Champ Bailey jokes about former teammate Kirby Smart: ‘He was a pain in my neck’

Former star cornerback Champ Bailey said Kirby Smart, former teammate and current Georgia head coach, was “a pain in my neck.”

Bailey said this as a compliment, of course. Smart has succeeded at Georgia because of how he approaches the game, according to Bailey.

“He was a pain in my neck,” Bailey said on Out of Pocket. ” He was 2 years older than me, you can imagine how he treated me. I’m the young guy trying to figure it out, but he was on me all the time about the calls, how to get lined up, what’s coming, what’s not. He was that guy… He’s been groomed for this for a long time.”

“He was built for this.” @GeorgiaFootball legend Champ Bailey on former teammate Kirby Smart ? pic.twitter.com/vsOVelmMc7

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) September 21, 2022

Smart played at Georgia  from 1995 to 1998 as a safety. Bailey played from 1996-1998 and is considered to be one of the top cornerbacks to ever play the position, finding his way to 12 Pro Bowls across his NFL career.

Smart has a long way to go, but he’s built a power at Georgia. It’s hard to imagine that will change any time soon.

Ethan Stone

Ethan Stone is a Tennessee graduate and loves all things college football and college basketball. Firm believer in fouling while up 3.