An open letter to Head Coach Kirby Smart:
When you were announced as the next head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs in December 2015, I was less concerned about you than about your predecessor. I had not heard of you at all prior to that day, so I had no basis to be elated or disappointed in the hire. The more I learned about you, the more I realized that hiring you was indeed the right move, even if I (still) believe the folks above you could have been a bit more respectful to Coach Richt in the transition.
When you took the Bulldogs to within an overtime Hail Mary pass of winning a National Championship in only your second season, your place in the annals of Georgia Football history was sealed. Winning back-to-back Nattys in 2021 and 2022 were beautiful. Grown men (and women) cried. I admit, I openly wept in Indianapolis when the clock struck 0:00.
I was frustrated last year when we didn’t get a chance at a 3-peat, but losing the SECCG to Alabama sealed our fate. There were too many unbeaten teams at that point for anyone to justify a one-loss Georgia team in the top 4 (even if we probably should have been).
But you have a habit, Coach. One that I think can be particularly bad. And that habit is, once you have settled on a quarterback, you absolutely stick with him, even when it seems to everyone else that it would be time for that qb to sit out for a bit.
We saw it with Stetson Bennett. Plenty of people thought Stetson shouldn’t have been our qb. Yet you stuck with him game after game. In the end, he won two National Championships for Georgia, so clearly you saw something we didn’t. And now we’re seeing it with Carson Beck. He’s had 3 interceptions in THREE. DIFFERENT. GAMES. this season. There was a fourth game where he had two more! And yet, he never sat out a single offensive snap. You’ve talked about his resilience, and I believe he has it. Any qb that completes 12 out of 14 passes after throwing three picks definitely has it.
But what you don’t do, Coach, is you don’t explain yourself to the fanbase. I get it, we don’t sign your paychecks. At least, not directly. I hope those who do are getting a better explanation than nothing.
I want Georgia to win every game. I want us to win National Championships every year. I understand that other teams are good, too. So good, in fact, that even competing for the Natty each year is a feat. But you can’t win it if you ain’t in it.
We’ve still got two great SEC teams to play in the next two weeks, and two more regular season games after that. Losing any of those next four games could derail any chance of our playoff hopes.
I’m leaving it in your hands, Coach. I have to trust that you know what you’re doing. But please don’t let your stubborn loyalty cost us.
I believe in you. And more importantly, I believe in our team.
~ Housemother 2.0 ~
However, it is our intention to celebrate Georgia Bulldog Football Wins whenever and wherever they occur. The ugliness or beauty of any particular win is irrelevant for the purposes of the Winning Smart Victory Post. It is therefore my deepest honor and privilege to bring to you this week’s edition of: The Winning Smart Victory Post.
Coach Kirby Smart coached his 118th game this week for the Red & Black. He currently boasts a 101-17 record and a 0.8559 winning percentage, having carded his one hundred first win overall in the eighth game of the 2024 season against the Swamp Lizards of Broward County.
At the identical juncture in their careers:
Vince Dooley’s 118th game as head coach resulted in a Georgia Bulldogs win over the Kentucky Wildcats in the seventh game of the 1974 season, giving Coach Dooley a record of 81-33-5 and 0.7076 percentage.
Coach Mark Richt was 90-28 (0.7627) after a loss to these same Swamp Lizards in the eighth game of the 2009 season.
One hundred and eighteen games into his head coaching career Kirby Smart is eleven games ahead of Coach Mark Richt and ahead of Coach Vince Dooley by 20 games. As of now, he is holding his own versus the two winningest coaches in Georgia Football History.
As always . . .
Go ‘Dawgs !!!!