Paul Finebaum 'not alarmed' by Georgia's roster overhaul after 2024 season

After winning two national championships in a row, the Georgia Bulldogs have now fallen short for the second season in a row. With that, head coach Kirby Smart is back at the drawing board and overhauling the roster.

Despite the roster overhaul going on in Athens, ESPN pundit Paul Finebaum isn’t worried. He would make an appearance on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning where he explained why he doesn’t think there’s any reason to be alarmed. At least, not yet.

“I’m not alarmed by Georgia,” Paul Finebaum said. “But I think a year from now if they don’t do anything in the Playoff next year the questions will start being raised.”

This offseason, the Georgia Bulldogs have the 49th-ranked transfer class in the 2025 transfer cycle, according to the On3 College Football Team Transfer Portal Rankings. It’s a class that, as of now, includes 14 players who transferred out and six who transferred into the Georgia program. Of course, the portal will open again in the spring and the Bulldogs can still add more players. However, some massive names have left the program. That includes starting quarterback Carson Beck, edge rusher Damon Wilson, and defensive back Julian Humphrey among others.

Despite that, Paul Finebaum still trusts Kirby Smart. Even with the step back in on-field results, Finebaum believes that it is explainable and that Georgia has the best coach in football.

“Did we see — was Kirby Smart a comet or not? Right now, I don’t think — I was asked last Tuesday morning as many were, ‘Hey, is Ryan Day now the best coach in college football?’ I said, ‘No. Kirby Smart is still the best coach.’ I’m sure some people were just chortling in the state of Ohio. Of course, those same people who were chortling were wanting Ryan Day fired seven weeks ago. It’s the right answer, it’s not about being a prisoner of the Southeast or anything else. It’s just he has performed at the highest level over the past seven or eight years. So, I think he gets the benefit of the doubt,” Finebaum said.

“I think as you look at his schedule next year. I think it’s probably a little more palatable than this year, and I think that’s really what got Kirby this year. He played the toughest schedule imaginable for a contender and then he lost his quarterback. Those sound like excuses but the schedule was a reality of his circumstances. I think the biggest issue was I think the SEC wanted that Georgia-Alabama game on the calendar and then everything else just fell with it.”

The 2025 regular season will start on August 30th for Georgia when they play Marshall.