Mario Cristobal fires back at Kirby Smart for tampering joke, takes shot using Carson Beck

Mario Cristobal joined the stage at the ceremony for the Steve Spurrier First Year Coach Award, where he fired several shots at his former colleague at Alabama, Kirby Smart. Now the head coaches at Miami and Georgia, respectively, Cristobal didn’t hold back roasting the Bulldogs headman.

“It’s a great piece to watch what a player like Carson Beck can do with great coaching,” Cristobal said, as the camera panned to Smart. Beck was a two-year starter for the Bulldogs under Smart before transferring to Miami where he led the Hurricanes to a national title appearance in his first season with the program.

Smart reacted with a nod and a thumbs up. Watch the full video below:

NEW: Mario Cristobal had JOKES for Kirby Smart tonight💀

“…to watch what a player like Carson Beck can do with great coaching.”

“If it wasn’t for all his years of pre-NIL, we wouldn’t have NIL right now.”

(via @theleoreport)pic.twitter.com/UmoZxLRULv

— On3 (@On3) February 24, 2026

This came after Smart apparently took aim at Cristobal jokingly for sitting too close to Georgia cornerback Ellis Robinson. Smart claimed he wasn’t sure they should be sitting together, alluding to him possibly tampering with his defensive back.

However, Cristobal didn’t stop there. He poked fun at Smart for his success in the recruiting space, stating “if it wasn’t for all his years of pre-NIL, we wouldn’t have NIL right now.”

The Miami head coach continued his attack on Smart by giving him credit for his success — especially when “you have all that time to sit at home watching us on TV during the playoffs.” He credited the Bulldogs for winning the SEC Championship, praising their 7-1 record in the regular season against the conference.

“That’s awesome,” Cristobal said. “We were 5-0 against the SEC, I don’t know what you were.”

Cristobal joked that he was in “enemy territory” at the event, which was being held at Spurrier’s Gridiron Grille in Gainesville, Fla. He stated that some in the crowd may even be on Smart’s side.

“I’ve never felt so welcome in enemy territory,” Cristobal said of Gainesville. “Except last year at the Swamp, 41-17.”

The pair of coach’s jabs come at the event, which was set to honor UNLV — and former Florida head coach — Dan Mullen, who won this year’s Steve Spurrier First Year Coach Award via the Football Writers Association of America.

Miami and Georgia are expected to be national championship contenders this coming season. Both program made the College Football Playoff this past season with the Bulldogs falling in the quarterfinal.