judged within a program that has -- by many fans' standards -- under-achieved under prior coaching staffs.
Smart has already shown a willingness to adapt and change the atmosphere surrounding a formerly staid football program -- both via recruiting, social media and now fan involvement.
And once the thrill from the last Ludacris note, and the buzz from 93,000-plus fades, the signs of real change will become apparent. And judging by Saturday's scene, Dogs fans are more than eager witnesses.
If the changes on the field match their enthusiasm, the spectacles will shift from attendance figures to the trophy case.
