FOX Sports' Bruce Feldman: Kirby Smart is struggling with his overall management style of program
It’s always difficult for a head coach to make it through early struggles with a new team. Georgia coach Kirby Smart is no exception, according to Fox Sports reporter Bruce Feldman.
Feldman claims Smart is struggling with his overall management style, which is having negative effects on the operational aspect of his team.
Here is Feldman’s analysis on Smart’s debut season through his first five games:
Word is first-year Georgia head coach Kirby Smart is struggling with his overall management style of the football program and its effect on the operational aspect of the team. The Bulldogs are 3-2, and though this is a rebuilding project where the Nick Saban disciple has an inexperienced true freshman QB, an underwhelming O-line and only one starter back in his front seven, this is an issue worth keeping eye on.
Feldman’s take is somewhat vague, but he could also be referring to higher ups within the athletic department, too. The thing to remember here is that change is hard, and Georgia is finding that out.
The Bulldogs are coming off a 34-31 loss to Tennessee in Week 5. The Bulldogs were seconds away from victory before Vols quarterback Joshua Dobbs connected with wide receiver Jauan Jennings for a 43-yard pass.
Georgia finds itself facing a two-game losing streak entering Saturday’s game at South Carolina.
I don’t get this at all. I think it’s a bunch of BS. First year coaches will struggle some, I’m sure. It’s a big adjustment. Give him some time, let him settle in. Let him get this team where he wants it to be. So unless he’s snorting blow off of Herschel’s trophy case or banging 18 year old co-eds in his office, let’s give the man some space to get it figured out!
Remember that Nick Saban went 7-6 his first year at Bama. After that, he was mopping the floor with the opposition. Let Kirby do it his way. He is still working with Mark Richt’s boys. Give him 2 years to populate the team with his own recruits, then LOOK OUT!!
The team Saban took over was averaging 6 wins a season for the previous 10 years Georgia was averaging 9.7 wins a year for the past 15 years ……. One situation has notta to do with the other
No idea why people keep saying this or the fact Saban was a proven winner building a strong program at MichST and LSU before being a failure in the NFL at Miami then returning to college ….. Smart has never done nothing on his own this is his first shot even the fact he was Def coordinator for Saban means lil to me I mean would of you hired Spurrier Offensive coordinator thinking he was the next Evil Genius ?
You’ve got a point, but I think the correlation isn’t to equate Kirby to Saban as a coach. I think it’s that these are two coaches that had to / are going to drastically change the culture and remake the programs to fit what their style of ball. Whatever you think of the job Richt did at Georgia, there is no doubt Kirby is going to do it differently. I don’t think a correlation of number of wins is equitable here. Kirby gets 2-3 years to get things where he wants them.
Yeah, I’ve been saying the same thing.
Funny that stuff like this comes out right after Georgia plays their best game of the year so far. Last year he was a DC and this is his 1st season . He is Smart enough to get it all figured out in due time. Pun intended 😀
From a management “style” I can see some issues. I was at the Tenn game in person. Getting the personnel on/off the field for the Offense seemed to be an issue all game. Plenty of times players would rush on and then turn around and run back off. IDK if that’s on purpose but it looked like the Offense was lost most of the time pre-snap. From a player stand point yes, he is playing with Richt’s leftovers. Not saying the cupboard was bare, but when your starting LT is a transfer from Rhode Island we got issues. The players will come, the “style” will get figured out. I do like the fact he is coaching them up as they come off the field. Richt didn’t do that. Smart stays engaged in the game. Decision making is a little questionable at this point still but at least HE is the one making them. Is it possible to get a better kicker soon? Kevin Butler, one of the best kickers ever, is a Grad Assistant for goodness sake!!!
