"We're not going anywhere": When an emotional Kirby Smart proclaimed Georgia's future after losing the national championship

In just his second season at Georgia in 2017, Kirby Smart led the Bulldogs to the College Football Playoff national championship game. He saw his team come up against Alabama, where he worked for almost a decade under Nick Saban before moving to Athens.

The Crimson Tide secured a 26-23 comeback win against the Bulldogs in overtime at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Following the painful defeat, Smart made a host of bold proclamations about the future of Georgia that went on to become a reality.

“I think everybody can see that Georgia’s going to be a force to be reckoned with,” Smart said. “I’m very proud of this team and this university, and we’re not going anywhere.”

Georgia has been around ever since, competing at the highest level of the college football landscape. The Bulldogs made frequent appearances in the conference championship game and boast two national championship titles.

Kirby Smart commends the standard set by the seniors

The standard set during the 2017 college football season has been what the Georgia Bulldogs have strived to live up to over the years. The team had a crop of seniors who aided in instituting a level of discipline in the program and are committed to competing at the national level.

Kirby Smart commended the seniors following the loss of the national championship game to Alabama. He cited their contributions to the program on the field and the mentality they helped foster.

“The standard’s been set by these young men right here. I can’t put into words what these seniors mean,” Smart said. “We’re running out of the tunnel tonight, and this guy over here next to me, 27 comes by me and says, I’ll go anywhere with you, and I’ll follow you anywhere, and I’ll fight for you because I believe in you. And that meant more to me than anything."

“The way he practices, the way he’s in every meeting, the way he carries himself, the way Sony Michel affects players on our team, Isaiah Wynn, Roquan, all these guys have been incredible leaders. And if we have that kind of leadership, there’s no doubt. The sky’s the limit.”

Striving to live up to the standard of that season every year, Georgia has become one of the best programs in college football under Kirby Smart. The program has continued to grow in many areas, including on-field success, recruiting and national visibility.