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Kirby Smart Ranked Inside Top Five Best College Football Coaching Hires Since 2000

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart has been listed as one of the greatest head coaching hires of the 2000s.

Christian Kirby II

Dec 2, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart reacts as his players lift the Southeastern Conference trophy after a victory over the Auburn Tigers in the SEC Championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Georgia defeated Auburn 28-7. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-Imagn Images
Dec 2, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart reacts as his players lift the Southeastern Conference trophy after a victory over the Auburn Tigers in the SEC Championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Georgia defeated Auburn 28-7. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-Imagn Images / John David Mercer-Imagn Images
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Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart has been listed as one of the greatest head coaching hires of the 2000s.

Kirby Smart is entering his tenth season as head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs and has already cemented himself as the greatest football coach in the Bulldogs' storied history. It's safe to say that the University of Georgia's hiring of Smart has paid off tremendously, but where does it rank amongst other hires of the past 25 years?

According to CBS Sports, Kirby Smart's hire is the fifth-best hire in the past 25 years behind only USC's Pete Carroll, Clemson's Dabo Swinney, Florida's Urban Meyer, and of course Alabama's Nick Saban. Smart is one of only two active members inside the top five.

"Smart has created the closest thing we have to a new Alabama, rattling off eight straight AP top seven finishes with consecutive national championships." Wrote CBS Sports' Shehan Jeyarajah. "The only thing keeping Smart slightly lower on this list than the top four is that he took over a Georgia program that was painfully close to reaching the promised land under Mark Richt."

During his tenure as the Bulldogs' head coach, Smart has won a pair of national championships, a trio of SEC titles, and has elevated Georgia's program into one of the most feared teams in college football along with numerous other accolades.

Smart will look to build upon his already legendary resume as he and the Bulldogs begin their 2025 regular season on Saturday, August 30th in Sanford Stadium. Under his tutelage, the Bulldogs have not lost a season opener and are on a more than 30-game win streak at home—the longest in school history.

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Christian Kirby II
CHRISTIAN KIRBY II

Christian Kirby II is a multimedia sports journalist who has years of experience both covering and working with collegiate sports teams. He has received a journalism degree and a sports media certificate from the University of Georgia and is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Emerging Media.

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