Kirby Smart has never treated the transfer portal as a problem to manage. He treats it as a test. And as Georgia once again enters the postseason with championship expectations, the Bulldogs’ head coach made it clear that his program won’t compromise its identity to keep players from leaving.

“It’s been, like, intrinsically looking at ourselves and asking each player, did you come here to develop? Did you truly come here to develop?” said Smart during his Monday presser. “Because if you did, all your buddies are out there right now; everybody’s announcing what they’re doing, announcing that I’m going in the portal. I’m announcing that I’m resigning.

“Announce that you’re getting better and you’re going to practice,” mentioned the Georgia head coach. “Because if you’re going to play somewhere else, you know what you need to do. You need to get better,” mentioned the Georgia head coach. “If you don’t play here, you know what you need to do. You need to get better. If you want to go to the National Football League and play, this is your last chance to get better, because they’re not going to give you much opportunity.”

His advice carried no qualifiers. Whether a player plans to stay at Georgia, transfer, or chase the NFL, Smart emphasized that there is only one non-negotiable requirement: getting better. Improvement, in his view, is the common denominator that applies to every path forward. Without it, no move, portal, or otherwise, changes a player’s trajectory. With a championship still within reach, anything that pulls focus away from preparation is treated as counterproductive.

Players who have entered the transfer portal include wide receivers Anthony Evans III, Zachariah Branch, and Noah Thomas; CB Justyn Rhett; safeties Zion Branch and Jaden Harris; and QB Jaden Rashada, among others. While the number could still grow, Smart’s fiery speech not only expressed his frustration but also served as a way to slow the flow, as the NFL Draft has already claimed some players like DL Christen Miller, LB CJ Allen, and more.

As the winter portal window approaches, more Bulldogs are expected to weigh their options. History suggests many will leave, just as they have in previous offseasons. But from Smart’s perspective, the numbers matter less than the principle.

Just a month earlier, the Bulldogs coach delivered a more pointed assessment of transfer departures, linking them directly to physicality and comfort. In Smart’s view, players who choose to leave often do so because they’re unwilling to fully embrace the physical demands that define Georgia football.

“We schedule them. The ones that want to leave? We schedule them,” Smart said. “We try to get them on the schedule because when they wanna leave — because they’re not physical — that means they’re probably going to a place that’s not physical. We like those places. We like to play them. We prefer them, actually, if you can get them on the schedule. It’s one of those deals that you don’t run from hard in life. If you run from hard in life, you’ll find more hard.”

While at the core, Kirby Smart’s intention to win in the CFP is clear, that goal can be amplified with the latest update on player availability.

Kirby Smart could receive some good news

A coach who knows how to handle the heat leads Georgia. With that, while national playoff chatter may swirl around brands, when the stakes turn January-high, opponents see a Bulldogs team that’s tough to beat.

A coaches’ survey cited by The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman even pegged Georgia as the team most feared to face and one of the most common picks to win it all. However, health is the real headline now.

As Kirby Smart gears up for the CFP clash with the Rebels, he’s optimistic about getting key pieces back. Although WR Colbie Young and center Drew Bobo have been banged up. But Smart’s expectations told a different story.

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“I’m optimistic we get all those guys back. They’re good football players, and they’re going to help us,” said Smart.

Then he added the reality check, stating, “We’ve got guys dinged up from the practices we’ve had, too.”

Now, for a program with title expectations, roster health is managed with precision, while Smart’s hope of having Young and Bobo ready could be the edge that turns respect into results.