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In 1-on-1 interview, Kirby Smart owns that his roster-building strategy ‘scares’ Georgia fans
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In 1-on-1 interview, Kirby Smart owns that his roster-building strategy ‘scares’ Georgia fans
TAMPA, Fla. — Kirby Smart strongly believes in his convictions.
Comments
I see what Kirby is saying and respect his "model" of building a competitive team. But, at some point, the rubber meets the road and you have to win games.
"So if the model is to be old and win it, that’s not really who we are."
Do you put more effort into making sure your players come in young, get developed, have a good college experience, care about each other, love their culture, and respect the process…or do you put more effort into winning? Can you really have the best of both worlds in today's college football world?
So far the answer is maybe but not really. Your roster probably needs to tilt to a more experienced group of guys - especially for your key playmakers. The last (3) seasons have shown that you need to have an older, more experienced roster to win a National Championship. You also need key playmakers and 99% of the time those guys will be experienced. That's the facts as they sit right now. Can Kirby or another team change the narrative? Without the luxury of a deep and talented bench, which direction has staying power and is better? Injuries with key starters took a toll on us last season and the results were we got knocked out of the playoffs quickly…again.
Despite what Kirby says, my bet is he will go to the portal and get a seasoned QB for next year. I will be shocked if he doesn't. The best, most key position(s) on your team must have a decent amount of game experience.
We'll see which method is the best one within a couple of seasons.
Kirby Smart is wise to not be the College Football leader/cheerleader. He already has so many people and responsiblities putting a load on his back. Each additional load takes away his energy from other loads he carries. We need him to stay healthy and have a rich life. This reminds me of The Band's famous song, "The Weight": "Take a load of Fanny. Take the load for free. Take the load of Fanny…. Yeah, you put the load right on me. " Such generosity is not a good strategy as your back will eventually break.
That would really shake things up in the QB room. I think its already going to be interesting to see who leaves and who stays in the QB room without adding anyone else.
@MillenDawg…that's simply how I see it. I could be wrong, but unless Stockton gets injured and his replacement gets some serious game experience and produces good results into the playoffs then I am going to stick with my gut. Every single one of our backup QBs is probably well aware of how things work now. I don't think any of them would be surprised. In the meantime, each one of them is getting their development as a QB whether or not they end up starting for the Dawgs.
if we go portal for a guy after a full Gunner season we are gonna see two guys leave
My humble opinions here. Are the people @ UGA really willing to put up the huge amount of $$ to compete year in and year out ?
When the teams that buy all their players and those players leave what happens ? Their younger players will have little to no experience as the bought and paid for older players will have took up all the Quality snaps.
Yeah it’s true that the teams referenced won with bought and paid for Older players. BUT they haven’t won B2B yet. If we start seeing That as a trend then yeah maybe buying the best players will be the right route. STILL gotta have folks willing to pony up the $$ to do it though.
Just my opinion but KS getting the best HS players he can developing them. Then buying players out of the portal to fill the gaps is the right track.
Dawgs fans many times seem to have the idea that anything less than a Ntl. Title is a Loss. Sure it’d be Great to win it every year or even every other year. But I don’t think that’s realistic.
I think that coming close that is being in contention can help catapult you into it the next year. Like all Dawgs fans I was disappointed about the playoffs. But far from crushed. I thought we had a very good season. Now I hope that very good season will catapult us into Great !
Lastly the SEC teams face far more adversity than those Big 10 folks. Look at who they play. By the time the regular season is over SEC teams are beat to pieces. But the Big folks are still fresh. But as saw allot of our young guys Had to step up because of the injuries. This gives them the experience they probably wouldn’t have had other wise. I’m very excited and upbeat about this season ! Go Dawgs !!
The current model has been that older teams win the CFP, but the other side of that is that those older teams fall off quickly. UGA won back to back in '21 and '22 and were 13-1 in '23. An older Michigan team won in '23 and has not made the extended playoffs the past two years; Ohio State was one and done after their championship run in '24 and we'll see what an Indiana team that lost a lot of starters can do this season. I didn't mention the FSU NIL team that went 13-0 in '23 and has been 7-17 the past two years. So while the media and fans gush over how much teams spend on portal talent, the results definitively say it doesn't lead to building a sustainable program. A lot of people want to talk about NIL and the portal since its new, but for those who understand and know college football the best programs still have to recruit and develop high school talent, and UGA does that as well as anyone. KS's approach to filling out the roster with portal talent while building it through HS recruitment is the best way to maintain a competitive program.
