MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Kirby Smart had little desire to expound on the situation that ensnared one of his assistant coaches, other than to call Shane Beamer “a very good person” who remains an “asset to the program.”

Beamer, the team’s special teams coordinator and tight ends coach, was fined $25,000 by UGA last week for not reporting that now-former Wake Forest broadcaster Tommy Elrod had in 2014 spoken to him about plays Wake Forest was planning on using before playing Virginia Tech, where Beamer was an assistant coach at the time.

Beamer also received a letter of reprimand from UGA athletics director Greg McGarity, which stated that “when questioned about these events by University of Georgia officials, you made representations about material facts that are inaccurate, although it is not clear that your misstatements were deliberate.”

Smart, speaking to the media for the first time since the news, referred to the statement released last week, which said Beamer informed Smart when the “WakeyLeaks” scandal came to light. Smart also kept his answer short when asked how Beamer has handled everything.

“He’s handled it just fine,” Smart said, leaving it at that.

Georgia’s special teams had a rough start to the season, though showed some improvement as the year went on. And under Beamer, freshman tight end Isaac Nauta emerged as a difference-maker, making the freshman All-SEC team.

“Shane has done a good job for us,” Smart said. “Shane works really hard at his trade. He’s a very good person. He’s very knowledgeable. He’s been a good asset for the program.”