Kirby Smart responds to Mark Stoops Georgia-directed NIL comments
ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia was the target of shots fired by Kentucky coach Mark Stoops on Monday night, and Tuesday’s post-practice press conference gave Kirby Smart an opportunity to respond.
During his weekly radio show, Stoops, who was speaking to disgruntled fans in the aftermath of a 51-13 loss to the top-ranked Bulldogs over the weekend, encouraged them to open their wallets ups if they want results.
“I can promise you Georgia, they bought some pretty good players,” Stoops said. “You’re allowed to these days and we could use some help, that’s what they look like these days when you have 85 of em. I encourage anybody disgruntled to pony up some more.”
Asked about it post-practice on Tuesday, Smart was he “wasn’t going to bite on that.”
“No reaction. It’s much to do about nothing. I think Mark is truing to garner interest for money from his fanbase for his collective. We’re all trying to do the same,” Smart said. “Mark and I talked about NIL pregame and in our meeting. I’m not biting on that.”
It’s not the first time Smart has addressed NIL either. Even this week Smart suggested that it plays a part in the decisions prospects – both from the high school level and out of the transfer portal – make.
“I don’t talk much about the guys that aren’t in our program. I love both those young men to death. They both chose to come here, and neither one really had the options that they wanted coming out, and we saw something in them to bring them here. But they chose to leave,” Smart said after the reporter specifically mentioned Texas receiver AD Mitchell and LSU safety Major Burns, both former Bulldogs. “Neither one of those kids were encouraged to leave, but why they left would be up to them, not for me to define or say. I don’t think it’s about NIL in either of those cases. Do I think it’s about NIL in some cases? Absolutely. But I don’t think it’s about that in those two cases. That would probably be proximity to home in both those two cases. I just concern myself — I don’t think about that. I’m not even worried about that. It may be a story for you guys, but for me, it’s about the men that are in that team meeting room right over there that are going to practice today and that are trying to beat Vanderbilt.”
Smart isn’t the first SEC coach to get asked about Stoops’ comments either. Although they weren’t targeted at his program, South Carolina’s Shane Beamer – a former Georgia assistant – was asked for his opinion on the shots fired.
“NIL is certainly a major factor, not just in college football, but all across college athletics,” Beamer said. “I can name all of the programs here at Carolina and they all deserve it.”
“I want what’s best for our players,” he continued. “I’ll make every phone call and speak to every group I possibly can when it comes to raising money from this standpoint. Whether you agree with NIL, or don’t agree with NIL…if you want to win at the highest level and you want to win championships like we do here at Carolina, you have to be very active from a collective standpoint.”
Georgia takes to the road this weekend to play Vanderbilt. Trying to stay unbeaten before the bye week, the Bulldogs will look to take down the Commodores as 31.5-point favorites. Kickoff time is set for 12:00 p.m. ET, 11:00 a.m. locally, on CBS.
