Georgia's Sacovie White-Helton Reveals What Makes Kirby Smart So Successful

Georgia wide receiver Sacovie White-Helton revealed the answer to how Kirby Smart is so successful as a head coach.

Sep 6, 2025; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver Sacovie White-Helton (18) runs after a catch against the Austin Peay Governors in the first quarter at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Georgia wide receiver Sacovie White-Helton revealed the answer to how Kirby Smart is so successful as a head coach.

There have been many Kirby Smart stories told from his players over the years. Most of them involve Coach Smart chewing somebody out at practice, but it comes from a place of respect. After all, Kirby Smart's formula as a head coach has led to four conference titles and two national titles.

Wide receiver Sacovie White-Helton joined the Trials to Triumph podcast and was asked what makes Coach Smart so successful. The third-year Georgia player answered by telling a story about one of the first times he got yelled at during practice.

"He'll call you out," White-Helton said. "Red-handed, definitely, he will call you out. My freshman year, it was a spring practice when I first got there. He called a couple of people out and I had dropped the ball on a punt return. And coming in, he told me, 'I need you to catch a thousand balls so that I know you're ready to go back there and catch the ball. Give me confidence to put you back there.' And I was like, a thousand balls is easy to catch. I have been catching punts forever."

Unfortunately for White-Helton, his next rep as the returner wouldn't be as simple as just catching the ball.

Sacovie White-Helton Shares What Makes Kirby Smart So Successful

Georgia wide receiver Sacovie White (18) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the Georgia G-Day spring football game in Athens, Ga., on Saturday, April 12, 2025. | Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Usually when you go with the twos your freshman year, they put the two punter out there. Well, [Coach Smart] stuck Brett Thorson out there when I went. And I had dropped the previous one. I got out there and in my head, I'm like, cool, my family is out here, I just want to do the right thing. Just catch the ball. I didn't realize where I was at on the field. I was at the 10-yard line and Brett has a rocket. And he kicked in the ball and in my head I'm like 'catch the ball, just catch the ball, just catch the ball....' I waved my hand and caught the ball on the one-yard line. And he has his microphone and he just lets me have it."

While most of the practice stories at Georgia would make it seem like Coach Smart's goal is to embarras everbody, he also knows when to cut it loose and when it's time to have a private coachable moment.

"I'm grateful for the fact that he didn't yell at me out loud. Like he told me to come here and talk to him away from the microphone. But there have been a lot of times where he's just yelling... But he's very open and he will let you have it for sure."

White-Helton is expected to play a major role in Georgia's offense this season. He mostly served as the backup to Zachariah Branch last season and with him off to the NFL now, it has opened the door for White-Helton to become a focal point in the offense this season.