Kirby Smart comments on Arik Gilbert's absence for Georgia Tech
ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia played its final home game of the 2022 season on Saturday. It honored its seniors and beat Georgia Tech 37-14. Arik Gilbert wasn’t dressed out for it. As far as we know, he wasn’t there for it at all.
Kirby Smart spoke with reporters on Monday and was asked about Arik Gilbert’s absence. He didn’t have much to say.
“Again, we’re trying to help him become the best person he can on and off the field,” Smart said on Monday. “That’s decisions we make each and every week.”
The Bulldogs made the trip to Kentucky approximately nine days ago without Arik Gilbert. He did travel with the team to Mississippi State the week prior.
Gilbert caught his first touchdown since 2019 against Vanderbilt back in October. It came on a third and goal toss from Carson Beck and it came just a few plays after Arik Gilbert caught his first pass as a Bulldog. In all he finished with two catches for 16 yards and a score in his first action since week two of this season.
“It was great,” Smart said after the game. “It was great for that kid confidence wise, to get that kid something to celebrate.”
Gilbert has dealt with off-field struggles since arriving on campus in Athens over a year ago. He stepped away from football last season to handle those and returned to the team in the spring. He then participated in spring practice and was a standout from Georgia’s G-Day spring scrimmage with three catches for 49 yards and two touchdowns.
Arik Gilbert was assumed to be a big part of the Bulldogs’ tight end plans for the 2022 season but had only seen mop-up duty in two Georgia games this season. Brock Bowers and Darnell Washington have shouldered most of the load at that position with true freshman Oscar Delp also pitching in.
When Georgia traveled to South Carolina in week three, Arik Gilbert was not a member of the 70-man roster. He stayed back in Athens.
When Georgia went to Missouri two weeks later, Arik Gilbert was with the team but he as unavailable for the game because he did not dress out.
The thinking is the keep him with us,” Smart said. “We’re trying to develop him and bring him along. It’s important that he is there for meetings, walk throughs, being there with us, being with the team, being part of that connection. He’s got a great rapport with players. That’s why he was there.”
Smart has since said that Arik Gilbert and the Georgia staff were taking things day-by-day. The seventh-year head coach has also said that he’s proud of the progress made by the former five-star prospect.
Gilbert’s raw talent is undeniable. After choosing LSU over Alabama and Georgia coming out of high school, he burst onto the scene in 2020. He caught 35 passes for 368 yards and two scores before opting out of the Tigers final two games of the COVID-19 affected season.
