Kirby Smart on transfer portal: ‘I don’t know that it is right for college football’

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Kirby Smart gives a strong stance against the transfer portal

As spring practice wraps up around the country, the transfer portal has once again entered the debate cycle. Penn State and Ohio State both saw quarterbacks enter the transfer portal on Thursday. Alabama had another quarterback enter the portal earlier in the week as well.

Where Smart draws the line is when a player early on in their career — like Fields did — decides to transfer.

“For a student-athlete, to say they should be able to go anywhere, I really believe if the kid graduates now, he should be able to go anywhere he wants to go,” Smart said. “But giving kids a way out when early on it’s tough, and the process is hard, that’s the biggest problem I have.”

The NCAA has been more relaxed on granting waivers to play right away. Fields has already been granted a waiver to play immediately at Ohio State this season. But Smart has benefitted from this policy change as well. Georgia wide receiver Demetris Robertson transferred to Georgia following two seasons at Cal. Robertson was granted immediate eligibility for the 2018 season.

Related: Georgia fans rally to support former UGA TE Luke Ford

Smart did seem to acknowledge things are a little different when it comes to the quarterback position, for those who might try and take Smart’s words as a potential shot at his former quarterback.

“I do think quarterback is a unique position and I certainly understand that it is different,” Smart said. “But a lot of other positions these kids just go because that is what they did in high school.”

Smart added that he is trying to look out for his players who might be interested in playing elsewhere. Others would say Smart was is simply looking out for what’s best for his program. The reality is that it’s a mix of both.

But the Georgia football coach does have a point when it comes to sticking things out. In speaking with former Georgia tight end Arthur Lynch, he revealed he considered transferring early on in his Georgia career. He was a long way from his home back in Massachusetts and wasn’t playing much.

But Lynch ended up sticking things out and went on to become an All-SEC tight end. That won’t be the case for every player, but it’s still worth keeping in mind that not every successful person is successful right away.

Becoming a successful college football player takes time for some. Smart knows this, having been through a similar experience as a player. But given the state of college football, it looks Smart is going to have to accept this as the norm for the time being.

“”I did not have immediate success, I just go to the next place.’ That has not always proven to be best for kids,” Smart said.

Georgia baseball beats Missouri behind a stellar effort from Emerson Hancock

Emerson Hancock has been one of the best college baseball players in the entire country this year. And he had the best start of his career on Thursday night. The sophomore pitcher gave up just 3 hits over 8.0 innings while striking out 11 in Georgia’s 3-0 victory over Missouri.