Link to Article on The Red & Black
Olivia Sayer
Georgia head football coach Kirby Smart celebrates with fans during the second half of the Georgia vs. Texas game at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. Georgia won 30-15. (Photo/Laney Martin;@LaneyMartinPhotography)
Kirby Smart’s 100th career win was a big one.
With Georgia’s 30-15 victory over Texas on Saturday night, Smart became the fastest coach to win 100 games at a single SEC school. It took him 117 games, which is slightly quicker than Nick Saban’s 118 and Steve Spurrier’s 120.
117 games also ties with Knute Rockne (Notre Dame) and Chris Petersen (Boise State and Washington) for the fifth fastest in NCAA history. For Smart, his 100th-career victory came against top-ranked Texas, making him 3-1 against No. 1 teams.
Although he coached the games, Smart gave credit to those around him for the accomplishment.
“A lot of credit goes to a lot of people,” Smart said. “So many other people had an involvement in those 100 wins.”
Smart specifically pointed to Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman, Georgia State head coach Dell McGee, Georgia State offensive coordinator Jim Chaney and Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken as reasons for his success. He also credited his players, including Kamari Lassiter, D’Andre Swift and Deandre Baker — who all witnessed the victory from Georgia’s sideline.
Jalon Walker presented Smart with a game ball in the locker room afterwards. In a video posted by the team, Smart said “this is y’all’s ball” after the junior linebacker gave him the memento. It was a special moment for Smart, who said he recently received a phone call from Walker’s dad.
“His dad reached out the other day and said, ‘Kirby, y’all have done everything you said you were going to do with my son, and I really appreciate you making him a better man,’” Smart said.
Georgia has been consistent under Smart, finishing with a winning record every season he has been at the helm. Since 2021, the Bulldogs have gone 48-3 with two national championships. Against teams not named Alabama, Georgia is perfect in that span.
“It’s pretty cool to hit that number because when I started, I thought that was unreachable and unattainable,” Smart said. “And now, in 10 years, 9 years, I don’t know how many years it is, we get there. It’s a credit to this university and the support we have that we’ve been able to do that.”