Georgia Bulldogs Closing in on New Contract with coach Kirby Smart
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ATHENS - Georgia Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart and UGA are closing in on a new contract, UGA athletic director Josh Brooks said Thursday.
Smart is coming off his first national title, and the school’s first since 1980. Georgia’s 14-1 season included wins over No. 8 Arkansas, No. 3 Clemson, No. 2 Michigan and No. 1 Alabama. It was the Dawgs’ first undefeated regular season since 1982.
“It’s just going through the process, taking your time. This is an important contract for him and for us, so it’s just all the little details,” Brooks said. “It’s typical stuff, nothing out of the ordinary. We’ve worked closely with his agent, and it’s been a great process.”
Smart was hired in 2016 by then athletics director Greg McGarity. The contract was valued at $3.5 million per year. But the two sides agreed on a new contract after the Bulldogs’ 2017 SEC Championship season that came a play short of winning the national title.
Smart was paid over $7 million last season, but that number doesn’t not include bonuses.
UGA president Jere Morehead told reporters Thursday at the Bulldogs’ annual athletics board meeting that he expects the new contract between Smart and UGA to “get finalized over the next few weeks.”
As it stands, only four other coaches in college football have won national titles - Texas A&M’s Jimbo Fisher, Alabama’s Nick Saban, Clemson’s Dabo Swinney and North Carolina’s Mack Brown. All but Brown have contracts valued $8.5 million or more per season.
Georgia will open the season against Oregon in Atlanta. The Bulldogs are listed by FanDuel as one of the favorites to win the 2022 national championship.