Sporting News names Georgia’s Kirby Smart its Coach of the Year
Just as Roquan Smith stacks up the various postseason awards and honors for his play at inside linebacker for Georgia, his coach Kirby Smart is beginning to do the same for the job he has done with the 2017 Bulldogs.
On Monday, Sporting News announced the it has chosen Smart as its national Coach of the Year.
Congrats to Georgia's Kirby Smart, Sporting News Coach of the Year.
✔️ Led UGA to 12-1 record
✔️ First SEC championship since 2005
✔️ First @CFBPlayoff berthhttps://t.co/Wg1Sy7NIBn pic.twitter.com/GxaeABHCKr— Sporting News (@sportingnews) December 11, 2017
In his second year at the helm, Smart led the Bulldogs to a vast improvement from the 8-5 record the team posted in 2016. Georgia finished the regular season 11-1 and then won the SEC championship, the program’s first since 2005.
The Bulldogs went undefeated in the SEC East for the first time in program history and will play in the College Football Playoff ― another first.
Georgia will play Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day
Smart’s honor from Sporting News comes a few days after he was named the SEC Coach of the Year by his fellow coaches in the conference.