Ohio was ranked top all year and then went into the playoff as the 2nd seed. Not really a dropoff
@87Dawg_11…You have a valid point about B2B. Yes, that is probably going to be harder for any team going forward when you are having to re-make and adjust for changes in the roster every year. It's insanity, but it's the reality. And we've got to win our FIRST National Championship under these "new conditions" before worrying about B2B. The rules of the game have changed, and so far, the SEC has struggled in the playoffs under the new rules. Whether it's the harder competition, the schedules, or what, we can't change what's in front of us, so we/SEC have to play the hand we are dealt…like it or not.
Again, I think let's see how we do over the next couple of seasons, where our recruiting rankings fall, and how we do in the portal. NIL, the portal, and unlimited funds in college football is fully baked in now.
@navydawg….Yes, the SEC has a harder, more competitive conference, but that's been the case for decades. Nothing has changed there except we have to play another conference opponent every season, and most if not all of the teams in the SEC have gotten at least a bit more competitive due to NIL & the portal. So, every team's job has just gotten tougher. I'd rather not use that as an excuse as to why the SEC seems to falter in the playoffs, but it is something to consider. I don't think any fan from another conference that just won a Natty is going to send us a sympathy bouquet!
I guess I'm confused. If Ohio State and Michigan rely on "older" teams and not so much on high school recruits, then why are they so very far ahead on 5 star and 4 star recruits for the 2027 class?
Hey, I'm with ya'll, Kirby has earned the right to steer the ship as he see's fit. However, he won two national championships with old teams. Indiana just won with an older team of three stars. I'm a little concerned to see him flippantly depart from the model that won. Moreover, if you invest in training a kid, like Bear Alexander, and he bolts for another team, are you not back a square one with an untrained freshman? Did we not see what happened at center last year? We lost to Ole Miss because our backup made a rookie mistake on 4th down.
Kirby is a great salesman, and he's selling himself right now; but the rubber will meet the road, and if he loses out, people will turn on him.
scared of what?
Hey I wasn’t trying to be snarky. And I realize no one’s gonna cry us a river. Wouldn’t want them to. But the SEC in my view is Still the toughest regular season conference. And even more so now. I know people citing injuries is considered an “excuse” among CFB fans. But when it’s key players it’s also a reality.
And no sarcasm but I stand by my belief that SEC teams maul each other so badly during the regular season it shows in post season play. I just believe that Kirby getting the best players he feels fits UGA ( might not always be 4 & 5 stars) as a culture. Then plugging any gaps with the TP is the best route.
Eventually the schools that go almost exclusively the TP will run out of gas. As I said yeah those Big schools have won recent Nattys. But are they gonna be one hit wonders ? You know as well probably better than I do it takes moving mountains to win a Ntl. Title. Will be even more so now.
You know when we as Dawgs fans really stop and think about it KS winning those B2Bs was a phenomenal thing ! And was in heavy contention for a third ! I could be bad wrong and sure wouldn’t be the first time. But I think we’re gonna win it this year or be right there knocking on the door. And speaking only for me last year was not a fail. Of course we’d have wanted to go deeper. But it’s so hard to do every year. I don’t think UGA is in a deep decline, at least yet. Win big and the recruits will come, including the TP. I guess the easiest thing I could’ve said is I trust Kirby !
@navydawg...Agree. I did not take your comments as being snarky. I think you have valid points about the SEC and its toughness. But the SEC has always been able to rise above and keep winning National Championships. We're not doing that now, and the B1G conference is winning when it counts - in the playoffs. So they are proving beyond a shadow of a doubt tbat they CAN beat tough competition. We can't deny that. The SEC needs to figure out how to show up in the playoffs and perform well.
Great !! I just didn’t want you to think I was trying to be a smart butt !! I always respect your views.
But I’m gonna step way out on a limb and say that the BIGs dominance ends This year. And it’s gonna be our Dawgs that make it happen ! I honestly think we have a near perfect mix of old veteran players with young but very talented players. The older guys will lead the younger ones by example.
And though it might sound cliche I Do trust KS. He’s one of if not The most experienced HCs when you factor in his time at cough, cough Bama as much as I hate even saying that name. And I just can’t see Gunner being a stagnant player. He’s way too competitive to just not improve at least some. He loves his team to much and is very unselfish. Personally I think Gunner will be more than just Some improved.
The main key in my view is CMB using those TEs in an advantageous way. That room is Loaded !! Losing Dowdell hurt the RB room but there’s Still allot of talent there. We do need at least three WRs to separate themselves and be very solid, elite would be even better. I could go on but you already have a good handle on what we have. This is gonna be another year of the Big Dawg with the Big Bite !! BELIEVE !!