Kirby Smart facts for kids
Smart in 2023
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| Georgia Bulldogs | |
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| Title | Head coach |
| Personal information | |
| Born | December 23, 1975 Montgomery, Alabama, U.S. |
| Listed height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Bainbridge (Bainbridge, Georgia) |
| College | Georgia (1995–1998) |
| NFL draft | 1999: undrafted |
| Position | Defensive back |
| Career history | |
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| Awards and highlights | |
As an assistant coach:
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| Head coaching record | |
| Regular season | 108–18 (.857) |
| Postseason | 9–4 (.692) |
| Career | 117–21 (.848) |
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Kirby Paul Smart, born on December 23, 1975, is a famous American football coach. He used to play football too! Today, he is the head coach for the Georgia Bulldogs at the University of Georgia, which is also where he went to college. As their head coach, he guided the Bulldogs to win two national championships in a row, in 2021 and 2022.
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Kirby Smart's Early Life and College Days
Kirby Smart was born in Montgomery, Alabama, and grew up in Bainbridge, Georgia. His dad, Sonny Smart, was a high school football coach and even coached Kirby when he was in high school. Kirby started playing football at Bainbridge High School.
He then went on to play college football at the University of Georgia. There, he was a defensive back and played alongside future football stars like Champ Bailey and Hines Ward. Kirby was a great player, earning a spot on the All-SEC team in his senior year. He made 13 interceptions during his college career, which is a lot! He also did well in school, making the SEC Academic Honor Roll four times. After college, he briefly joined the Indianapolis Colts but did not play in the regular season. Later, in 2003, he went to Florida State University for graduate school.
Kirby Smart's Coaching Journey
Starting His Coaching Path
Kirby Smart began his coaching career right after college in 1999, working for the University of Georgia. He then coached defensive backs at Valdosta State University and later became their defensive coordinator. From 2002 to 2003, he was a graduate assistant at Florida State University, where he earned his master's degree.
He also coached defensive backs at LSU in 2004. In 2005, he returned to the Georgia Bulldogs as a running backs coach. He even spent one year in the NFL in 2006, coaching safeties for the Miami Dolphins.
Coaching with Coach Nick Saban at Alabama
Smart joined Coach Nick Saban at the University of Alabama in 2007. He became the defensive coordinator in 2008. In 2009, he won the Broyles Award as the best assistant coach in the country. Alabama then won the national championship in 2010.
His defense helped Alabama win more championships in 2012 and 2013. He was recognized as the AFCA FBS Assistant Coach of the Year in 2012. He also helped Alabama win another national championship in 2015.
Becoming Head Coach at Georgia
On December 6, 2015, Kirby Smart became the head football coach for the University of Georgia. It was a big moment for him, returning to his alma mater! Many of his assistant coaches have also gone on to become head coaches at other universities.
First Season: 2016
In his first game as head coach, Smart led Georgia to a 33–24 victory against North Carolina. The Bulldogs finished the 2016 season with 8 wins and 5 losses. They also won the Liberty Bowl against TCU.
Reaching the National Championship: 2017
The 2017 season was very exciting! Georgia started with 9 wins in a row and won the SEC East division. They then won the SEC championship, their first since 2005. Georgia played Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff semifinal, winning a thrilling game in double overtime. They made it to the National Championship Game but lost a close game to Alabama. Smart was named SEC Coach of the Year for his amazing work.
Strong Seasons: 2018 and 2019
In 2018, Georgia had a great regular season with 11 wins and 3 losses. They reached the SEC Championship game again but lost to Alabama. They then played in the Sugar Bowl.
The 2019 season also saw Georgia finish with 12 wins and 2 losses in the regular season. They won the SEC East for the third year in a row. After losing the SEC Championship game to LSU, they went on to win the Sugar Bowl against Baylor.
The 2020 season was different because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Georgia played a shorter schedule and finished with 8 wins and 2 losses. They ended the season by winning the Peach Bowl against Cincinnati.
