By: JJ Lanier

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

Before I get too deep into this, just let me say that I like Kirby Smart. As someone who thought Georgia could have gotten a better coach after they fired Mark Richt two years ago, Smart has proven me wrong, so far.

The job that he and his coaching staff did past season was one of the better coaching jobs in college football. His recruiting, which I had no expectations about, have been even more impressive.

That said, the timing and amount of Smart’s recent extension- which runs through 2024 at roughly $7 million annually- is a bit of a head scratcher to me.

I get this is the way things are generally done within college football now, overpaying to lock up the young coach, but it still seems a bit rushed.

Georgia feels like that kid we all new in high school; the one that was never allowed to go out and have a good time, so after a semester at college he comes home with blue hair, pierced nipples, and his tattoo artist girlfriend, Viper, whose free spirited ways really understands him at his core.

Basically, UGA’s fan base and administration have been yearning for national relevance for so long that when they finally achieved it their Facebook relationship status with Smart just went from “it’s complicated” to “married” after roughly the second date.

Again, I’m not saying Smart isn’t the right guy for UGA, but why that amount, now?

To me, if you’re giving a coach that type of extension, it’s for one of two reasons: He or she is entertaining offers from other schools. You are approaching the end of a contract and that coach has shown, either over a sustained period of time or with a championship, they are worth the money.

I can’t imagine there was serious consideration that Smart was looking for greener pastures, especially at this time of year. He’s a Georgia guy through and through and for as much as like to give UGA fans a hard time, there aren’t many coaching jobs better than the one in Athens.

As for the second reason, yes Smart led last year’s team to arguably the most exciting season Georgia has had in recent memory, but how many times have you seen a new head coach inject some much needed life into a program early on, only to fall back to the pack a couple years later. (I feel like this is a good time to mention how similar Smart and Richt’s first two seasons in Athens were, including it being their first head coaching job.)

As an outsider looking in, it just feels like a bit of a risk to do this now, as opposed to after this upcoming season. You’d not only have another year to evaluate Smart, but you can see how he handles being the coach of a team that has the bullseye on their back.

Plus, unless I’m wrong and Smart was actually looking elsewhere, you could probably afford to wait another year without fear of losing him.

But look, it’s not my money and as long as the administration, alumni, and fans feel good about it, God bless them and I hope it works out. I certainly don’t ever resent a coach or player for getting paid.

I will say this, if Kirby Smart ever wavered on what the expectations in Athens have been, it’s crystal clear now; you pay a coach $7 million a year to win National Championships, not just conference titles.