Coming off its first national title since 1980, Georgia announced a 10-year, $111 million contract extension for coach Kirby Smart following his appearance at SEC Media Days. The new deal will run through the 2031 season and will pay Smart between $10.25 million and $12.25 million per season, making him the highest-paid college football coach at a public university. Smart, 46, previously earned $7.13 million, according to the USA TODAY salary database. However, coaches like Alabama’s Nick Saban and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney have contract provisions that will keep their salary in line with the highest-paid coaches in the sport.
“Coach Smart’s impact at the University of Georgia extends far beyond his significant accolades as a head football coach,” Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks said in a statement. “He and his wife are Bulldogs through and through, and it’s clear that Athens and UGA mean as much to him as he means to us. I’m excited for the continued success of our football program under his leadership. The future of Georgia football continues to shine. with Coach Smart as a steadfast leader.”
Smart has amassed a 66-15 record in seven seasons at his alma mater following a nine-year run on Alabama’s staff. Since an 8-5 debut campaign in 2016, the Bulldogs are 58-10 and have played in four of the last five SEC Championship Games. His acceleration of the program’s success after the Mark Richt era reached its zenith last season when the Bulldogs used a historically dominant defense to finish 14-1 with a win over Alabama and former head of ‘Smart, Saban, in the College Football Playoff National Championship.
“Mary Beth, my family and I are excited and grateful for the extension of my agreement with the University of Georgia,” Smart said. “This is home for us, our roots run very deep here. My commitment to this University and our football program is unwavering,” said head football coach Kirby Smart. “I am grateful to President Jere Morehead and Josh Brooks for their continued support of Georgia football. It is an honor to serve as the head football coach at the University of Georgia, and while I am proud of what we have been able to accomplish, I am sure that the best is yet to come!”
Formalizing your place
Winning a national title is what cemented Smart’s place as one of the top five coaches in college football, but this massive contract extension amounts to formal recognition of Georgia being in the conversation for the best coach in the sport. Smart ranked second behind Saban in our May ranking of the 25 best Power Five coaches, and his compensation now reflects that reality.
Message to recruits
The likelihood of Smart leaving Georgia for another college job has always seemed slim considering he played at Georgia in the 1990s and has amassed considerable influence at the school during his seven seasons on the job. Also considering that Smart spent just one season with the NFL team, with the Dolphins in 2006, it’s long been clear that the NFL isn’t at the top of his list of aspirations. But if there was any doubt among recruits about Smart’s long-term relationship with UGA, Thursday’s announcement makes it abundantly clear. Some coaches are always looking for something bigger and better, but for Smart there is likely nothing bigger or better in the game of football than coaching at his alma mater.
A road to immortality
As Smart enters his seventh season with 10 years remaining on his contract, he is positioned to continue his ascension among the school’s all-time greats. Vince Dooley, who coached from 1964 to 1988, ranks first on the school’s all-time wins list with 201 wins. But the idea of coaching Georgia smart in the 2030s puts him on a trajectory to one day challenge Dooley for that record. Smart’s predecessor, Mark Richt, is second on the list with 145 wins.