A lot of that has to do with a true freshman qb as well
Honestly I think our Offensive system is holding our true freshman QB back he is a special talent playing in a very predictable run first down then dink and dunk 3rd down pass offense. The kid throws deeper passes as good as anyone I have ever seen He is a million times more accurate than Stafford will ever be and has much more arm strength than Zier ever did with a lil time he should be hands down the best Georgia QB I have seen play …….. Rakestraw Rauch Tarkenton Bratkowski were all before my time so I can not judge them
You’re an idiot
I don’t think that’s the issue. I think he’s not kissing ass in Butts-Mehre. Once/if he starts winning big, that won’t be an issue. If it’s true, then that’s pretty funny, considering he’s McGarity’s signature hire.
Anything on the player side is just icing on this cake that’s been made.
If that’s the case, then imagine how badly they would’ve beaten Tennessee without all the “struggling”!
Great sarcasm!
Glad you caught that
Roll of the dice these first year coaches are. If the fan base/boosters are patient enough, it could turn out well. Then again, you might be wasting 4 years. It’s never easy to watch someone learn on the job…
Personally, I’m thrilled with his management so far! Lots of new pieces, new schemes, etc. Yeah, we struggled in 2 of our wins but the biggest difference I’ve seen in 4 of the 5 games is that they fought hard until the very end. There were so many games under Richt (and Bobo) that we would have a lead and I could feel the impending loss (Vandy a couple years ago). There wasn’t the drive to win or to finish for that matter. He’ll get his pieces in order and the team will learn his style. I don’t see a lot of teams on our remaining schedule that will play as well as Tenn did and it still took a miracle finale for them to win. Again, I’m thrilled with his development so far!
You are thrilled with Def flags for not getting players off the field. last week was the first game we only got that flag once all other games it has hit us multiple times. Same thing with the Def getting lined up slow. 3 or 4 plays each game the Def is still trying get lined up as the ball is being snapped.
Thats almost all on coaching and is things that should have been fixed after game 1 not still going on after game 5
Not saying Smart is a failure just saying THRILLED is not the word that comes to my mind. Average for a first year coach is what I think
This is coming from the guy that already thinks Eason is the best qb Georgia has ever had…
He has his strengths and weaknesses, for sure. I’m not looking for a championship this year; I’m looking for a championship team that can emerge from this year’s team. Discipline can be coached up; schemes can be coached up; understanding the game plan can be coached up. Meanwhile, he’s changed the way our team has approached the game and finished them. Yeah, mistakes happen and they can cost us games. As long as those mistakes get progressively fewer but the intensity and drive remain the same or better, I’m sticking with thrilled.
Well,let’s see what’s going on with you Bulldogs.You fire one of the BEST head coaches in college football and you replace him with the Best defensive coach in college football. I’m not trying to be negative about your program,but exactly what’s it going to take to make the “BULLDOG NATION HAPPY??
This is coming from Feldman, not UGA fans. Troll much?
First, well, let’s distinguish between the fans and the administration that makes those decisions. The firing of Richt was a divisive decision. I have no doubt some big donors were in McGarity’s ear about him, but I think a majority of fans weren’t on board with the decision, and just about everyone hated how it went down. But, everyone has moved on and here very few that aren’t behind Kirby now. No one wants to live in the past, just want to move on and embrace who we do have. But having someone from the outside criticize the situation is hilarious, especially when they think they know all about it. You want to criticize our administration for their ineptitude in handling situations like this? There’s quite a few UGA fans that’ll be right there with you.
Mark Richt is an amazing coach, and an amazing recruiter. I’m betting he will do big things in Miami. He just stayed in Athens too long. Some coaches are builders, more than maintainers. They love the challenge and the competition of building a team up and when it starts to come easier, they just don’t put the same passion into it. I don’t think any coach should stay at the same school for more than 8-10 years.
If one of those 6 DB’s could have knocked the ball down, this article is never written.
