Right when Kirby Smart thought that he had cracked the code of recruitment, he got a wake-up slap. Some of his latest recruitments are LB Justin Williams and CB Ellis Robinson IV, among others. But the Georgia HC has already been tabbed for the back-to-back players’ arrests that have plagued Athens’ culture. While Smart lost to reel in some fresh talent, he did have some big hits. But the history tells something else and the Bulldogs can’t sidestep the footprints of the past.
It’s more like the fault in Smart’s stars that the players he signed never see him as a long-term buddy. However, Smart is doing something unique and has adopted a ‘no dollar flex’ blueprint to pitch themselves to the players, which might be the game-changer.
Trouble in Bulldogs hood as history hints at transfer saga
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Now that Smart is in hot water since three Georgia players were put behind bars in July, the only ray of hope for the HC is his star QB Carson Beck. But it seems that here too the fog of doubt is rolling in. After all, it has been part of the Bulldogs’ history. What is the hoopla all about? On August 4, SEC podcast host, Michael W Bratton re-shared a post by Atlanta bulldogs, as he wrote, “I don’t blame Georgia fans for immediately thinking this. Every 5-star QB Kirby Smart has signed has transferred out of the UGA program.” The original post read, “Looks like a lot of transfer portals to me lol.”
I don’t blame Georgia fans for immediately thinking this.
Every 5-star QB Kirby Smart has signed has transferred out of the UGA program. https://t.co/icGjXX2lop
— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) August 3, 2024
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The list of 5-star QB transfers under Smart is actually long. From the class of 2016, it was the 5-star QB Jacob Eason, who chose to transfer to his home state Washington, and now plays as a backup for the Seattle Seahawks. Then it was Justin Fields who entered the transfer portal shortly after Georgia’s loss to Alabama and boarded the Ohio State ship in 2019. But what came as a shock was Dylan Raiola’s flip to Nebraska Cornhuskers. Taking notes from the past, this time Smart emerges with a mind-bending master plan.
Can Smart break the transfer trend?
One of the most highly talked about 5-star recruits in the Georgia hood is Jackson Cantwell. And what made the athlete be so obsessed with Smart’s program? If you think money is the factor, then you are mistaken. The Bulldogs HC is rather driven by his coaching talents and not heavily stuffed pockets. And here comes the ultimate “dynasty” card that hands up the winning potion to Coach Smart.
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As found in the UGA Football on Dawg podcast, the insider confirmed, “He [Cantwell] said Coach Smart is a proven winner who has built a college football dynasty and the number four player in the country for the 2026 class believes that Kirby Smart has a dynasty developing in Athens.” And the dynasty did not happen overnight. Rather it’s the result of the HC’s blood, sweat, and tear.
And what is the secret to Smart’s magic moves? The host highlighted, “Their general pitch is that they develop players at all their positions, especially on the offensive line and I fit their blueprint perfectly of someone who could come play tackle for them.” With this, will Smart be able to rewrite the Bulldogs’ history?