As the years went by, it became more and more likely that Kirby Smart was likely to accept a head coaching position but the question remained when. When Mark Richt was given the boot, Smart’s destiny was made clear as he was given the opportunity to return to his Alma Matter. Now, just a season-and-a-half later, he has his Georgia Bulldogs sitting near the top of the college football world. Call him just a Nick Saban protégé if you will, but what Smart has done in Georgia thus far deserves him a title of his own.
Mark Richt was never a ‘bad coach’ for the Bulldogs, in fact many considered him great. He consistently delivered fans 10-win seasons, SEC East championships, and top-25 rankings. However, he often failed to deliver on big stages and as his tenure went on it became his moniker. With only a year and a half under his belt, it would be ignorant to say that Smart, too, will not fall under that category. But a neck-and-neck victory in South Bend over a Notre Dame squad that is now ranked ninth in the country gave the fans exactly what they’ve been dying to see.
A perfect 7-0 record and a #3 AP Poll ranking has UGA fans as excited as they have been in years, and while they do have a talented roster, all credit goes to Kirby.
When quarterback, Jacob Eason, went down unexpectedly in week one, Smart and staff were forced to play a true freshman in Jake Fromm. Not only did Fromm lead the team to that win over the Fighting Irish, he took the reigns from Eason entirely. He has completed 62% of his throws for 1,162 yards and sports an impressive touchdown-interception ratio of 12-to-3.
Most of their quarterback success has been a direct result of an ultra-efficient ground game spearheaded by their stars, Nick Chubb and Sony Michel. Together they have totaled 1,180 yards and a staggering 14 touchdowns. While Chubb and Michel are great runners, the Bulldogs have also had a new face burst onto the scene in true freshman, D’Andre Swift.
Yet, what makes this team so much more different than the one that met Alabama in the 2012 SEC Championship Game is their smothering defense. They rank second in the SEC and fourth in the country in points allowed per game at 12.6. Just like in his days with Nick Saban, Kirby Smart’s defense is led by a veteran at middle linebacker, Roquan Smith. Through seven games, Smith leads the Bulldogs in total tackles with 53. He is in on nearly every play, reminiscent of the Kirby Smart-coached C.J. Mosley in Tuscaloosa.
Alabama and Georgia appear to be on a crash course to renew their SEC Championship Game vows for the first time since 2012, but this time things appear to be much different. The Bulldogs team of then was plagued with defensive inefficiencies despite sporting a healthy load of future NFL draft picks. Now, Kirby Smart appears to have them playing harder and faster as a team than they have in years.
Look out.
