Kirby Smart deflects ‘personal vindication’ about Stetson Bennett decision, speaks about QB’s leadership
By Keith Farner
Published:
Kirby Smart knew he had to make the quarterback decision for his team to be successful, but reflecting on the call to stick with Stetson Bennett in the national championship, and throughout the season overall, is not necessarily a personal victory.
Smart was asked about it on Wednesday at SEC Media Days.
“I don’t know that it was any personal vindication,” Smart said. “It’s what you do as a coach. I go off how we practice, what guys show us in practice. I’d seen Stetson Bennett make those plays repeatedly in practice and the conversation with Coach (Todd) Monken was to be aggressive and go play to win the game. You’re not going to hide behind your quarterback and win a national championship. You’re going to let him play and I thought Coach Monken and the offensive staff did an unbelievable job bouncing back.”
Early in the national championship, Smart said the early plays that didn’t go Georgia’s way were “unfortunate” and it wasn’t that Bennett didn’t play well. He noted that second down and distance was over 10 yards and that’s difficult to be successful in that circumstance.
“When we control what we do, and we do it the right way, Stetson can be a major factor, and look, Stetson is one of the least-respected good players there is in this country, and guess what, we we get to see it every day,” Smart said. “Kid’s a tremendous athlete, got good arm strength. People just keep doubting him and that’s fine with me.”
About Bennett’s leadership, Smart said he the quarterback has more support because he is “the guy.”
“I think he’s created a little bit of momentum with our players, our skill players, because there’s not a doubt there. He knows the system, he can get them the ball,” Smart said. “… I think they value that, that’s given him a little more credibility, which credibility to me is earned.”
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
