Kirby Smart says Georgia has 'best staff in the country'
ATHENS, Ga. — No offseason is void of drama and that has certainly been true for Georgia in 2025. The Bulldogs are coming off an SEC Championship season but a disappointing showing in the College Football Playoff. They lost 23-10 to Notre Dame and the duo of Mike Bobo (offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach) and Stacy Searels (offensive line coach) have caught much of the blame.
Kirby Smart, who spoke to reporters on Tuesday to open spring practice was asked for his thoughts on the criticisms leveled at both of those coaches this offseason. After saying that he doesn’t pay much attention to it, he made a rather bold statement.
“I’ve got a lot of confidence this organization, the foundation we’ve built,” Smart said on Tuesday. “I’ve got the best staff in the country and I have no doubt about that. I’ve got one of the most experienced SEC staffs there is. To be honest with you, there’s a lot of confidence in that and I’ve got a lot of confidence in it.”
Georgia is coming off a season where its offense struggled mightily to start games. The Bulldogs average less than five points per game in the first quarter and under 13 points per game in the first half. They battled injuries and turnover issue but the one constant was run-game struggles. Georgia was one of the worst teams in the country at running the ball in the first quarter.
The 2024 Georgia run game ranked 11th in the SEC in yards per carry and it was the worst rushing output the Bulldogs have had under Smart. Georgia averaged just 4.06 yards per carry, over a half yard worse than Smart’s first season in Athens.
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All of Georgia’s on-field assistant coaches are back and that’s the first time Smart has carried the entire staff over from one year to the next. The Bulldogs don’t usually have a lot of turnover, but this is something new.
The 10th-year head coach sees it as a good thing. While some fans and national media believe their should have been changes made, Smart called Georgia’s retention and continuity a “weapon” on Tuesday.
The Bulldogs also battled the toughest schedule in the country and had a myriad of injury issues to work through on the offensive line. That was a talking point after Georgia beat Texas in the SEC Championship game and before it took on Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl. Bobo, at the time, didn’t blame the woes on anything outside of UGA’s control.
“It is frustrating,” Bobo said before the Sugar Bowl. “We pride ourselves on being able to run the ball. I could sit here and give you a lot of reasons, but all they’d be is excuses, point blank. You could sit here and say injuries, you can say this, bottom line, excuses.”
