Kirby Smart discusses ‘crossing paths’ with Dan Mullen throughout their coaching careers
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Kirby Smart and Dan Mullen are now on opposite sides of one of the fiercest rivalries in college football, but they have plenty of experience with each other from prior coaching stops.
Smart shed a bit of light on his relationship with Florida’s coach during Wednesday’s SEC Coaches Teleconference.
“Coaching, it’s tough to say,” Georgia’s head man said. “We cross paths on the recruiting trail. I knew him when I was at Alabama. I got to know him more when he bought a home on the lake near me.”
Smart was a defensive assistant at Alabama from 2007-2015, a job that pitted him against Mullen several times when the latter served as offensive coordinator at Florida and coach at Mississippi State. The pair squared off as head coaches last season, but Saturday will be the first Smart and Mullen clash on as head coaches on opposite sides of the Georgia-Florida rivalry.
The No. 7 Bulldogs (6-1, 4-1 SEC) will take on the No. 9 Gators (6-1, 4-1) at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday in Jacksonville. Here’s what else Smart had to say about the matchup:
On the running game and it’s importance here:
- It’s critical. The history of this game, the team that leads in rushing wins this game. The conditions and the things that are at stake, it takes pressure off the quarterback. We also have to be able to stop the run.
On Justin Fields throwing the ball more:
- I don’t know there is a plan or anything. I certainly think he’s gotten better. He continues to grow. If we see the opportunity, it could happen.
On Florida’s running backs:
- They are physical, built similarly, hard to tackle. They are the mold of the SEC back. They run through tackles. They have done it well behind an offensive line that has gotten better with each and every game.
On matchup up with Mullen’s offense:
- He does a good job, changes the game, easy throws, stretches the field. At the end of the day, it comes down to the guys executing the plays, not the guys calling the plays.
On the potential of facing him 10 years down the road:
- I think it would be great. It would say we’ve both done well, it would make this game a great rivalry. There will be more games outside of this one that will determine our fates. There are big expectations at Georgia and at Florida
On self-scouting the quarterbacks:
- The big thing for us is to be able to run the ball, even when we see max boxes. We probably see that more than anyone in the SEC. When you have a good offensive line, good backs, you have to find ways to find passing opportunities. We looked at that and try to grow in those situations. … I think both of our guys did that this week.
On the offense’s scoring going down, how important is a fast start?
- Yeah, every game you want to start quick. Our offense has opened second halves and done good things, for whatever reason. It’s important to start the game, too. We try not to create anxiety because every play is important in a game.
On watching tape of Florida QB Feleipe Franks last year:
- Yeah, we watch it. But it’s more about the film against us. Dan Mullen has run many similar plays that (Jim) McElwain ran last year. … That carries over for Feleipe as well as the rest of the personnel.
Marcus covers SEC football for Saturday Down South.
