Kirk Herbstreit defends Georgia football coach's controversial decision

Kirby Smart faced some criticism for a fourth down play call that went wrong in Georgia’s eventual loss against Alabama over the weekend, but not from Kirk Herbstreit.

The veteran ESPN broadcaster worked as the color analyst for Saturday’s game, and came to Smart’s defense when considering the decision to run the ball instead of take the easy field goal.

“I probably would have done the same thing,” Herbstreit said on the Nonstop podcast, adding that he also thought Georgia would run some tempo in that situation to catch Alabama by surprise.

“I loved the concept. Mike Bobo, the OC, I think it was perfectly designed, but it was just a true freshman trying to make a block against a veteran that’s been around.” 

Alabama defensive end LT Overton came up with the play, a critical defensive stop for the team as it clung to a three-point lead.

“And you have to give [Overton] credit. He blew it up. And not only does he blow up the block, he makes that play on the edge to prevent it from being a first down,” Herbstreit said.

Down by three points near the start of the third quarter, Georgia elected to run the ball on a 4th & 1 from the Alabama 8-yard line instead of kicking what would have been a chip shot field goal to tie the game.

Gunner Stockton handed off to tailback Cash Jones, who was brought down in the backfield by Alabama’s defensive end, resulting in a turnover on downs.

Georgia wouldn’t score another point in the game, a 24-21 loss that became the 10th defeat for the Bulldogs in their last 11 meetings in the series against Alabama. 

ESPN analyst Joey Galloway concurred with Herbstreit’s assessment.

“I wouldn’t say surprised that they didn’t try to hide it. I feel like in today’s world, with all our analytics, you have people that have let analytics start coaching football games,” he said.

“In that situation, which I’m 100 percent sure Kirby Smart and Georgia have been in and practiced... Smart decided to go for it is perfectly fine with me. They had the momentum, they’re moving the ball.”

Instead, Smart fell to 1-7 in his career against the Crimson Tide, with 35 percent of his total losses at Georgia coming against that single opponent.

Maybe it was that pressure against Alabama that inspired Smart to take the gamble, but the gamble failed, and now Georgia sits at one loss going forward.

(Herbstreit)

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