If, if, if…
If the UT defender had kept playing with 20 seconds left, the game would have been different, but with the same outcome, and the article would be written, but differently, but probably about something else, and we would all be complaining, and, well I am tired of typing!
you can ‘what if’ until the end of time, but it doesn’t matter. What if Jalen Hurd doesn’t get lazy on the fumble in the endzone and the last play was never needed in the first place? What if UT’s punt snapper doesn’t down a punt at the 4 yard line to setup a sack/fumble in the endzone? There are a handful of what if plays every game that is this close.
But only one where there is no chance to recover. Plays in the first half are not the same as those at the end of the fourth quarter.
Yet they all count. Plays in the 1st half can make or break a team and totally affect the 2nd half. 2nd half plays can’t affect the first half play!
You’re right, they’re not the same…because they are different plays…but as DoctorLarry said, they all still count. Those 7 points would have been worth the same amount, whether they happened in the first half or the last play of the game.
Before the season, everyone thought that UGA would lose to Ole Miss, Tennessee and Florida. Now that UGA has lost to Ole Miss and Tennessee, people think that UGA is in freefall. SMH. This is a team that is young and seems to be making progress every week. Yes, UGA should have beaten Tennessee but that’s not the end of the season or the story. For reporters to start questioning his management style 5 games in is a little crazy. My guess. There will be a lot of good things happening in Athens while Eason and Smart are there.
Great point!
Rebuilding the program? What? Richt won 10 games the year before with I believe less talent than Smart has right now. Look at all the supposed talent Georgia has. This is where you lose me. Richt was constant in winning 9 or 10 games each year with the talent he had. Now Smart is 3-2. Fans were so unhappy with Richt they did to him what UT did to Fulmer. Live with it now. Just hope yall dont go 10 years thru hell before you come back. Oh yeah, Richt is 4-0 at a truely rebuild at Maimi.
There is a lot of talent at UGA, but it’s young talent. Richt beat all the bad teams (and even then sometimes he didn’t) and lost to all the good ones. You’re right about him consistently winning 9-10 games a year, but there was no growth. And in regards to him being undefeated at Miami, he has yet to play a team of the caliber of Ole Miss, Tennessee, or North Carolina.
Miami’s strength of schedule currently stands at #112, I believe. He’d better be undefeated against that competition. Still, good on Richt for not losing any of them.
Last year’s 9-regular season wins included 6 against teams with losing records, an OT win against a Sun Belt Conference team, and a .500 Auburn team. We were the first SEC team to win 10 games and end the season unranked, which should tell you something about the season. The 10-win number is an illusion.
Richt’s team would have folded and lost to UNC, UM and UT.
Losing on a hail mary is painful but Eason has senior-level coolness and CKS is no Lane/Derek.
We will be fine.
See you in Knoxville next year.
You lost way before the hail mary I hate to tell you. Sometimes you dont realize how good you had it until it is gone. Who knows how Kirby Smart will do. 3-2 as of right now. He is gonna have to win outright to have the record of coach Richt before he was fired. Look at LSU now. Very bumpy road ahead. Richts problem was like Miles problem, offensive coordinator and no QB. Eason is gonna be a great QB. Chaney was Tennessee’s OC before and frankly sucked. Go ask Hog fans anout Jim Chaney. Smart has soooo much talent to start with than Butch Jones had. Plus had a 5 star QB that didnt jump ship. To me, last years Georgia team looked better than this years. Better hope Georgia doesnt slip up on a gMe or two or fans will start rumbling.
The only people I saw that thought UGA would match a 10 win season from last year were pundits who didn’t take the time to see what was really going on with the team. I don’t know a single fan that thought we’d win more than 9 games.
Winning 10 games in the east is not really an accolade. Especially without a trophy case full of SEC championships. Tennessee has had some great wins, but they are not world beaters by any means. Bama hangs 50 on them easy. They go back into a free fall.
