Kirby Smart recalls not-so-pleasant memory he has of playing at Williams-Brice Stadium
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Kirby Smart will lead No. 1 Georgia into Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday as the Bulldogs take on South Carolina.
The Dawgs are on a 3-game winning streak in Columbia, running away with a 45-16 victory in their last visit in 2020. Smart played in the building twice as a Georgia defensive back: in 1996 and 1998. And it’s that 1996 meeting that stands out for the wrong reasons.
“There was a night game at Columbia that we lost, Duce Staley ran wild on us,” Smart said, according to DawgSports. “I don’t remember which year it was, that’s the memory I have of that stadium.”
That was a 23-14 loss on September 14, 1996. Staley ended up a 1st-team All-SEC pick that season before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1997 draft.
Fortunately for Smart, his most recent memories at Williams-Brice have been pleasant ones. He’ll look to continue that trend on Saturday and up his record to 4-0 in the building as Georgia’s head coach.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
