Dawn of the Dawg
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Why the criticism of Kirby Smart is unwarranted

By Jay Hawkins

Sep 24, 2016; Oxford, MS, USA: Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart yells during the first quarter of the game against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mississippi won 45-14. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports.
Sep 24, 2016; Oxford, MS, USA: Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart yells during the first quarter of the game against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mississippi won 45-14. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports. /
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Some Georgia fans are criticizing Kirby Smart and comparing him to Mark Richt. That is unfair.

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We love college football fans. Don’t we? Ok, most of them. A certain vocal minority of Georgia Football fans are upset about the latest loss and are blaming Kirby Smart. They are also comparing Kirby Smart to Mark Richt and whether Richt would have done a better job this year.

Let me be honest with you. That is one of the most idiotic things I have heard in a while. I was going to let this slide, but I am absolutely sick of hearing this. For one thing the past is the past, and people need to move on.

Another thing, the decision to get rid of Richt at UGA was a good decision. (One of the first by athletic director Greg McGarity in Athens, but I digress). Richt was a good coach and should do a great job at Miami, but he had hit his ceiling at Georgia. (I am not even going to address all the countless instances of underachieving by the Dawgs in the Mark Richt era).

Kirby Smart was the right guy to hire at Georgia in my mind, and I have zero doubt that he will bring a championship back to Athens. Kirby Smart inherited a team that lacks talent and depth on both lines of scrimmage, receiver, special teams, etc. One can argue the point that UGA gets top talent every year, but the truth is that most of the top guys Georgia went after, before Smart got there, were skill position guys. That was the focus and usually recruiting for the lines of scrimmage was of a lesser priority.

Granted, Georgia got some bodies on the lines in last year’s recruiting class (which Smart made a priority in his short time), but they are largely young and inexperienced. That is just the fact of the matter. Regardless, Kirby Smart took this team to a 3-1 record on the year (before the Tennessee game) despite absolutely atrocious offensive line play (except in the first game against UNC when the unit was decent), multiple drops by the receiving corps, a quarterback battle, etc.

Fast forward to last Saturday against Tennessee. Despite the heartbreaking ending on a Tennessee hail mary, Georgia played its tail off in the game. Did they make some mistakes? Yes, that is why they lost the game. But in my opinion, the whole coaching staff stepped up and put the Dawgs in the right position to overachieve in this game. Also, Smart and co. definitely motivated the players to play arguably their best game of the season as well.

Sep 10, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Hurricanes head coach Mark Richt runs into the field before a game against Florida Atlantic Owls at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Comparing Mark Richt to Kirby Smart at UGA at this point is like comparing apples to oranges. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

The Bulldogs did pretty much everything they could do to win that game. It took a miracle play at the end to give the Vols the victory. The Bulldogs were put in the right position to win the game, but Jauan Jennings went up and made an amazing catch.

Granted the execution was poor and maybe Georgia should have considered putting more pressure on Volunteer quarterback Josh Dobbs, but there was not a lot Kirby Smart could have done differently.

This is football, and these things happen. It sucks, but Kirby Smart and his team are moving on and focusing on beating South Carolina this weekend.

Now to the whining fans that are saying that Georgia under Mark Richt would have been better this season, please stop. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but it is unfair to Smart.

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Plus, I do not believe that Georgia would have a better record with Richt still in Athens. Yeah, Richt’s new team Miami is 4-0 so far this season, but the Hurricanes have not faced near the quality of competition Georgia has, and Richt has had a very good team to work with.

Georgia would have arguably not won the games they did without Kirby Smart’s increased aggressive attitude and him being involved with everything. Only time will tell, but I really believe in Coach Smart and support him 100 percent. He is going to do great things with this team in the not so distant future.

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