National Champions: 2021
The 2021 season was historic! Georgia had an undefeated regular season with 12 wins. After losing the SEC Championship to Alabama, they earned a spot in the College Football Playoff. They defeated Michigan in the semifinal. Then, in the National Championship game, Georgia beat Alabama 33–18. This was Georgia's first national championship since 1980! Coach Smart was named SEC Coach of the Year again.
Back-to-Back Champions: 2022
In July 2022, Coach Smart signed a big contract, making him one of the highest-paid coaches in college football. The 2022 season was another incredible year. Georgia started as the #3 team and quickly became #1. They had another undefeated regular season (12–0) and won the SEC Championship against LSU. They then defeated Ohio State in the Peach Bowl. In the National Championship game, Georgia dominated TCU with a 65–7 victory. This made Kirby Smart a back-to-back national championship-winning coach, a rare achievement! He also won SEC Coach of the Year for the third time.
Another Strong Season: 2023
Georgia started the 2023 season ranked #1. Coach Smart led the Bulldogs to a record-breaking 29-game win streak, finishing the regular season undefeated at 12–0. This also marked three consecutive seasons of undefeated SEC play. The win streak ended with a close loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game. Georgia then played Florida State in the Orange Bowl, winning 63–3. This was the largest win margin in Orange Bowl and FBS bowl game history!
Continuing Success: 2024
In May 2024, Coach Smart signed another contract extension, making him the highest-paid coach in college football once more. He achieved his 100th career win as head coach with a victory over #1 Texas. Georgia finished the regular season with 10 wins and 2 losses. They won the SEC conference title in an overtime rematch against Texas, securing a spot in the College Football Playoff. Their season ended with a loss to Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl.
The 2025 Season
Georgia began the 2025 season ranked fifth. Coach Smart led the team to a 3–0 start, including an exciting overtime win against Tennessee. After a loss to Alabama, Georgia won all their remaining regular season games, including big wins over Ole Miss and Texas. They avenged their earlier loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship, winning 28–7. Georgia earned a high seed in the College Football Playoff. Their season concluded with a loss to Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl quarterfinals.
Kirby Smart's Family Life
Kirby Smart is married to Mary "Beth" Elizabeth Lycett. Beth also played basketball for the University of Georgia! They have three children together. Sadly, Kirby's father, Sonny Smart, passed away on January 4, 2025.
Head coaching record
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | Coaches# | AP° | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia Bulldogs (Southeastern Conference) (2016–present) | |||||||||
| 2016 | Georgia | 8–5 | 4–4 | T–2nd (Eastern) | W Liberty | ||||
| 2017 | Georgia | 13–2 | 7–1 | 1st (Eastern) | W Rose†, L CFP NCG† | 2 | 2 | ||
| 2018 | Georgia | 11–3 | 7–1 | 1st (Eastern) | L Sugar† | 8 | 7 | ||
| 2019 | Georgia | 12–2 | 7–1 | 1st (Eastern) | W Sugar† | 4 | 4 | ||
| 2020 | Georgia | 8–2 | 7–2 | 2nd (Eastern) | W Peach† | 7 | 7 | ||
| 2021 | Georgia | 14–1 | 8–0 | 1st (Eastern) | W Orange†, W CFP NCG† | 1 | 1 | ||
| 2022 | Georgia | 15–0 | 8–0 | 1st (Eastern) | W Peach†, W CFP NCG† | 1 | 1 | ||
| 2023 | Georgia | 13–1 | 8–0 | 1st (Eastern) | W Orange† | 3 | 4 | ||
| 2024 | Georgia | 11–3 | 6–2 | T–2nd | L Sugar† | 6 | 6 | ||
| 2025 | Georgia | 12–2 | 7–1 | T–1st | L Sugar† | 5 | 6 | ||
| Georgia: | 117–21 | 69–12 | |||||||
| Total: | 117–21 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
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