The lead-up to Saturday for any college football fan involves some key events. Midway through the week, you want the injury report. Both your team’s and the opponent’s. The week typically starts with remarks by the head coach. Some programs do it on Monday, and others prefer Tuesday. For Georgia fans, the Tuesday press appearance by Kirby Smart is their start to the game week. Well, no more!
As Georgia hosts Alabama in a high-octane SEC clash in Week 5, Kirby Smart wants to do things differently. Not on the field, though. You’d still have the same dominant, hungry Georgia defense. Sports journalist Anthony Dasher tweeted that Kirby Smart’s Tuesday press conference for the Tide game will be his last. The Georgia head coach met with the press yesterday to preview the game. He discussed a range of topics, including injury updates, the Bulldogs’ history with Bama and key weapons in Kalen DeBoer’s side. But at the end of the press conference, Smart was done. No more.
“Kirby Smart said he will no longer do Tuesday press conferences. Says it’s not fair for his assistants to wait on him,” Dasher’s tweet read. The main reason is that Smart doesn’t like that his staff has to wait for him before practice, but the question arises: how much does a 30-minute press conference affect the preparation of an already well-oiled machine? Coach Smart has been following this tradition for a long period of time, and so have others. Whether it’s a Monday press conference or a Tuesday one. That’s how the Gameweek starts.
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Is he canceling it because it affects game preparation, or is it a more strategic move to ensure less interaction with the media? Skeptics might view this as a calculated effort to limit the sharing of team information and reduce media scrutiny before important games. All while reasoning the need to dedicate more time to the field. Georgia is part of a conference where every advantage matters.
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But what is the result of the Week 5 game if it doesn’t go Georgia’s way? Wouldn’t his skipping next week’s Tuesday press conference be deemed the head coach avoiding scrutiny? Well, if you have followed his career, you know Kirby Smart doesn’t do things on a whim. It’s calculated.
Georgia vs Alabama preview
The Georgia-Alabama rivalry represents one of college football’s most talked-about matchups. This weekend marks the Crimson Tide’s first Sanford Stadium visit since 2015. Smart finally gets a home advantage against his former employer. Smart, whose 1-6 record against Alabama defines his otherwise excellent career. His singular victory came in the 2021 national championship game. Georgia’s 33-game home winning streak is college football’s longest. Bulldogs faithful have watched their team struggle against Alabama in neutral and away games.
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Both teams enter with contrasting fortunes. Georgia’s perfect 3-0 start includes an overtime victory at Tennessee. Quarterback Gunner Stockton engineered a comeback from eight points down. The Bulldogs average 39 points per game while allowing just 18 at home. Alabama arrives 2-1 after coming back from a season-opening loss to Florida State. Quarterback Ty Simpson has emerged as a dynamic playmaker. He completed 41 of 46 passes for 608 yards and seven touchdowns in two games. Alabama has struggled on the road recently, winning just one of the last five away contests. This matchup carries big SEC championship and College Football Playoff implications.
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Saturday’s outcome will reshape both teams’ 2025 season. Georgia’s victory would extend its home streak and provide Smart’s breakthrough against Alabama. An Alabama road victory would prove the winning mentality remains intact under DeBoer’s leadership.