Kirby Smart named semifinalist for Coach of the Year

Everyone knows that Kirby Smart is one of the best coaches in the country, if not the very best. So it is never a surprise to see him get nominated for Coach of the Year.

But just because it isn’t surprising to see him get nominated doesn’t mean it isn’t worth celebrating. So the fact that he was named a semifinalist for the Coach of the Year award on Wednesday is reason enough to praise Smart for the job he’s done with Georgia football this season.

Kirby Smart’s best coaching job

Statistically this year's team is not Georgia's best. That doesn't mean they are bad by any means, but this year's squad is a step below what Georgia fans have experienced the last three years.

But that doesn't mean this year has been a bad coaching job Smart. In fact, it's actually the exact opposite.

For starters, Georgia's SEC schedule was the most difficult it has been in quite some time. The Bulldogs had to play the top four teams in the SEC in Alabama, Texas, Ole Miss and Tennesse this season, with three of those games coming on the road. So the fact that Smart was able to manage that and still win the SEC Championship is astounding.

On top of that, Georgia dealt with a large amount of injuries all season long. And it wasn't a lot of injuries to one specific position, the injuries were spread all throughout the team. But he was able to manage that and still lead Georgia to a championship.

And speaking of the SEC Championship game, it's worth pointing out that he led UGA to a come from behind victory with backup QB Gunner Stockton playing the entire second half in place of an injured Carson Beck. That is not easy to do.

It might be unlikely that Smart wins this award this year, but he 100 percent deserves to be in the conversation. But if Georgia goes on to make a run in the College Football Playoff and win a National Championship, then maybe he will have a case to win this award.