Tag: Kirby Smart Georgia

Kirby Smart comments on potential SEC transfer rule change

Smart gives his take on the SEC’s transfer rule and its proposed change.

On Tuesday, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart took questions from media at the SEC’s spring meetings in Destin, Fla., saying he approves of the SEC’s current transfer rule in the midst of proposed changes.

“You know, I prefer the way things currently are where there’s two windows as they are. I think that it’s tremendously difficult to go through 3-4 months of workouts and spring practice and then have your roster change within your conference. You know, it’s one thing to say, ‘OK, May 1, a guy can leave and go anywhere he wants to go.’ That happens, and I think a lot of times that’s for the good of the player. We’ve had some kids that realized in the spring they may not get the opportunity they so desired and they wanted to go look at other schools. There’s hundreds of schools they can go look at, you know?

UGA had five players leave the program and transfer within the SEC after the 2021 season: wide receiver Justin Robinson (Mississippi State), cornerback Jalen Kimber (Florida), running back Lovasea Carroll (South Carolina), safety Latavious Brini (Arkansas), and wide receiver Jermaine Burton (Alabama).

Each player announced their intentions prior to the SEC’s Feb. 1 deadline, and therefore will be eligible to play for their new teams this fall.

“To say they can’t go in the SEC, I think it’s a good thing to have a date set earlier, they make a decision coming out of the season if they want to explore their options within the SEC, Smart said. “But, we’ll see how meetings go.”

If Alabama’s proposed changed, labeled ‘SEC Legislative Proposal 5’, is passed, it would allow SEC athletes to transfer within the conference up to May 1 and start for their new team the following fall.

 

Georgia HC Kirby Smart updates CB room: ‘We have never in seven years been this thin’

Kirby Smart says the Dawgs have never been as thin at CB

The defending national champion Georgia Bulldogs have their work cut out this offseason to prepare to defend their title next season.

One obstacle is depth at the cornerback position, which lost the first and third string starters from last season. Starter Derion Kendrick is off to the NFL and Ameer Speed has transferred to Michigan State.

Redshirt sophomore Kelee Ringo will be the day on starter after a productive 2021 season that was capped off by the title-sealing interception.

UGA head coach Kirby Smart is very much aware of the situation at corner and spoke on the matter in a press conference earlier this week.

“They (Kamari Lassiter, Nyland Green, and Daylen Everette) are taking every single rep with the ones and twos. Those guys are out there. Receiver and defensive-back, we have never in seven years been this thin. Ever been this thin. You can point a finger and blame anywhere you want, but it’s the life of a college football coach now.

The immediate transfer rule has created a swinging door situation for programs around the country. The Bulldogs have taken advantage of the transfer portal in the past, but has also experienced their own departures.

“You don’t have depth. You don’t have it anywhere. It’s easy to leave and go places, ” Smart said. “Those guys are a little higher maintenance in terms of thinking of themselves. They expect to play right away and go. It’s certainly a position of concern for us in terms of recruiting and development as a skill position.”

Smart mentions sophomores Kamari Lassiter and Nyland Green, along with 2022 signee Daylen Everette as guys that have the biggest opportunities to get meaningful snaps.

There is still time for the Dawgs to dip into the portal for help at the position and Smart and staff have done so in the past. Kendrick, a Clemson transfer, joined the Bulldogs in early June of 2021 and went on to have a lock down season.

Let’s not forget UGA’s 2022 recruiting class, which featured some of the top secondary talent in the country. Three five-star defensive backs signed with the Bulldogs and they each could have a huge role in 2022 if the transfer portal doesn’t come through this offseason.

 

Bubba Watson wants Kirby Smart as UGA football’s ‘coach forever’

Former standout Georgia Bulldog golfer Bubba Watson told ESPN’s “College GameDay” what he thinks of Kirby Smart and UGA football.

Former standout Georgia Bulldog golfer Bubba Watson told ESPN’s “College GameDay” what he thinks about Georgia’s 2020 season. This season clearly hasn’t been the University of Georgia’s year for football with the Bulldogs losing to both Alabama and Florida despite entering the preseason with College Football Playoff expectations.

