Kirby Smart, widely regarded as the potential new face of college football after Nick Saban’s departure, has recently found himself embroiled in controversy. During the Georgia Bulldogs’ 41-31 win over Mississippi State, Smart had an incident that many believe tarnishes his reputation. In the fourth quarter, he was seen shoving opposing quarterback Michael Van Buren on the sidelines at the end of a play. While Smart has defended his actions, claiming ignorance and that it wasn’t intentional, fans and analysts are interpreting the event differently.
On the show *The Triple Option*, analysts Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram, and Rob Stone didn’t hold back in criticizing Smart’s behavior. Alabama legend Mark Ingram was particularly outspoken, expressing his disappointment in the coach. He commented, “Coach, man, come on. The first thing you think of when you see a coach touch a player on the opposing team is that it’s something that should never happen. You don’t touch someone else’s child, and I was shocked when I saw it.” Ingram, who knows Smart personally, acknowledged that it may not have been intentional, but still questioned whether there should be consequences for the action, likening it to an essential coaching rule that shouldn’t be broken.
This situation has raised concerns about the consequences coaches should face when they act inappropriately. Ingram added that if a player had done something similar to a coach, there would likely have been severe consequences, possibly including a suspension. Fans have echoed this sentiment, with some arguing that if it had been Deion Sanders in Smart’s place, the backlash would have been even more severe.
Smart initially claimed that he was trying to get the attention of his defensive coordinator, Glenn Schumann, and that Van Buren just ran into him, making it look like he shoved the quarterback. However, many analysts aren’t buying this explanation. Ingram and others believe that whether intentional or not, it was inappropriate for Smart to physically engage with a player from the opposing team.
After the game, Smart was questioned about the incident, and while the footage clearly shows contact between him and Van Buren, Smart argued that if it had been intentional, he would have received a penalty. Despite many expecting such a penalty, none was issued during the game, giving some weight to Smart’s defense.
Later, Smart had the chance to review the footage. He acknowledged that he hadn’t realized he had bumped into Van Buren during the game. He reached out to Mississippi State’s offensive coordinator, Jeff Lebby, and Van Buren, assuring them that there was no ill intent behind the incident. Smart explained, “After you guys mentioned it in the press conference, I went back and watched the tape. I didn’t even realize I had run into him. I talked to Lebby, and he said the kid was fine.”
While Smart’s explanation seems plausible, especially given that he wasn’t looking directly at Van Buren when the incident occurred, some of his critics remain unconvinced. The incident has only added to the recent scrutiny surrounding the Bulldogs, especially after the arrest of a Georgia player on charges related to an attack on an unborn child. Despite this, fans are hoping that Smart and his team can maintain their on-field success moving forward.
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