Under head coach Kirby Smart, the Georgia Bulldogs have solidified their reputation as a powerhouse in college football.
Smart’s dominance on the recruiting trail is a major reason why the Dawgs have eclipsed Alabama as the premier program in the sport.
For the 2024 cycle, Georgia secured the No. 1 recruiting class, marking the fourth time since Smart’s arrival in 2016 that the Bulldogs have led the nation in this category.
The only dip in their performance over these years was a fifth-place finish in 2021.
Despite this impressive recruiting success, Smart has expressed concern over a “common theme” that he believes is impacting college football as a whole: a decline in overall player depth.
“I feel like we have less depth than we’ve ever had, and that’s kind of a common theme talking to other coaches I talk to,” Smart said.
“I call it the deterioration of football because every year we’ve been here I feel like we’ve had more players capable of going in and play winning football and every year that goes down.”
While Smart acknowledged that Georgia, as the top-ranked team, likely possesses more depth than other programs, he did not elaborate on why the quality and quantity of high-caliber players appear to be decreasing annually.
Injuries are a significant concern for Smart, especially with several Georgia starters dealing with ailments during camp.
This raises questions about the Bulldogs’ readiness for their season opener against Clemson in Atlanta on August 31.
Last season, injuries significantly affected Georgia’s performance in the SEC Championship Game against Alabama, contributing to their exclusion from the College Football Playoff despite being back-to-back national champs.
As college football transitions into a new era with the expanded 12-team playoff, maintaining player health will be crucial for success.
“Injuries are part of football, so we’ve been lucky so far (in camp),” Smart said. “We haven’t had significant injuries, but we have a lot of guys that are soft-tissue beat up, banged up and we’re trying to get them back.”
The highly anticipated matchup between Georgia and Clemson will kick off at noon EST on August 31 at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
What are your thoughts on Kirby’s opinion that overall player depth has taken a noticeable hit???