The Georgia Bulldogs have been busy on the recruiting trail. And boy-oh-boy, has it been a good one! They have 27 commits in their 2025 class. With head coach Kirby Smart leading them, the Bulldogs might be in for a great season. Smart has, after all, led Georgia to back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022 and is entering his 10th season with a 105-19 record.
However, despite the new additions and big talks, Kirby Smart seemed rather unhappy with his roster at a recent press conference.
Kirby Smart Is Not So Happy With the New 27
After spring practice, Kirby Smart recently addressed the media. And the message from the moment the conference began was clear. As Smart puts it, the Bulldogs are “A long way from good—we are a work in progress.” Oops!
Does this mean the roster might not be ready for the upcoming season? Smart went on to answer this, too. He said, “We have the least number of players who have gone through three spring practices since I’ve been here, so that should tell you something.” He mentioned that nearly nobody had stood up when he asked how many players had completed at least three spring sessions.
That lack of experience is perhaps because of the massive 2025 recruiting class. Of course, it has names like defensive lineman Elijah Griffin, 6-foot-7, 365-pound offensive tackle Juan Gaston, and even the highly rated linebacker Zayden Walker. Despite much being said, Smart believes their inexperience is showing.
As Smart himself puts it, “We just don’t—we have a very young, inexperienced group. We really can’t practice to our standard because they’re all tired. So, like, we go to practice, and it’s great energy, great in shorts, guys learn what to do. And then we start going, and it’s like they can’t go—‘I’m tired,’” So what happened to the old Bulldogs roster? The one that won their 15th SEC title in 2024.
Well, a lot of them are off to the NFL. And names like safety KJ Bolden, offensive lineman Monroe Freeling, and running back Nate Frazier are now tasked with leading by example. Bolden, who was only a freshman last season, is stepping into a leadership role following the exits of Dan Jackson and Malaki Starks in the secondary.
Kirby Smart went on to talk about the need for older players to guide the incoming group. “I need—I need—I need the older players. When old, to me, is year two, year three—that’s old—to lead the year-one guys.” Smart also went on to acknowledge some other issues.
“I feel like half the roster is in their first season at Georgia—not necessarily their first season of college, but their first season at Georgia—and that’s been tough. So, we’ve got a long way to go, but I am optimistic. We do have good kids, and they do work hard,” he added.
KEEP READING: NFL-Bound Georgia Players Speak on Gunner Stockton as Bulldogs’ Potential Next QB
While Kirby Smart’s assessment may seem harsh, it shows the standard Georgia is expected to meet.
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