Kirby Smart explains why he decided to publish book 'How 'Bout Them Dawgs!'

In his seven-year tenure as the Georgia Bulldogs head coach, Kirby Smart has built up an impressive resume, one that he recently added a new achievement to, published author. Alongside Loran Smith, Smart has recently released his book ‘How ’Bout Them Dawgs!’ which takes a behind-the-scenes look at Georgia’s 2021 college football national championship season from Smart’s perspective.

Smart wasn’t always keen to the idea of helping write and publish a book, but eventually got on board with the idea, which he recently discussed while promoting his new book.

“Well it’s an opportunity for me to give back to the University of Georgia,” Smart said, “And when Loran presented me with the opportunity I wasn’t really fired up originally, but I realized that it was a keepsake for so many people.”

Loran Smith is on Georgia’s athletic staff as a their athletics historian, also serving as a fundraiser. Smith was a track student-athlete for the Bulldogs, named the team’s MVP in 1959 and captain in 1960. He’s since been the author or coauthor of eighteen books, many of which have been about the Bulldogs with books like ‘Dooley’s Dawgs’ with former head coach Vince Dooley and ‘Between the Hedges’, a story about Georgia’s first 100 years of football.

Dooley also wrote the foreword of Smith and Smart’s book, giving his perspective as well on Georgia’s 2021 national championship after being the last Bulldogs’ head coach to win a national title back in 1980.

“Wanted to give people on the outside a chance to see it from inside out and I knew Loran would do a thorough job of talking to people. And I’m really proud of the work and the people he included in it, it was a championship for a state, for a university, and he helped give that life,” Smart said.

Smart was able to make an immediate impact when he became Georgia’s head coach heading into the 2016 season after working under Nick Saban at Alabama for nine years. Smart brought the Bulldogs an SEC Championship win and a National Championship appearance in just his second season at the helm, but then just four years later was able to bring the Bulldogs their first national championship win in over 40 years.

The Bulldogs would go on to repeat as national champions last season, giving Smith and Smart’s book an instant sequel and the potential for a trilogy depending on how the 2023 season plays out for Georgia.