Kirby Smart sends message to players who transfer away from Georgia

The Georgia head coach warned players departing the Bulldogs through the transfer portal.

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart delivered a message to players who would transfer away from the school. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart delivered an unmistakable message during a Monday press conference about players who choose to leave the program through the transfer portal. Smart positioned the Bulldogs’ emphasis on physicality as a core defining trait of the program and singled out departures as indicators of a misalignment with that standard. He made it clear that leaving a culture built on toughness carries consequences beyond simply changing teams.

Smart indirectly referenced several notable transfer-portal exits from Georgia in the past year—including EDGE leader Damon Wilson II (to Missouri), quarterback Carson Beck (to Miami) and cornerback Julio Humphrey (to Texas A&M)—to underline how departures become part of the broader message he is sending.

He reiterated that the Bulldogs’ identity rests on being “physical” and described those who depart as likely heading to places that do not share that identity.

Smart’s delivery was firm yet matter-of-fact. He stated, “We schedule them. The ones that want to leave? We schedule them. We try to get them on the schedule because when they wanna leave — because they’re not physical — that means they’re probably going to a place that’s not physical. We like those places. We like to play them. We prefer them, actually, if you can get them on the schedule. It’s one of those deals that you don’t run from hard in life. If you run from hard in life, you’ll find more hard.”

Kirby Smart addresses Georgia players who leave via transfer portal

Smart’s comments offered insight into both program culture and competitive mindset. The Bulldogs coach framed departures not as casualties of the transfer portal but as self-selection against the program’s emphasis on toughness.

Through his leadership, Georgia football projects an identity that is unafraid of confronting opposition built for the kind of environment it believes in. He tied physicality to preparation and recruitment, stating that the program seeks players who are willing to embrace contact, accountability, and clear roles.

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart has the Bulldogs at 9-1, with two games remaining in the regular season. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Smart’s framing transformed individual departures into a marker of cultural fit and program identity, rather than solely evaluating talent.

The Georgia Bulldogs celebrate Senior Day in their next contest and will face the Charlotte 49ers at home on Saturday at 12:45 p.m. ET on SECN.