Kirby Smart has perfect reply to naysayers for looking down on Georgia's 2024 season

Kirby Smart had a tumultuous ride in the 2024 season where Georgia struggled with a myriad of injuries and a strong schedule. Competing in the SEC is always tough and dealing with a shaky offensive scheme, on top of injuries, could take things on a downward spiral for football teams, but not for the Bulldogs.

Statistically, Georgia couldn't reach the standards they had set in the previous years but they managed to get past the jitters and make the SEC Championship game against Texas.

While speaking to Joshe Pate in a sit-down interview this week, Smart mentioned it was by far one of the most successful coaching years of his entire career.

From the outside, it may appear as a not-so-good season for Georgia, but in reality, the coaching staff had been through a lot. Despite losing QB Carson Beck due to injury, Georgia stood unfazed. [Timestamp 18:20]

“Best coaching job we've gone by far 100%. We were not as good as some of the years previous, and we had twice the schedule some of the years previous. So to the naysayers, to the home lookers, to the people that don't know,” Smart said while looking back at 2024.

“I respect everybody's opinion. You can have opinion. You can do what you want with it. I know football, and I know the level of schedule we had to play, and I know the roster we did it with, and I know the injuries we had, by far and away, the best job that our staff and organization has done."

He added:

“We were able to win that game (SEC Championship), okay, which was, in and of itself, an accomplishment. And then we went early, played a really good Notre Dame team, and didn't play our best game,” he added.

Kirby Smart is not scared of ongoing spring drama

Next up on the schedule for Georgia's coach is the inter-squad spring scrimmages. A lot of top programs like Ohio, State Texas and USC have already canceled their spring game, owing to injury scares and transfer portal tampering.

However, Smart mentioned having no apprehensions. He believes the standard that Georgia has set attracts players and the team is in a very good position to compete. The Bulldogs will play their G-Day on April 12, which is four days before the spring portal officially opens.