Awkward Moment of Kirby Smart Shading Big Ten Powerhouse to Top Recruit Is Not Going Over Well

There are many aspects of college football recruiting that fly under the radar to fans, but happen at just about every program in the country and in every recruitment to some degree.

We are all well aware that money does a lot of the heavy lifting these days in a recruiting pitch, but so does a program's history of winning, development and ability to send players to the NFL. However, aside from highlighting the great things about their own programs, coaches will also highlight some negatives about other schools to make theirs stand out.

It's certainly not a glamorous aspect of recruiting, but programs will use personal issues of coaches, unflattering narratives, or in the case of Georgia head coach Kirby Smart lack of amenities.

Kirby Smart shades Ohio State

In a video that is now making its rounds on X, Smart can be seen talking to composite five-star defensive lineman Marcus Fakatou about the designated areas where recruits take pictures in Athens. Smart asked Fakatou his favorite station, and shortly after the Sierra Canyon product answered, Smart made sure to let him know Georgia has four to Ohio State's one.

"I was asking him at Ohio State how many stations do they have," Smart said. "He said they had one...But we have four..."

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart to now-Ohio State 5⭐️ DL commit Marcus Fakatou during his recruitment:

“I was asking how many stations Ohio State has. They only have one. We have four.”

Safe to say that pitch didn’t work. 😁🌰 pic.twitter.com/niilEEa1tt
— The Buckeye Nut (@TheBuckeyeNut) July 9, 2026

Now, the video cuts off before Smart is able to explain the method behind having four different sets, but fans across social media are certainly perceiving this as some sort of dig.

"Damn Kirby you use to be the man homie, what the F happen to you," asked one fan.

"Kirby seems shady to me. Like a car salesman," said another.

"Kirby Smart has been reduced to trying to flex photo booth stations! oh how the mighty have fallen," joked a third.

"Kirby losing his fastball," suggested one fan.

"Photo booth pitch? LMAO," added another.

"You’re bragging about picture stations? Kirby has lost his fastball," chimed in another.

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart. — Georgia head coach Kirby Smart speaks at SEC Media Days. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

While Smart and the Dawgs were in the mix for Fakatou, after visits to Ohio State, Texas, Notre Dame and Oregon, the No. 2 defensive lineman in the country ended up committing to Ohio State at the end of June.

Although a recruitment isn't over until pen is put to paper, it appears that at this time, the four photo stations weren't enough to get Georgia the win in this one or on social media.

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