Georgia football is out of control, and Kirby Smart has failed to get a handle on the disciplinary issues mounting in his program.
Georgia endured another offseason of off-the-field incidents.
The latest: Wide receiver Rara Thomas faces a felony charge of child cruelty and multiple counts of family violence after his arrest last week. Thomas also got cited for three traffic incidents this offseason, adding to Georgia’s string of dangerous driving.
Georgia suspended Thomas from the team indefinitely, so that’s something, but is Smart doing enough to slow the off-the-field incidents that keep piling up? And, could these disciplinary issues affect Georgia’s on-field performance?
On this edition of “SEC Football Unfiltered,” a podcast from the USA TODAY Network, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams weigh in on Smart’s handling of the situation at Georgia.
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Here’s their take:
Is Kirby Smart doing enough in response to off-field incidents?
TOPPMEYER: No, Smart isn’t doing enough. When his athletes run afoul of the law, he’s often been light on disciplinary action. He should start by dismissing Thomas from the program. Georgia doesn’t need Thomas’ off-the-field drama.
That’s what Smart should do. Not what he will do.
I wouldn’t expect Smart to do much. Coaches have little incentive to be heavy-handed with player discipline. Being the program of fast cars makes for a stronger recruiting pitch than being the program of law and order.
If a coach dismisses an athlete, that athlete can transfer to a conference rival in no time. Plus, there’s no evidence that Georgia’s off-field issues hamper the on-field product. Alabama stopped Georgia’s three-peat bid last season, not a lack of on-field discipline.
Georgia has become the poster child of college football’s just-win-baby culture.
ADAMS: Georgia’s program suffers from a failure of discipline. You can’t put it all on Kirby Smart, but you can put some of it on him, as the head of this organization.
Still, this is a different era. Players have more money, faster cars, and that can lead to trouble.
I can’t recall any school having so many similar incidents, though, like Georgia is dealing with as it relates to all of these reckless driving situations. In 2023, a Georgia player and a recruiting staff member died during a high-speed crash that involved street racing and alcohol. If that didn’t get Smart’s attention, what will?
Will off-field issues affect Georgia’s performance?
TOPPMEYER: Not necessarily. Smart gets the best out of his players when the games start. The 2023 offseason was a disaster for Georgia, but the team finished 13-1.
Model citizens don’t always make the best players, and engaging in nonsense off the field doesn’t mean you can’t score a touchdown.
ADAMS: We’ve seen “outlaw” teams thrive on the field before. There’s not always a correlation between off-field behavior and on-field performance. Barry Switzer’s Oklahoma teams were known for dominating on the field. They weren’t known for their model conduct off the field.
Should the SEC get involved in disciplining players?
TOPPMEYER: Sounds OK in theory, but I don’t see this working. The NFL and other pro leagues become involved in player discipline in serious situations, but forcing that pro model of discipline into the college world would come with hurdles. Unlike the pros, college athletics does not operate within a collective bargaining agreement. In the absence of a CBA, conference officials becoming involved in athlete discipline could head down a litigious road. Also, do you really think Greg Sankey would jeopardize the top SEC team’s chance at winning a national title? I don’t see it.
ADAMS: The SEC is focused on qualifying teams for the playoff, negotiating TV deals and, above all else, making money. This issue rests on the shoulders of Georgia and Smart. It’s gotten ridiculous. Smart needs to do more.
Later in the episode
∎ Say what? A look at Mark Stoops’ blistering comments about Kentucky football’s NIL operation. To hear Stoops tell it, UK is a shoestring operation run by an exhausted coach.
Where to listen to SEC Football Unfiltered
Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s SEC Columnist. John Adams is the senior sports columnist for the Knoxville News Sentinel. Subscribe to the SEC Football Unfiltered podcast, and check out the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Georgia football out of control. Will Kirby Smart step up discipline?
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