Kirby Smart denies lying to players about outside doubt in 2022

The ‘nobody believed in us’ mantra has become common after championship football at every level this past football season, from Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs after the most recent Super Bowl to former Bulldog Nolan Smith after Georgia’s latest national championship win.

The only problem is most of us did believe in those teams.

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart was asked about those kinds of comments from his players, and if he was possibly painting a different picture to his locker room regarding the outside perception of his team in order to motivate them.

“If I ever thought we were going 7-5, they need to check me into a psychiatric ward because I never thought that. I never said that. I never expressed that,” Smart said getting a laugh out of media members.

"They thought we were gonna go 7-5, we end up perfect. I can talk trash now cause I'm done. I'm a #Dawg for life and I will always be a Dawg."
A DGD indeed. Nolan Smith, what a joy to cover you. #CFBPlayoff pic.twitter.com/wjmeV5hxIO

— Maria Martin (@Ria_Martin) January 10, 2023

Smart may not have thought or said that his team was tabbed to go 7-5, but it was clearly something his players somehow got wind of and was discussed in the Georgia locker room.

“I saw something where a player said that on the field or something, but these players read more stuff on Twitter and social media than I do. So what I paint to them is maybe a level of disrespect before maybe one game or two games, but not a season or not a thought of that. I don’t think that works when you’re Georgia, I just don’t think that works.”

The Bulldogs were the favorite to take home the national title last years and repeat as national championships, and after doing so, they are favorites yet again this season to achieve a three-peat.

But they didn’t do so by manufacturing a narrative that outsiders doubt or don’t believe in the Bulldogs according to Smart, but instead by focusing on themselves.

“I think what works is what are we doing this week against this opponent to be better than them? And a lot of times, we may line up and be favored or be better than them,” Smart said. “So then what are we doing to ourselves to make sure that we’re trying to beat everybody in the country and not somebody? I’m a lot more passionate and adamant about what we’re doing over what we’re selling as what the outside world might say or this narrative. That you need this narrative of the world against us.”

Whatever Smart is telling his team to motivate them is working, as the Bulldogs boast a 29-1 record in the last two seasons with two national titles to their name. And while they may play the underdog card every once in a blue moon, their main focus and mission is on upholding the lofty standards they’ve now set in Athens.

“I think we may of had that once or twice last year, but that’s not something that we’re painting the whole time and we’re certainly not trying to paint that this year,” Smart said. “We’re focused on better never rest, we’re focused on being the best we can.”