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Kirby Smart says Notre Dame is built like an SEC team: ‘I say that as a huge compliment’
By Andrew Olson
Published:
Kirby Smart has high praise for Georgia’s upcoming College Football Playoff opponent.
At a Monday press conference for the upcoming CFP quarterfinal clash in the Sugar Bowl, Smart did not shy from praising the makeup of the Notre Dame roster. Smart was asked if Notre Dame is built like an SEC team, and fully endorsed the statement.
“Their depth, their backups, their starters, their offensive line, their receiving corps and their defensive line — they’re big,” Smart told reporters. “That’s what it starts with in the SEC. The line of scrimmages have to have size and girth because you have to take on these teams week in and week out that have great size. Notre Dame is built that way. They’re built that way on paper.
“Then what you see on the tape speaks louder than the paper does. You see how they play. You see the toughness they play with. The linebackers are downhill, thumping. The backs are elite. They’re built like an SEC team. I say that as a huge compliment.”
Comparing rosters non-SEC rosters to those of SEC teams became common in recent years during the SEC’s run of dominating BCS/CFP titles and players selected in the NFL Draft. The SEC label is often attributed to players who stand out for their size and speed.
Under third-year head coach Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame has continued to be strong on the recruiting trail. The Irish entered the 2024 season with the No. 9 roster on the 247Sports Team Talent Composite, a calculation of players’ recruiting rankings. Georgia has No. 2 roster on the Team Talent Composite, behind only Alabama.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
