Kirby Smart on Bobby Bowden: 'He did so much for me'

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart spoke in a press conference Saturday about how the late Bobby Bowden impacted his life and career. Among the praise Smart shared for the legendary coach, Smart told reporters “he did so much for me.”

Kirby Smart on Bobby Bowden

When asked during the press conference about his experiences with Bowden, Smart had the opportunity to reflect on how he came to work with Bowden. Bowden brought Smart to Florida State as a graduate assistant, helping him learn from his coaching staff while Smart earned a graduate degree at FSU.

“He was a major impact on my life,” Smart recalled. “From a relatively young age I had been in a unique position. I had been a secondary coach and a defensive coordinator at [Valdosta] State where I actually called the defenses.

“When I got the call from Coach Bowden to come to Florida State, he… recruited me to come because I had played for Joe Kines here at Georgia.”

Smart then reminisced on what it was like to meet Bowden and to work directly with him. What stood out the most to Smart was how good of a person Bowden was.

“Coach Bowden was just unbelievable. The man, the person … everything you hear about him doesn’t live up to the justice of the way he treated people. There was never a moment that you didn’t feel like you could go talk to him. He did so much for me.

“[He] took me in as a graduate assistant, helped me start my career. I got to see him from time to time even after I left. [I] saw him at a couple of bowl games we played at and national championship games. He was always just such a good person.”

From Bowden to Georgia

Smart is entering his sixth season as head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs as he continues to look for his first national championship. Georgia made the 2018 national championship game in Smart’s second season but ultimately lost to Alabama, 26-23.

Having played defensive back for Georgia during his own college playing career, Smart began his coaching career as an administrative assistant with the Bulldogs. Smart then was hired as a defensive backs coach at Valdosta State before being promoted to their defensive coordinator.

That is when Smart received his call from Bobby Bowden to join the Florida State program. His experience under Bowden landed him a job under Nick Saban at LSU. Smart followed Saban from LSU to the NFL, and then back to Alabama when Saban took over as head coach.

After working under Saban for a number of years, Smart accepted the head coaching job at Georgia before the 2016 season. In just five years so far, Smart has led the Bulldogs to a 52-14 record and one national championship game appearance.