WATCH: How Kirby Smart, Dabo Swinney provided hope college football returns this fall

ATHENS — Kirby Smart is as measured of a public speaker as there is in the collegiate coaching ranks.

That’s likely one reason why Smart waited so long to make any public comments after the coronavirus outbreak. Smart held a teleconference for his beat writers last Tuesday, answering questions that had been sent in before the call took place.

So when Smart discussed potential provisions that could be in place when college football returns on Wednesday, it was noteworthy.

It wasn’t what Smart said — about taking players’ temperatures and potential quarantine activity — so much as the fact he was willing to table the discussion at all during his appearance on the Paul Finebaum Show.

It was a telltale sign that the return of college football is indeed being discussed by the experts behind the scenes in the industry.

College football fans needed good news after Kirk Herbstreit cast doubt earlier in the spring.

Herbstreit is arguably the top college football analyst. His accuracy on football topics is likely why so many were upset when he said, “I’ll be shocked if we have NFL football this fall, if we have college football. I’ll be so surprised if that happens.”

Herbstreit was merely sharing his opinion, based on all the information he had in front of him at the time.

But as is the way of today’s world, the messenger can come under attack if the message is not popular.

Regardless, Herbstreit’s comments — because of his football credibility — made the sports world stop and consider just how awful things would be without the game.

The pendulum swung the other way on Friday, when Clemson coach Dabo Swinney held his press conference.

“I have zero doubt that we’re going to be playing,” Swinney said at one point.

Also, Swinney’s T.I.G.E.R.S. acronym: “This Is Gonna End Real Soon.”

Georgia football fans certainly hope so, and especially this season.

The Bulldogs are among the top four or five contenders to win the College Football Playoff Championship, returning the top defense in the nation.

Those topics, along with several others, were touched on in this special Friday Night “Light” edition of On The Beat: