Watch Mario Cristobal, Kirby Smart Trade Hilarious Potshots at Awards Ceremony

The two coaches let their hair down at a low point of the offseason.

Carson Beck was a subject of jokes between Mario Cristobal and Kirby Smart Monday. | Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

The period from late February to early April constitutes the first doldrums of the college football offseason—the portion of the year when basketball dominates and it seems like fall will never come.

On Monday, however, Miami coach Mario Cristobal and Georgia coach Kirby Smart brought some much-needed lightness to these dark days. On stage together in Gainesville, Fla., for a set of Football Writers Association of America awards named for legendary Florida coach Steve Spurrier, Cristobal and Smart took turns ribbing each other (as well as the Gators).

“I don’t like you being real close to Mario right now,” Smart said on stage to Bulldogs cornerback Ellis Robinson IV, an honoree. “He’s still got another year left. Gotta be careful around Mario. Sometimes he’ll take your players, if you know what I mean.”

Smart was presumably alluding to quarterback Carson Beck, who transferred to the Hurricanes and led them to Cotton and Fiesta Bowl victories. During his turn on the microphone, Cristobal wasted little time assailing Smart for letting Beck get away.

“First thing I’ll say, it’s great right there to watch [highlights of] what a player like Carson Beck could do with great coaching. You know what I mean?” Cristobal said.

Here, taken by Dawg Nation, are videos of Smart and Cristobal’s speeches for your viewing pleasure.

Miami and Georgia are scheduled to open their respective seasons on Sept. 4 and 5 against Stanford and Tennessee State, respectively.

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