Despite recent practice struggles, Kirby Smart gets the top spot from college insider

Kirby Smart is one of the most decorated coaches in modern college football. The Georgia Bulldogs coach has led the program to two national championships and three SEC titles during his tenure.

The Bulldogs are perennial national championship contenders, even though they failed to advance past the quarterfinals at the expanded College Football Playoff. However, they have been plagued by practice struggles, including, but not limited to, Nitro Tuggle's arrest for overspeeding.

Despite the issues, college football insider Greg McElroy has Smart ranked as the best coach in college football heading into the 2025 season. The veteran analyst sees Smart as the golden standard for college football coaching, especially now that Nick Saban has retired.

Here's McElroy's Top 25 list:

1. Kirby Smart – Georgia Bulldogs
2. Ryan Day – Ohio State Buckeyes
3. Steve Sarkisian – Texas Longhorns
4. Marcus Freeman – Notre Dame Fighting Irish
5. Dan Lanning – Oregon Ducks
6. Kalen DeBoer – Alabama Crimson Tide
7. Dabo Swinney – Clemson Tigers
8. Jeff Brohm – Louisville Cardinals
9. Brian Kelly – LSU Tigers
10. James Franklin – Penn State Nittany Lions
11. Lane Kiffin – Ole Miss Rebels
12. Josh Heupel – Tennessee Volunteers
13. Matt Campbell – Iowa State Cyclones
14. Chris Klieman – Kansas State Wildcats
15. Eli Drinkwitz – Missouri Tigers
16. Brett Bielema – Illinois Fighting Illini
17. Lance Leipold – Kansas Jayhawks
18. Shane Beamer – South Carolina Gamecocks
19. Lincoln Riley – USC Trojans
20. Mario Cristobal – Miami Hurricanes
21. Kalani Sitake – BYU Cougars
22. Deion Sanders – Colorado Buffaloes
23. Curt Cignetti – Indiana Hoosiers
24. Rhett Lashlee – SMU Mustangs
25. Kenny Dillingham – Arizona State Sun Devils

What to expect from Kirby Smart and Georgia in 2025?

Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs have been a college football powerhouse for over half a decade. The Bulldogs are positioned amid a hotbed of talent, and they regularly replenish their roster with four- and five-star prospects.

The Bulldogs ended last season with an 11-3 record and were beaten by the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the CFP quarterfinals. It was an anticlimactic ending for the Bulldogs, especially after their rollercoaster regular season.

Expect Kirby Smart to galvanize his troops for a run at the national championship. It's been a couple of seasons since Kirby and the Bulldogs last lifted the most important trophy in collegiate football.

The Bulldogs typically rely on their hard-nosed defense, but they still possess some of the country's fastest offensive talent. Gunner Stockton should have enough talent to pass to in his first season as the team's undisputed starting quarterback.