Kirby Smart issues hilarious retort to Kent State coach saying Georgia has "greatest collection of talent" ever assembled

No. 1 Georgia has absolutely bulldozed everyone in its path so far this season, exodus of talent from last year’s national championship team be darned. Of course, when you recruit like Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart, that talent stockpile doesn’t quite seem to disappear from year to year, even with early departures.

Just ask Kent State coach Sean Lewis, who will have the unsavory task of preparing his team for Georgia this week. Lewis laid it out there pretty bluntly, saying Georgia has “the greatest collection of talent that’s ever been assembled on a football team.”

Kirby Smart wasn’t about to let that slide, responding hilariously Tuesday evening.

“He’s probably watching last year’s tape,” Smart quipped, according to DawgsHQ’s Palmer Thombs.

Whether or not the Bulldogs were more talented this year or last, the point Lewis made won’t be lost on anyone. Georgia is really, really, really good. And that might not even have been enough reallys to accurately convey just how good.

The Bulldogs blasted then-No. 11 Oregon in Week 1 49-3, then shut out Samford 33-0 before smoking South Carolina 48-7 last weekend. The starting defense has yet to surrender a touchdown all year.

Greatest collection of talent ever assembled? Maybe not, but nobody is exactly lining up to take on Georgia right now.

How does Georgia’s collection of talent stack up to last year’s team?

Sure, Georgia was absolutely loaded a year ago. But this year’s results have been downright stunning. Especially when you consider quarterback Stetson Bennett IV looks as comfortable as ever and has likely never been more confident.

Perhaps at this point the biggest battle for Smart is simply battling perceptions like the one Lewis expressed, keeping them from infecting his team and allowing complacency to creep in.

“I don’t do comparisons,” Smart said. “I’ve said that repeatedly. You can’t compare anybody to last year because last year’s team, 15 of them are in the NFL.”

You can probably find another 15 in Georgia’s starting 22 that will be there before long.

None of that matters to Smart, though, quick witty quips aside. He’s focused on preparing his squad for the Golden Flashes without letting an opportunity to get better on Saturday slip by.

“The toughest job we’ve got this week is trying to explain to everybody that Kent State’s a really good football team,” he said. “And, I know you think I just sit up here and say that, but you turn the tape on, they’ve got a really, really good football team.”