You must have missed UGA’s last season. Richt won 9 games not 10. He lost to: Bama, UT, and UF. Smart has lost to: Ole Miss (Who should have beat Bama) and UT. So tell me, how is Smart doing worse than Richt when they lose to the same quality teams? In fact, UGA almost beat a better UT team this year. And Richt’s 4-0 means nothing. Miami hasn’t played anybody worth.
Surprised?? Everybody thought Tennessee was crazy to fire Fulmer, but Tennessee. They fired a perennial 9 or 10-wins a season coach and are finally relevant again 8 years later. Say goodbye to LSU for a while too. Tennessee set the model for how NOT to fire a coach and Georgia says, Naa we’re different… We’re DAWGS haha… Well, try satisfying yourself with mediocrity for at least three years. It’s not easy and YES, it will happen to you. Kirby Smart is not a great game manager.
We have been mediocre for many years. 9/10 wins against weak opponents? No SEC titles in years even though we send a ton of guys to the NFL?
Nowhere to go but up IMHO. Nobody expected a title this year.
You are right ONE thing…Kirby is not a good game manager….YET.
This his first gig as HC…give him some time. Even Saban struggled to find his way at first.
Exactly what i was afraid of when it happened. Kirby eventually won me over, but I’m worried it could still happen. But at this point, he gets time to prove otherwise.
Easily the most ridiculous article I have ever read. This is complete bullsh*t.
I’ve read that Feldman quote a half dozen times and I still have no clue what it means. It’s loaded with corporate double-speak (I have many years of experience there), but it sounds as if a wealthy booster didn’t get their way or someone in administration feels slighted/unwanted. “Word is . . .” – that’s about as vague as you can get.
Let’s get this straight – the UGA football program had grown soft under Richt, top to bottom, over the past 8 years. “Rings gather dust” is the best illustration of what happened to a formerly dynamic, aggressive program under Richt the first 7 years. Richt became a CEO and the football program (and boostership) settled into a comfortable, old-school corporate pattern of maintaining the status quo.
Kirby was brought in to change all that. He’s no-nonsense and has one priority – elevating the level of football at UGA. He loves his players and he loves the fans. Everyone else – administration, boosters, the press, the water boy – are not high on his priority list. Bound to be some hurt feelings and sniping when a Type-A personality is given almost omniscient control over a program that was comfortably compartmentalized for 15 years.
What’s the old saying about omelets and broken eggs? This is exactly what I was hoping to see at some point, otherwise I would have wondered if change was happening fast enough.
I agree that this is a completely meaningless quote from a meaningless source.
The last 10 seconds aside, this was the most complete game we played all year. Clear improvement from the run game. Were it not for the thoughtless penalties and that hail mary this would have been an instant classic comeback from our freshman qb despite his rookie mistake that gave them a TD. Things seem to be improving. We were clearly outmatched in the Ole Miss game, but from my perspective that is the only game on our schedule where that can be said. If you expected us to legitimately compete at the highest level this year, then you may need to readjust your expectations. Richt was 8-4 in his first season, and we are still well within our abilities to surpass that mark. In my opinion Smart has things headed in the right direction and has done nothing to deserve an early end to his honeymoon period.
If UT doesn’t pull off the miracle, UGA is 4-1 with two victories over ranked opponents and everyone is talking about what a good hire it was.
^this. As painful as that game was, we have a highly probable chance of going 9-3 or 10-2. Shoot 8-4 would suck but think are positive. Literally one play and UGA jumps UT to #13-15 or so. It’s hard to give it time but be reminded on the fact that the kid leading this team offensively (minus the RBs) was born in 1997…
Kirby is going to be a good coach. Tennessee seems to be having the kind of luck that Auburn had a few years ago. But that’s all apart of SEC football. Just be patient Georgia fans it’s going to be alright.
This is from the same article that talks about how great UNC and Mitch Trubisky are. A team that the Dawgs played well against and beat. Cognitive dissonance? The two teams we just lost to have a legit shot of meeting in the Dome come December. The sky is not falling. All hope is not lost.