Kirby Smart has turned the Georgia Bulldogs into a college football juggernaut since taking over in 2016, racking up a 105-19 record, three College Football Playoff National Championship appearances, and two titles. With just five losses in the last four years, Smart’s teams are known for suffocating defense and a knack for winning big games. But as of March 20, 2025, the program’s reputation is taking a serious hit—not for what happens on the field, but for a string of off-field incidents that have spiraled out of control. The latest arrests of wide receiver Nitro Tuggle and offensive lineman Marques Easley for speeding and reckless driving have pushed the tally to 25 Georgia players cited for DUI, speeding, or reckless driving since 2023, and some are calling for athletic director Josh Brooks to fire Smart over the program’s culture.
The most recent incidents are a gut punch. Tuggle was arrested for speeding and reckless driving, while Easley was cited for reckless driving after reportedly crashing into an apartment complex. Both have been suspended indefinitely, but the damage is done. Since January 2023—when a tragic crash killed offensive lineman Devin Willock and staffer Chandler LeCroy, with police citing high speed and alcohol as factors—Georgia players have been arrested or cited at least 25 times for driving-related offenses. That crash involved former player Jalen Carter, now with the Philadelphia Eagles, who was charged with reckless driving and racing. Since then, the incidents have piled up: running back Trevor Etienne’s DUI and reckless driving arrest in March 2024, cornerback Daniel Harris clocked at 106 mph in September 2024, and now Tuggle and Easley. Posts on X reflect the growing frustration, with fans and analysts calling Georgia’s culture “undisciplined” and “criminal,” pointing to not just driving issues but also arrests for battery and assault, including a 2024 case involving a player allegedly assaulting a pregnant woman.
Smart’s defenders will point to his on-field success—two national titles and a 105-19 record are hard to argue with. He’s also taken steps to address the problem: players have faced suspensions, like Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint in 2023 and Etienne for the 2024 opener against Clemson, and the Classic City Collective has levied “substantial” NIL fines for driving offenses. Smart has brought in speakers, mandated defensive driving courses, and offered six-hour driving sessions for players who need them. “We’re committed to continuing to educate our players,” Smart said at SEC Media Days in 2024, emphasizing that he doesn’t want to “publicly shame” his players but insists they face consequences. Some, like safety David Daniel-Sisavanh, have been dismissed from the team after reckless driving arrests.
But the numbers don’t lie—25 incidents in just over two years is a pattern, not a fluke. Critics argue Smart has lost control, failing to instill the discipline needed to turn boys into men, a core responsibility for any college coach. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported in 2023 that Georgia players have been cited nearly 300 times for traffic offenses under Smart, with speeds rising sharply since 2019, often tied to high-powered cars like Dodge Chargers acquired through NIL deals. The program’s permissive culture has been called “out of control,” with some players facing minimal consequences—like running back Kenny McIntosh, who played all 15 games in 2022 despite three traffic offenses in six months. The tragic 2023 crash should’ve been a wake-up call, but the arrests keep coming, and the perception is damning: Georgia is the team associated with DUIs and car crashes, a stain on the school’s legacy.
Firing Smart, though, might be an overreach. He’s the best coach in college football, with a .847 win percentage and a track record of developing NFL talent—Jalen Carter, Brock Bowers, and Travon Walker, to name a few. Georgia’s 2024 season ended with a 13-2 record and a national title, and they’re already a preseason favorite for 2025. Sacking him over off-field issues risks throwing away a dynasty, especially when he’s shown a willingness to discipline players, even if it hasn’t fully curbed the problem. The counterargument is that Smart’s inability to stop these incidents—despite education, fines, and suspensions—suggests a deeper cultural issue. If he can’t control his players off the field, how long until that lack of discipline bleeds into games? Some fans on X argue the team’s success has come in spite of Smart, not because of him, pointing to their talent-laden rosters as the real reason for their dominance.
Josh Brooks faces a tough call. Firing Smart would send a message that Georgia won’t tolerate this behavior, but it could also derail a program at its peak. A middle ground might be harsher penalties—longer suspensions, stricter monitoring via GPS apps, or even benching star players to set an example. For now, Smart’s job seems safe, but the pressure is mounting. If these incidents continue, Brooks might have no choice but to make a change—because no amount of wins can erase the stain of a program that’s careening off the rails.