Watson noted in the brief interview that it has been a ‘crazy year’ in college football without the normal practice schedule. He mentions he ‘loves the Dawgs no matter what and (he) wants Kirby Smart to be the coach forever’.

Here’s his interview with ESPN’s Tom Rinaldi on “College GameDay:”

Watson, who is tied for 36th at The Masters entering Sunday, is one of the more notable UGA football fans in sports. He’s one of the top golfers on the PGA Tour, so his words of support for Smart shouldn’t be taken lightly.

There are many reasons Smart is such a good fit in Athens. He is a former Georgia player, and there is nowhere else he’d rather be. Additionally, Smart has taken Georgia recruiting to new heights.

Yes, it has been a year that’ll end below expectations for the Bulldogs, but there’s no reason to panic. Smart needs to find solutions at quarterback and on defense, but the issues are fixable with Georgia’s high level of returning talent.

Georgia fans should listen to Watson and recognize it is far too soon for Smart to be on the hot seat.

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Kirby Smart releases statement on UGA QB Jamie Newman’s decision to opt-out of the 2020 CFB season

Read Georgia coach Kirby Smart’s statement regarding UGA QB Jamie Newman’s decision to opt-out of the 2020 CFB season here.

In unexpected news Wednesday, Georgia quarterback Jamie Newman decided to opt-out of the 2020 college football season, due to concerns amid the covid-19 pandemic and to prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft.

The NCAA is allowing players who are not comfortable playing during the pandemic to opt-out for the 2020 season. They are allowed to remain on scholarship and do not lose their year of eligibility if they chose to return.

Newman’s official statement:

After practice Wednesday afternoon, Georgia coach Kirby Smart released a statement regarding Newman’s decision to opt-out, saying he supports players who decide to sit because of safety concerns.

“One of the guiding principles of both the SEC and UGA return-to-play protocols has been the health and safety of our student-athletes.  We have emphasized continually that any student-athlete who decides to opt-out because of health and/or safety concerns related to COVID-19 would be fully supported to include honoring scholarships, access to academic facilities, etc., and would remain in good standing with the team.  While we will miss him being part of our program, I fully support Jamie’s decision and we will continue to regard him as a Georgia Bulldog.  Certainly we wish him nothing but the best in his quest for an NFL career and he knows he will always have a home at UGA.”

Smart has always been a players coach. From his tenure at Alabama as defensive coordinator to now, head coach in Athens.

In that sense, he knows that he has to support his players and that it impacts not only how his team feels about him now but also recruiting in the future, so no surprise here that Smart is backing Newman’s decision.

 

 

Kirby Smart addresses Georgia football’s offensive woes

Georgia faithful still wonder how the much longer the Dawgs’ D can bail out the struggling offense.

Georgia’s 2019 defense is a statistical anomaly. The Junkyard Dawgs will enter their final regular season game ranked fifth in total defense, second in rushing defense, seventh in passing efficiency defense, and have only allowed one rushing touchdown.

The Bulldog Nation thoroughly enjoys watching a defense that can guarantee a win requiring only 21 points. Georgia is one of two teams (Clemson being the other) that hasn’t given up more than 20 points thus far this season.

That said, Georgia faithful still wonder how the much longer the Dawgs’ D can bail out the struggling offense.

Head coach Kirby Smart acknowledged the fans’ echoed concerns after the Silver Britches’ lackluster offense.

“There were things [against Texas A&M] that we missed that were there. That’s the frustrating thing.”

He continued: “You get an opportunity on first and ten to make the plays that we had, and you’ve got to make those.”

Smart, obviously aware of the situation, added that “some of that had nothing to to with the calls…it had to do with execution.”

“[The defense] got tired toward the end of the game. We’re going to have to overcome that, because two weeks in a row now, we’ve kind of lost momentum late and struggled on a couple drives.”

Quarterback Jake Fromm has thrown under 50% for three consecutive games. Compared to his career percentage of 65.5%, the current trend is surprising.

“Offensively, we’ve got to improve. There’s no bones about it.” Smart The message this week is that the next step is the most important step.”