Kirby Smart details how he approaches Georgia being 'hunted' as national brand

Under Kirby Smart, Georgia has reached another level and become one of college football’s premier programs. They will, for the second straight year, be representing the SEC tomorrow night as they compete for a national championship in the College Football Playoff.

However, as the perception on their program has evolved over the last few years, Kirby Smart says he doesn’t feel the pressure of being ‘hunted’ now. He said that’s simply an occupational hazard and, if it was something that concerned him or TCU’s Sonny Dykes, they wouldn’t be in the profession they’re currently in.

“In regards to the hunted or being hunted? I promise you there’s no greater pressure on any sport than there is on college athletics. Especially for major football programs. And I don’t think Coach Dykes or myself would be in this business if we weren’t used to pressure,” said Smart.

At the end of the day, Smart says he simply doesn’t have time to listen to anything said about Georgia. He’s currently focused on the current 28-1 stretch he has his team. That has helped them reach the point where they’re look to win their second straight title on Monday night. Beyond that, he isn’t concerned about what anyone else says or believes. To Smart, that’s just someone else’s perception rather than the reality that Georgia is creating on the field.

“I look at it in a vacuum. I don’t get to watch much TV or social media. (So) I just worry about our team and don’t get caught up in anything outside of that,” Smart said. “We’ve had a saying around our place for a long time that probability is not reality. So we don’t control what people say and probability. Reality is what happens on the field in between those lines. That’s what takes a lot more courage than just putting out probability.”

This tunnel vision, ‘handle your business’ mindset is what has made Georgia so competitive under Smart. The Bulldogs don’t feel hunted because, regardless of their success, they still feel like they themselves are hunting. Now only time will tell if it will amount to a second title for them and their head coach when they face off with the Horned Frogs in SoFi Stadium.