In a sport where change has become the only constant, Kirby Smart has emerged not only as one of the most dominant coaches in college football but also as one of its most vocal and thoughtful leaders. The University of Georgia head coach, known for his relentless focus on excellence and player development, recently took a public stance on what he calls “the most pressing issue facing college football today.” And no—it’s not playoff expansion, NIL money, or conference realignment. For Smart, the most crucial issue boils down to something more fundamental: the erosion of player development and stability in the age of the transfer portal and NIL.
While much of the college football world continues to buzz about massive TV deals, realignment rumors, and coaching salaries, Smart chose a different hill to stand on. In a recent interview and follow-up media availability during SEC spring meetings, he emphasized that college football is rapidly losing its identity—and more importantly, its ability to develop players over time—due to a rapidly changing landscape that prioritizes short-term gains over long-term growth.
The Smart Philosophy: Development Over Disruption
Kirby Smart’s coaching record speaks volumes. Since taking over the Georgia program in 2016, he has transformed the Bulldogs into a perennial powerhouse, capturing back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022 and building a roster brimming with NFL talent. But Smart insists that success didn’t come overnight. It was built over time through rigorous development, patience, and continuity.
“The essence of college football used to be about growth—about getting better year after year,” Smart said. “Now, it’s about instant gratification. Players jump schools after one bad season, or even one bad game. How can you teach resilience, perseverance, and true skill development when there’s no continuity?”
He’s referring, of course, to the transfer portal, which allows players to change schools with unprecedented ease and freedom. While the portal has offered much-needed flexibility to student-athletes, it has also resulted in what many describe as “free agency” in college football—an annual churn of players seeking better opportunities, often influenced by NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals.
NIL and the Transfer Portal: A Dangerous Mix?
Smart is not against the idea of players making money off their name, image, and likeness. In fact, Georgia has embraced NIL, with multiple players securing significant deals. But Smart argues that the confluence of NIL and the transfer portal is creating an unstable environment that undermines both coaching and character-building.
“We want our guys to benefit from NIL, absolutely,” Smart noted. “But when players are being poached by other schools with promises of bigger deals and more playing time, that’s not NIL. That’s bidding wars. That’s not what this is supposed to be about.”
The coach pointed out several examples—without naming names—of players being approached by collectives and third-party agents even before they officially entered the portal. “Tampering is real. It’s happening all over the place. And it’s completely against the spirit of what college football should represent.”
A Call for Accountability and Reform
In his candid remarks, Smart didn’t just highlight the problem—he also called for real solutions. He urged the NCAA, conference commissioners, and university presidents to step up and bring accountability back to the system.
“There has to be structure. There has to be oversight,” he said. “If we don’t get a handle on this now, we’re going to lose what makes college football special.”
Smart proposed several potential reforms:
- Transfer Portal Windows: Limiting transfer activity to specific windows during the year to bring stability to rosters and coaching staffs.
- NIL Transparency: Creating a centralized database where NIL deals are recorded and monitored to prevent under-the-table inducements.
- Tampering Penalties: Enforcing stricter penalties on schools and collectives caught tampering with players under scholarship at other institutions.
- Commitment Incentives: Encouraging players to stay with a program by offering NIL bonuses for staying multiple years or graduating.
These ideas, while ambitious, reflect Smart’s deep concern for the future of the game. He is not alone—several other coaches, including Nick Saban, Dabo Swinney, and even some athletic directors, have voiced similar frustrations in recent months. But Smart’s position as a currently dominant force in the sport gives his words significant weight.
The Human Element: What’s Lost in the Chaos
Beyond the structural issues, Smart emphasized something even more poignant: the human cost. He shared stories of players who transferred multiple times and struggled to find a sense of belonging or purpose.
“One of the greatest joys in coaching is watching a kid grow from an 18-year-old who barely knows how to handle adversity into a 22-year-old man who’s ready for the next chapter,” Smart said. “But when that player is on his third school in four years, you lose that connection. You lose that mentorship. And he loses a piece of himself too.”
This emotional appeal resonated with many in the coaching and player development community. College football is not just about wins and losses—it’s about shaping young men, many of whom come from challenging backgrounds, and preparing them for life beyond the field.
Georgia’s Blueprint: Stability as a Competitive Edge
Ironically, while Smart criticizes the current system, his Georgia program stands as a testament to what continuity and development can achieve. The Bulldogs have built a deep, cohesive roster largely through high school recruiting, redshirting, and internal development. They do dip into the portal when needed, but rarely as a core strategy.
“In our program, we believe in investing in people,” Smart said. “We want to develop players, not just recruit them. And we want to create a culture where they want to stay.”
That culture has paid dividends. Georgia consistently produces NFL-ready talent and boasts one of the highest graduation rates among Power Five football programs. Their formula—recruiting elite talent, fostering internal competition, and emphasizing long-term growth—may seem old-fashioned in the new era, but it’s undeniably effective.
Looking Ahead: Will the Sport Listen?
The question now is whether the college football world will heed Kirby Smart’s warning. The landscape is shifting rapidly, and many fear that the sport is on a path toward something resembling professional free agency, with less loyalty, more chaos, and diminished emphasis on education and development.
Smart’s stance is clear: College football must remember its roots before it loses them entirely.
“I love this game,” he said. “It changed my life. But if we don’t protect it, we risk turning it into something it was never meant to be.”
For a coach who has already left an indelible mark on the field, Kirby Smart may now be setting the stage to impact the game in an even more profound way—from the boardrooms and policy discussions that shape its future.
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