Kirby Smart Pressured to Fire $3.1M Assistant Coach to Save Program After Georgia HC Reminded of Worst Nightmare

When the next season is just three months away, are the Georgia Bulldogs trending in the wrong direction? See, HC Kirby Smart is still the best guy to lead the Bulldogs, but you can not ignore the fact that Georgia’s decline started right after Smart joined forces with Mike Bobo in 2023. Earlier this year, SEC Network analyst Paul Finebaum also highlighted how the same Bulldogs can be a better team without offensive coordinator Bobo.

“I frankly believe Georgia’s problem is at the offensive coordinator’s position,” Finebaum said on 680 The Fan. “I think Kirby Smart, for as great as I believe he is and I know you guys agree, is being way too loyal to Mike Bobo, and I would get rid of Bobo today.” Still, HC Smart defended his coaching staff with a strong message, saying, “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, and to be honest, a lot of confidence in that, and I have a lot of confidence.” Now, with just three months left before kickoff, a fresh wave of pressure from a longtime SEC analyst is once again urging Smart to reconsider his long-standing loyalty to Bobo.

In a SEC Podcast, veteran analyst Mike Bratton opened up old wounds for the Bulldogs. He said it’s unbelievable how an “elite” team like Georgia came 15th in rushing the ball. Yes, Georgia always relies on offering a watertight defense, but 15th in the SEC? That’s jaw-dropping. And now Bratton is having doubts about Georgia’s 2025 season. With Carson Beck gone to Miami and Gunner Stockton taking the QB room’s reins, Bratton cast his doubts on Georgia’s another year with Kirby Smart’s OC, who still has $3.1 million left in his last two years’ contract with the Bulldogs.

“I got major question marks with Mike Bobo and quarterback Gunner Stockton.” He continued, “If they’re not in the conversation next year to win a national championship, I think they’ve got to make a change at offensive coordinator,” said Bratton.

Critics have targeted Georgia’s offense under Mike Bobo after a disappointing 2024 season, and the pressure has intensified with Gunner Stockton stepping in as the new starting quarterback. The Bulldogs’ offensive output fell sharply-scoring only 31.5 points per game, their worst since 2019, and ranking 38th in the nation, a sharp decline from 40.1 points per game and No. 5 nationally the year before. And now that Carson Beck departed and Gunner Stockton entered, the risk is even greater. Stockton has talent, toughness, and playmaking skills, but also displays immaturity in the SEC.

However, taking out Bobo won’t be an easy job for Coach Smart. Their connection stretches back a long way: they were teammates at Georgia in the mid-90s, with Bobo calling the signals as the starting quarterback and Smart controlling the defensive secondary. Keeping track of this history, Bobby Burton said, “I think that is going to be tough, Kirby Smart and Mike Bobo go way way back, to their playing days.”

Top Comment by Waldopepper12

If they didn’t have Bobo they WOULD HAVE CURTIS

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Debate

The nostalgia of having Georgia in the picture for both Bobo and Smart plays a big role. Bobo, a native of Georgia, has been coaching for the Bulldogs for more than a decade and was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2023. But with a season of maddening offensive stalls and lost opportunities, particularly with Gunner Stockton struggling in his first big moments, the heat is on. Smart’s always been the guy who espouses doing what’s best for the team, and now, despite all that history, he may have to make the hardest decision of his career: letting go of his old buddy for the greater good of Georgia’s championship aspirations.

Kirby Smart under the microscope

Following on from pumping out a record-breaking 13 NFL draft choices this season. Kirby Smart’s Georgia Bulldogs aren’t merely returning another year; the Dawgs have shown they’re still a factory of talent, but the pressure cooker at Athens is going to max out. The question is: Can Smart keep the championship machine running? The ultimatum isn’t coming from within the locker room, it’s reverberating from fans, media, and the SEC’s cutthroat expectations. Georgia’s identity has always been constructed on a bruising ground game and a defense that buzzes like irate hornets.

The Bulldogs, who have made a reputation out of bulldozing defenses with their ground game, somehow bumbled to a paltry 124.4 rushing yards per game last year. For a team that’s supposed to gorge on the ground, that’s like ordering a steak and receiving a salad. What went wrong? Well, the offensive line resembled Swiss cheese rather than a brick wall, allowing sacks and not creating holes. When it comes to Gunner Stockton, Kirby Smart has been quick to compliment Stockton’s development and resilience, but he’s not glossing over the reality that this is an inexperienced, untested team at critical positions.

The word is out: Georgia can’t afford to lose its identity. You can’t be the Bulldogs and have trouble running the ball; that’s just not Athens-style. With Kirby Smart in charge and a new QB like Gunner Stockton filling the shoes, there’s hope the Dawgs will get their groove back. But if they wish to continue rolling as SEC monarchs and national championship contenders, they need to mend the gaps in the line and return to pounding the rock.