Kirby Smart quickly confirms “new” Jax recruiting isn’t enough

Georgia football head coach Kirby Smart is not shy about giving his thoughts on the annual Georgia-Florida game. Recently, the news dropped on both schools being able to host recruits at the neutral site game.

However, that news wasn’t as impressive as initially thought — the rules don’t really change. Georgia and Florida coaches cannot talk to the recruits, visit with them or contact them during this Jacksonville trip. The schools can provide the tickets.

While being able to give prospects tickets is a good thing, it’s not enough. Changing locations of this game have been in discussions for years, and Smart clearly wants it out of Jacksonville, so no, it’s not enough just to host the kids.

Georgia football head coach Kirby Smart wants out of the Jacksonville game regarding recruiting.

After the first scrimmage on Saturday, Smart held a press conference, and questions about hosting recruits at that game were asked. Smart’s answer was exactly what we thought it would be, and it went along with the story we published earlier this month.

Smart essentially said it wasn’t enough of a change to make that much of a difference.

"“You make an independent decision that each university can decide how they want to do their tickets,” Smart said during his press conference.” For the first time, we are able to allot tickets, which we do on every neutral site game. We do it with Clemson. We do it with Oregon. We do it all the time.”"

Georgia is already allotting tickets, which we suggested they were doing in the other article, but the next part of Smart’s quote was the icing on the cake.

"“Per NCAA rules, we are not allowed to see them or talk to them. We can’t do anything with them, so it’s really a moot point,” Smart said. “They get to go, but what good does that do in terms of recruiting that you don’t get to spend time with them and host them? It doesn’t change the official visit they are on.”"

Smart nailed it — why make a big deal about allowing to host players if they cannot even spend time with these prospects?

First, to clarify, the piece we wrote before was purely opinionated and speculation on the whole topic.

Smart is a tough cookie, but knowing how he feels about the game, this so-called solution is far from enough. Some suggest that there wouldn’t be enough time to talk with recruits because of how both teams travel to the game.

Travel plans can change if that means the ability to host a recruit. There can be a way to change when the team travels to accommodate recruitment time for the prospects that want to go.

While it seems like a very easy fix, there are a lot of things to consider with this whole recruiting in Jacksonville. The team cannot pay for the trip, travel, lodging, etc., but they can provide the ticket. Even though it wouldn’t be like a normal recruiting visit, it could be a unique one. Parents can help with the rest if it means going to a special game like the one in Jacksonville.

To those that say, well, what is the point without the facilities that Georgia would get to show off or showing the kids campus? The game itself is unique and sells itself — the game is the recruiting tool. Seeing that atmosphere is a huge selling point because there are only a handful of neutral site games like that.

Even the kickoff games at the beginning of the season aren’t like the Georgia-Florida game. Seeing TIAA Bank Stadium split down the middle with half red and half orange — that sight it’s unlike anything else in college football.

Sure it would take some work to figure out how the recruiting visits would go, but still allowing the schools to give the tickets is a start. Now the NCAA needs to figure out a solution to host recruits at the neutral-sited games.

Yes, not everyone gets to participate in these, so some schools would find it unfair, but at the same time, there has to be a solution or something that can happen. It’s not Georgia’s fault they have a neutral game while Tennessee doesn’t or someone else. That game should get treated like a normal one.

For now, it’s not enough for Smart to stop suggesting that this game should leave Jacksonville, but if they want to keep this tradition alive, doing more than hosting is necessary. Logistics can get figured out to keep around one of the best traditions in college football and not lose it by going home and home or Atlanta-and-Jacksonville.

Georgia football has that unique experience in its pocket. This game is a great recruiting tool and should be used as one.