Kirby Smart Reveals a Player Decommitting Led to the Start of His Career at Georgia

Georgia head coach reveals how a player decommitting led to the start of his career at Georgia.

Jan 1, 2026; New Orleans, LA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart gestures from the sidelines against the Mississippi Rebels during the first half during the 2026 Sugar Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Georgia head coach reveals how a player decommitting led to the start of his career at Georgia.

If you were to ask Georgia football fans what one thing they appreciate most about Kirby Smart, there's a good chance their answer would be him being a former player. A head coach who understands what it means to play at the University of Georgia, but also loves the institution they represent.

Smart played for the Bulldogs from 1995-1998. He earned All-SEC honors as a player in 1997 and 1998, which led to a brief stint in the NFL. After that, he immediately began building his path as a coach, and it eventually led him back to where it all started.

However, Coach Smart recently revealed that had it not been for a player decommitting from Georgia in the same recruiting class as him, he likely wouldn't have been a Bulldog.

Smart joined Shannon Spake on her podcast called "Sons and Daughters" and told the story of what led to him receiving an offer from the University of Georgia very late into the recruiting process.

Kirby Smart Reveals What Led to the Start of His Career as a Georgia Bulldog

Apr 18, 2026; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart shown on the field during the Georgia Spring football game at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

"Around my junior year, I got some looks in football," Smart said. "Like ok, I led the region in interceptions. I had a good year. I kind of put my name on the map. And then I went to camps before my senior year. I got some small offers. I went on official visits to Georgia Southern, Southern Miss and Florida. Florida was really recruiting me. And Georgia was kind of off the radar. I loved Georgia and I grew up really wanting to go to Georgia, but I didn't get an offer from Georgia until right around February of my senior year.... Georgia called. A kid decommitted, I will never forget, he said I am not coming to Georgia, I am going to Tennessee because Tennessee was really good at the time. And the coach at Georgia, Ray Goff at the time, called me and said Kirby, we have a scholarship available. It's yours if you want it."

Coach Smart went on to reveal that the player who decommitted from Georgia, who led to him becoming a Bulldog, was Steve Johnson, who was out of McEachern High School in the state of Georgia. Smart even admitted that Johnson was a much better prospect than he was

So, Georgia fans not only have Coach Goff to thank for somewhat igniting Smart's infatuation with the Bulldogs, but they also have Johnson to thank as well. Because had he not decommitted from Georgia, Smart likely never would have played a down for the Bulldogs.