Kirby Smart is doing more with less according to a recent report by The Athletic on what teams are spending on their football roster.
Read the full story here
The article above is the EXACT reason why this NIL mess needs to be put under control. How can you have a "paid" athletic program with paid players spreading across these United States without any boundaries for the richer schools. Texas could buy all of us if they wanted. It very much lends itself to giving certain schools a VERY unfair advantage!
I don’t know what Mike’s agenda is for intentionally writing a misleading title. Our “roster” leads the nation with an average player rating of 91.97, featuring 13 five-stars and 69 four-stars. Our “NIL” spending ranks in the middle in the SEC. Totally different things.
The notion that “the rich are getting richer” by buying all the top talents is just not true and results from nothing but intellectual laziness. Study after study based on where the top recruits go and where NFL draft picks come from have clearly shown an increased parity in talent acquisition in the NIL era.
Here’s an example: https://tepperspectives.cmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Does-Personalized-Pricing-Increase-Competition-Evidence-from-NIL-in-College-Football-compressed.pdf
It’s an long paper but “Using a dataset that encompasses pre-and post-NIL recruitment patterns to examine the distribution of 3, 4, and 5* recruits at college football programs, we find a notable increase in the dispersion of talent. Contrary to the hypothesis that NIL would lead to a “rich get richer” dynamic, we observe a tendency for lower-ranked football programs to attract higher-quality recruits post-NIL, especially among 5- and lower ranked 4* athletes. Furthermore, we show that post-NIL 3* recruits are sacrificing schooling for NIL money, attending colleges that are less selective, have lower SAT class averages, and whose graduates earn a lower mid-career income. We also do not find evidence that schools that spend more money on football are attracting better talent post-NIL. Competitiveness improves post-NIL as sportsbooks set smaller point differentials even after controlling for talent, performance, and the transfer portal.”
Before we get too carried away with Texas' $ advantaqe, note that the 2 teams spending more than Texas both lost last week & looked bad doing so. Oregon looks like a shell of what they were supposed to be & Ohio State collapsed late to finally give Texas a big win. For all their money, Texas didn't even make the playoffs last year & hasn't beaten Geogia in 7 years & they won't beat us this year if they happen to make the SECCG. Leadership, coaching & development trump indiscrimnate spending.
It's probably going to take 2-3 seasons with these high-flying payrolls for us to determine how important & critical raking in the Top $$ is as it relates to bringing home a NC. Coaching is the intangible that the Dawgs have an advantage with over so many other teams. Kirby is among the very best HCs. Lanning is struggling this season at Oregon after having to replace both his top OC and DC. Yes, money matters, but development, play calling, game planning, consistency of staff, and coaching matter just as much. The team has to work as a unit, not as a bunch of individuals just looking for big paychecks and recognition.
Yes, Kirby has fallen off a bit with HC recruiting, but it's a much m9re competitive landscape now as compared to 3-4 + years ago when teams like Bama and Georgia would always be in the Top 5 in recruiting.
Is Georgia just a very good team or an elite, NC caliber team this season??
We'll know by December if not before.
And Even with NIL you have schools wanting to take on undrafted or uncontracted players who Were with pro teams. So much greed running rampant. That said NIL is here to stay. I like that KS focuses on Team Needs. And he’s not scared of taking on 3 star or even No star players. He looks them over and thinks I can coach that guy up to be a great player. See Ladd McConkey a 2 star QB in HS !!
Yes some will be busts. But some will also be great !! And in most of those great ones they will think KS gave me a chance when no one else believed in me !! The 4 and 5 stars KS gets are prudent enough to realize Coach Smart is going to build me for the NFL. If I work with KS and his staff and give my all I can go high in the NFL draft !!
So KS gets the players best suited to UGA. Where as allot of these other schools act like used car dealers at a car auction !! Just buy a bunch of cars just to have stock !! I trust Kirby !! Go Dawgs !!
Do your research. These stars are from a combo of pre-nil and the early stages before it got out of hand. 2028 we will be loaded with 3/4 stars playing aginst teams with 5 stars. Get real and take those Walt Disney glasses off!!
These guys will all be gone after 2027. If you think we can win a NC with 3/4 stars you are looking through rose colored sunglasses!
I LOVE that we spend 30% less, and are just as good or better them. And Monroe Freeling needs to be our poster child on the topic— come to Georgia for decent pay, win championships, and the best development (for bigger pay later), not to mention great education and lifestyle. Go Dawgs!
@PeterA The “More with Less” headline reflects the schools’ spending on rosters, and Georgia ranking 10th among SEC schools - not the talent, which is clearly referenced in the story (21 first round picks under Kirby) and Monroe Freeling’s comments about players prioritizing NFL development over potentially higher salaries.
I think the main thing is having enough money to be competitive in the NIL era & so far it seems like we do have enough. If you use it wisely (which Kirby certainly seems to do) & emphasize the other strengths you have & you're talking to the right prospects, you don't necessarily need the "most" $. Unlimited money can lead to indiscriminate spending & decisions like Brendan Sorsby at Texas Tech. That situation sounds like there were clear red flags that should have been noticed, but Cody Campbell wanted him & was willing to pony up.
You really think we have the #10 ranked roster in the SEC? How **** are you?
Yes it’s obvious what was meant, but why did you write we had the 10th ranked talent in the SEC while obviously the Atlantic article specifically referred to spending? Do you think the title was accurate?
@PeterA - The headline refers to the payroll rank as the story explains — theres no one in their right mind who thinks Georgia's talent ranks that low — the team's results say it all. Considering I have UGA ranked No. 2 in my AP poll, my feelings on the team's talents have been made quite clear.
Agree with most commenters here. That said, and as much as I trust Kirby, I wish UGA’s roster was about $10 million more. Then some of these great players that we seem to lose at the last minute — like Curtis and Cantwell, to name two — would fall our way. More money, combined with Kirby’s coaching acumen, would definitely take us deeper into the playoffs, maybe to another Natty. Go Dawgs!
