Jim Mora Debunks Myth of Georgia's Development
If a Georgia Football fan has been on social media, they've undoubtedly heard the taunts; especially from rival fan bases. Head coach Kirby Smart can recruit, but can't develop, and can't get the 4- and 5-stars he recruits to the NFL.
It's become almost a constant knock on the UGA program, rivaling the constant calls in 1980 from rival fans trying to poke fun at UGA.
Their chants completely ignore the numerous examples of underated Georgia players being developed and drafted. This includes players like Deandre Baker, Tae Crowder, Solomon Kindley, Mecole Hardman, Lamont Gaillard, and Charlie Woerner, just to name a few. These are players who spent most of their time under Smart, but Lorenzo Carter, Roquan Smith, Isaiah Wynn, Nick Chubb, and Sony Michel can also be added to the list.
Rival fan bases are selective, however. They like asking where all the 4- and 5-stars that UGA has recruited are. Why aren't they being drafted according to their high school ranking? Kirby Smart must not be able to develop players, right?
Wrong.
NFL coaches, staff, and scouts believe in Georgia's development of players. This includes Jim Mora, who spent 26 years in the NFL including two stints as a head coach. Mora sat down with Brooks Austin for an interview concerning the 2021 NFL Draft. The conversation revolved around Eric Stokes and Tyson Campbell, but Mora dropped a few of his thoughts about the development of players at the University of Georgia.
"I think another thing that you have to consider is that for an NFL coach to stand on the table and say, 'They didn't get it right at Georgia, I can make him better,' that's a ludicrous statement. You're talking about great coaches at Georgia that work really hard with a really talented player."
Mora added more comments, noting that he felt it was naïve to say that players are not coached up at Georgia.
Georgia fans already knew this. Smart has made it clear during his press conferences that he and his staff value the betterment of the players on his team. While most people may roll their eyes when they hear Smart announce, "We have to get better," that statement is a belief that good is not good enough. That's the desire to develop the student-athletes on the Georgia Football team so that they are ready for the next chapter.
Jim Mora summed it up best:
"... That's what great programs do. Every day is a battle. That's why Georgia is so good. They got a bunch of great players, and they've got a culture of competition. Nothing is given. Everything is earned. And that is expected, and that is demanded. That is why they are always in the national championship conversation."
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