Kirby Smart not concerned about Georgia, Alabama comparisons
Georgia is in pursuit of a third straight national title. The Bulldogs became the first to go back-to-back since Alabama in 2011 and 2012, a pair of championships that Kirby Smart was a part of during his time in Tuscaloosa, and would be the first to three-peat since the 1930s when Minnesota did so.
Smart says he doesn’t put his program up against any other though. They have their own standard to meet. Even with folks all across the country – including recruits – saying that Georgia is the new Alabama and that the Bulldogs have passed to Crimson Tide by, Smart is staying adamant that one, he doesn’t hear that, and two, he doesn’t care to compare.
“First of all, I don’t hear that a lot and second, I don’t measure our program based on their program. We measure our program on doing the best we can do and that’s doing the best job we can each and every year,” Smart told reporters at SEC Spring Meetings in Destin, Fla. on Tuesday.
“Our success is based on how we work out, how we perform, how we run, how we turn over the ball, how we convert third downs. It’s really that simple,” he continued. “It’s not based on another program. I’ve got a lot of respect for Alabama and everything they’ve done, but it doesn’t have anything to do with us. The focus for us has to be on us.”
Smart is absolutely right in saying that. Georgia has its own this to address. With 25 players having been picked in the NFL Draft over the last two years, the Bulldogs look completely different than they did when they won the first championship in 2021 – beating Alabama 33-18 in Indianapolis to avenge an earlier SEC Championship Game defeat that kept them from a perfect season.
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Quarterback Stetson Bennett who started each of the two title games was taken in the fourth round by the Los Angeles Rams. That leaves last year’s backup Carson Beck as the likely starter but still a competition going on headed into the summer. Around him is plenty of talent including tight end Brock Bowers, wide receivers Ladd McConkey and Dominic Lovett and an offensive line that should keep him clean, but things might look a little bit different under new offensive coordinator Mike Bobo.
Meanwhile, on defense, there are a couple of key contributors that must be replaced included defensive lineman Jalen Carter, outside linebackers Nolan Smith and Robert Beal, cornerback Kelee Ringo and safety Christopher Smith. It absolutely helps to have the team’s top three tacklers from last season back – linebackers Smael Mondon and Jamon Dumas-Johnson as well as safety Malaki Starks – plus the top pass rusher in defensive lineman Mykel Williams with continuity on the coaching staff. Still, there are always challenges that are going to arise.
So, for Kirby Smart, it’s not about Alabama. The Crimson Tide aren’t on their schedule. In order for the two teams to play, the Bulldogs have their own business to take care of to a) get to Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game and/or b) make a third straight appearance in the College Football Playoffs.
Should that game happen, Alabama have Smart’s full attention. Until then, he’s not worried one bit about Nick Saban, the Crimson Tide and how Georgia as a program stacks up in the world of College Football. Instead, his time is spent on his own team and the 12 on their schedule.
