Kirby Smart addresses Georgia's speeding issues, how he is handling it with players

Kirby Smart explained how he would address Georgia’s speeding issues with the team amid myriad traffic incidents and accidents over the offseason.

The tragic incident following the national championship involved a crash that killed lineman Devon Willock and football staffer Chandler LeCroy. The car was racing another allegedly driven by former Georgia star Jalen Carter, who was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in April.

Smart mentioned how this would have to be a problem nipped in the bud.

“I’m disappointed anytime we have traffic incidents,” Smart said at SEC Media Days. “You know, it’s very evident. When you look at it, we’ve had traffic citations and incidents throughout the history of being at the University of Georgia. And we actually don’t have more now than we’ve had in the past. So what concerns me most is the safety of our players. Alright? 

“And when you drive at high speeds, it’s unsafe, and we don’t want that to happen. We’re going to do all we can to take that out. And make sure that’s eradicated.” 

Smart mentioned how it’s a more common problem among young kids and young adults.

“But I’m also smart to understand and know that 18 to 20 year olds is when this happens,” Smart said. “It happened to me as a student athlete, that’s when speeding happens. What we want to do is take that out and make it safe and not have high speeds. If someone’s gonna get a speeding ticket, it should not be a super speeder.”

ESPN’s Peter Burns called for Smart to get control of his program off the field. But if there was anyone who could lay down the law, it’d be Smart based on how he built a culture of success.

“Especially with the speeding of the driving, like now there should be a zero tolerance policy,” Burns said. “I don’t care if it’s a mile over the speed limit, I don’t care if it’s a parking ticket, I don’t care if you look at a yellow light different, playing football at the University of Georgia or the SEC is not a right, it’s an absolute privilege. And there are 5000 players that would crush to go out and play for Georgia.”

This is the only issue hanging over Georgia at the moment because most won’t question the quality of the program in terms of skill level and success. But if Smart’s house isn’t in order, many more will question Georgia this coming season.