Kirby Smart explains his 'why'

Kirby Smart has made a player’s motivation into a key part of his program.

Smart instituted the so-called “skull sessions” a few years ago. Those sessions centered around players sharing their “why” with their teammates, in the hopes of creating better cohesion which in turn leads to better play on the field.

During his press conference to open 2025 preseason camp, Smart fielded a question about his own why.

“It’s putting the pieces together,” Smart said. “It’s like the puzzle of this team is different than the puzzle of last year. And being able to decipher the difference in the two teams and maybe what the wants and needs are from me. What does this team need from me? What does this staff need from me? Where can I be at my best for our team? That’s my why.”

Smart is also driven by what he saw in the facility on the first day of preseason practice.

When Smart arrived, he saw offensive lineman Earnest Greene. The Class of 2022 signee is one project short of graduating, which he is on track to do in the coming days at the end of the summer semester.

“That, to me, is like the be all and end all when these kids get an opportunity to graduate from a university that I went to, and they get a chance to start, play, and carry on their career afterwards, that’s success,” Smart said. “There’s probably not enough stories about that or self-gratification about that, as opposed to when one fails or doesn’t make it. That’s what my why is, pushing these guys to get that piece of paper and also become better men.”

Smart is hoping the whys help everyone, from himself to his players, develop on and off the field over the ensuing weeks of camp.

“Camp’s a grind, and ours certainly is a grind,” Smart said. “Connection, leaning on each other, staying in a hotel for, I don’t know, eight, nine, ten days, 15 practices in 18 days, two scrimmages. It’s not easy, and it’s hot. So we want to really develop this mental and physical toughness we think carries us through the season.”