Kirby Smart admits what Georgia Bulldogs will have to overcome if they want to make it back to College Football Playoff
Kirby Smart is not one to hide away from issues that his team is facing. He understands exactly where the Georgia Bulldogs program is more than anyone else. At SEC Media Days on Tuesday coach Smart kicked things off immediately addressing the elephant in the room, admitting what Georgia is going to have to overcome […]
Kirby Smart is not one to hide away from issues that his team is facing. He understands exactly where the Georgia Bulldogs program is more than anyone else. At SEC Media Days on Tuesday coach Smart kicked things off immediately addressing the elephant in the room, admitting what Georgia is going to have to overcome this year.
The 2025 Georgia Bulldogs are going to have to lean on youth in a way that fans (and his staff) are not exactly used to seeing. Kirby Smart began talking about the depth issues his program was facing in this new era of college football way back in the spring of 2024. Now, inexperience on the roster has reached new heights. Can Georgia dominate despite their youth?
Kirby Smart doesn't hide the fact that Georgia Bulldogs will lean on young players in 2025
Kirby Smart has mentioned some of the youth that Georgia will be leaning on this fall earlier this spring, and Bulldogs fans were well aware that many veteran players departed for the NFL this offseason, but not many likely understood just how experienced the team was going to be this year.
Smart opened things up following some golf game jokes and introductions of the players attending SEC Media Days with him by stating that the team is going to be comprised of 54% first and second year players this season:
"Our team is going to be comprised of 54% first and second year players. That's a very big change for us. I thought last year was probably one of the most veteran teams I've been a part of. You guys know, the COVID class has kind of aged out. So we had multiple players who were in the fifth and sixth year last year. Especially across the offensive and defensive lines we had a tremendous group that all aged out at the same time. And so we're going to be really young."
Kirby mentioned the offensive and defensive line losses. It's hard to fully grasp just how much is gone from a year ago on both sides of the ball there.
Four of primary five offensive line starters are now in the NFL. Tate Ratledge, Jared Wilson, Dylan Fairchild, and Xavier Truss are all gone. That's over 3000 snaps departed from last year's offensive line just between those four–and that's not even accounting for the fact that Ratledge missed significant time with injury.
Seven of the top eight leaders in pass rush snaps from last season's Georgia team are also gone. Jalon Walker, Mykel Williams, Damon Wilson (transfer), Nazir Stackhouse, Warren Brinson, Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, and Chaz Chambliss are all no longer on the Georgia Bulldogs roster.
Georgia's going to be replacing just about everything up front on both offense and defense.
So, what's the answer then? And what comes with replacing all that talent on both sides of the ball? Kirby Smart hammered home the three things that all of his young (and new) players need to have if they're going to be successful this year and beyond:
"You get youthful exuberance. We've had practices that have been spirited. We had a great spring practice where talked about the words fire, passion, and energy. The biggest thing that separates college football teams today is complacency among players versus fire, passion, and energy among players. So we've tried to highlight those traits as much as possible with our players. Our players need to bring juice and energy each and every day. If they don't, they'll be confronted by the players that do."
Fire, passion, and energy have been the theme all this offseason for Georgia as the team is having to lean on all of this youth, all of this newness, and unfamiliarity.
However, regardless of all this uncertainty and inexperience, Kirby Smart sounded confident that his team was pushing hard and would be living up to the Georgia standard. And given what we've heard out of Athens this offseason that excitement and confidence makes sense.
Star transfer wide receiver Zachariah Branch should inject some explosiveness and excitement into the offense. Quarterback Gunner Stockton's leadership and tenacious drive have been on constant display. The linebacker core led by CJ Allen and Raylen Wilson still looks like one of the best groups in the nation. Christen Miller and Gabe Harris Jr. have already looked ready to step up and bring the pressure along the defensive front.
There may be a ton of "new" for Georgia, but this youthful exuberance and energy may just be what the Bulldogs need to get back to the College Football Playoff this season.
We'll be back with more Georgia Bulldogs coverage here at A to Z Sports soon! Follow me (@FF_TravisM) and A to Z Sports (@AtoZSportsNFL) on X for all the latest football news!
