Kirby Smart spoke to the media for the first time on Monday since learning Georgia will face Ole Miss in the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff. Most of his time with the media was spent discussing this upcoming showdown, but a small protion was spent talking about the Transfer Portal as well.
Smart has adapted to the portal in that he will use it to add players when he absolutely needs to, but he has made it clear that he is not the biggest fan of it. And his comments about the portal and how certain programs are handling it went viral on Monday.
“Everybody’s announcing what they’re doing,” Smart said via athlonsports.com. “I’m announcing that I’m going in the portal. I’m announcing that I’m re-signing. How about you announce that you’re getting better and you’re going to practice and, like, actually do what the 20 and 30 years of college football players did before you, which was practice in December when they’re on good teams, and get better?”
Kirby Smart owns the college football world with Transfer Portal soundbite
It's important to point out that Smart doesn't think using the Transfer Portal is a bad thing. But he is making it clear that competing, getting better and winning is far more important.
That is exactly what he and Georgia are doing right now as they prepare for their upcoming matchup with Ole Miss. So instead of celebrating Transfer Portal wins and re-signing players like other schools, they are celebrating getting better ahead of their CFP matchup.
As mentioned, Smart will continue to use the portal each offseason to fill obvsious holes in his roster. But he will never be someone who goes over the top announcing big moves in the portal because he knows that results on the field is what matters most of all.
Georgia and Ole Miss will battle at the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1 at 8:00 pm EST and the Bulldogs are currently favored by a touchdown over the Rebels. And if Georgia emerges with a victory that is what Smart will choose to celebrate instead of when some random player decides to stick with a school after a disappointing season like what is occurring around the country.