"I cannot go without a huge buyout": Kirby Smart gets 100% real about loyalty issues in college football

Georgia coach Kirby Smart is preparing for another season with the Bulldogs. His goal will be to help his squad win the SEC championship again and, this time, go on a deeper run in the college football playoff. However, like with all teams these days, player retention is difficult.

On Monday, Smart appeared on the "Rick Burgess Show" and asked if it is possible to find loyalty in players these days.

"You can find it," Smart said (Timestamp 1:55). "I mean, there are kids who are loyal. It's out there. It's just not the norm. Look, I want to be clear, the first thing I hear from people is, 'Coach Smart can go anywhere he wants to go.' No I can't. Not without a huge buyout. Not without a contract.

"If we had contracts, I think all the coaches would be really happy if it was a binding contract. ... It's hard because, are they employees or are they student-athletes? People want to argue one side when it favors this side and argue the other side when it favors that side. The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle because it is a business."

Kirby Smart then spoke about the differences between classifying players as student athletes or professionals.

"You either are or you aren't," Smart added. "If it favors this, the student athlete should be allowed to go wherever they want and study and get their major and play football somewhere else. But then, that's not true now when we start talking about contracts and their employees and things like that.

"It makes it really challenging to navigate. The hardest part is what's best for the kids. What's best is they have the ability to earn income."

Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs secure the commitment of four-star CB Justice Fitzpatrick

While Kirby Smart is preparing for the 2025 college football season, he always keeps an eye on the future. On Tuesday, he got good news as four-star cornerback Justice Fitzpatrick committed to the team. According to 247Sports' composite rankings, Fitzpatrick is the No. 47-ranked player in the nation and the No. 3-ranked CB in the 2026 class.

Some fans will be familiar with him because of his older brother. Minkah Fitzpatrick played for the Alabama Crimson Tide in college and now plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL. Minkah has established himself as an NFL star, being named to the All-Pro First-Team three times. However, it remains to be seen what level Justice will be at in college.