Good News: Georgia’s Kirby Smart Set to Receive Big Honor in His Home State on Saturday
Kirby Smart and the No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs have a bye this Saturday before traveling to Jacksonville to take on unranked Florida in Week 10. Sitting at 6-1, with their only loss coming to Alabama in Week 5, Georgia is aiming for its fourth SEC championship since 2017 and a third College Football Playoff national title since 2021.
Since becoming Georgia’s head coach in 2016, Smart has transformed the program into a national powerhouse, compiling a 111-20 overall record. A former All-SEC safety for the Bulldogs, the 49-year-old has guided Georgia to six SEC championships, three national titles, and four CFP appearances.
Originally from Montgomery, Alabama, Smart played for Georgia from 1995-1998, recording 13 interceptions and 332 kick return yards. His 13 career interceptions remain tied for sixth all-time in UGA history.
Before attending UGA, Kirby Smart was a standout defensive back at Bainbridge High School in Southwest Georgia. Now, 31 years after graduating, the former Nick Saban assistant is set to receive a major honor in his home state.
In May, the Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame announced that Smart is one of 33 inductees for the 2025 class. The ceremony will take place on Saturday at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. This year’s class also includes Atlanta-born Auburn legend Cam Newton, NBA Hall of Famer Walt Frazier—who played quarterback at David T. Howard High School in Atlanta—and Tennessee star and Super Bowl-winning Chicago Bears wide receiver Willie Gault from Griffin, Georgia.
According to The Post-Searchlight, Smart led his region in interceptions during both his junior and senior seasons with eight picks. In 1993, he was also named Region 1-AAAA Defensive Player of the Year and earned first-team All-State honors.
Kirby Smart, along with 32 others, is set to be inducted into the Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame this Saturday at the @CFBHall.
The Bainbridge native starred for his father, Sonny Smart, leading the Bearcats to the 1993 Class 4A semifinals before becoming a two-time… pic.twitter.com/ayiIBrbQZy
— UGA Football Live (@UGAfootballLive) October 23, 2025
After news of his upcoming induction broke, Georgia fans quickly took to social media to celebrate head coach Kirby Smart.
“Congratulations, Kirby! So deserving of this honor!” one fan wrote.
“Congrats Coach Smart and all others! 👏” added another.
A third referenced a memorable moment in UGA history: “Lindsay Scott Lindsay Scott. Congratulations Kirby,” nodding to the legendary 1980 game-winning 93-yard touchdown catch against Florida.
One fan joked, “Brother picked that haircut and stayed with it. I did the same pretty much with mine. Congrats, Coach!”
Other posts included, “Congrats @KirbySmartUGA!” and simply, “Congratulations, coach.”
Smart played under his father, Sonny Smart, in high school. Sonny passed away in January at 76 due to complications from hip surgery following a fall in New Orleans prior to the Allstate Sugar Bowl. He had a long coaching career, including stints at Samford University, Holtville High School in Alabama, Bainbridge High School—where Kirby played—and Rabun County High School in north Georgia.
Reflecting on his roots, Smart said after Georgia’s 2021 CFP semifinal win over Michigan, “I’m proud of where I’m from. You ask these guys where they’re from, and everybody takes pride in where they’re from. I take a lot of pride in being from South Georgia, where we play good football, and I grew up around a lot of good football players.”
In 2024, Smart became the fastest coach in FBS history to reach 100 career wins, achieving the milestone in just 117 games.
Fortunately for Smart, Georgia has a bye this week before the annual Georgia-Florida game, allowing him to attend the induction ceremony, which begins at 6:45 p.m. ET on Saturday.
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