It's not often that a head coach publicly puts a player on blast, but that's exactly what happened with Kirby Smart and one of his defensive backs.
Following Georgia’s 28-10 loss to Ole Miss, a surprising postgame moment involving Bulldogs defensive back Jake Pope has stirred significant conversation. Pope was seen celebrating with Ole Miss fans who had stormed the field, leading to widespread frustration among Georgia fans and Coach Kirby Smart.
Pope, who had previously played at Alabama before transferring to Georgia, was caught on camera jumping and smiling with the Ole Miss crowd, many of whom were sporting the jersey of Reece McIntyre, Pope’s high school teammate.
Despite their shared history, Coach Smart didn’t hold back in expressing his disappointment in Pope’s actions.
“What an idiot. Just stupid,” Smart stated during a press conference on Monday. He continued, “I didn’t see it until today. He’s embarrassed about it. That’s a childhood friend of his. Just not real smart. But to be honest with you, I don’t really have time to waste on that. My focus is on Tennessee.”
Kirby Smart response to his player Jake Pope Celebrating after the loss
— SleeperCFB (@SleeperCFB) November 11, 2024
“What an idiot” 😬
pic.twitter.com/4nVQ77SYDZ
This incident comes amid rising frustrations within the Georgia fanbase, especially following the Bulldogs’ performance against Ole Miss and another instance where quarterback Carson Beck was seen smiling on the sidelines near the end of the game.
Pope has also issued an apology for his behavior, sharing that "in no way, shape, or form" would he celebrate a Georgia loss.
— Jake Pope (@JakePope24) November 11, 2024
Georgia, now ranked No. 11 in the AP Top 25, will look to rebound and prepare for an upcoming showdown against Tennessee. With College GameDay expected to highlight the matchup against Tennessee, Smart and his team will momve beyond the controversy surrounding Pope and refocus as they play for their College Football Playoff lives on Saturday.
There is still a chance that a 9-3 Georgia could backdoor itself into the College Football Playoff, but it wouldn't be a likely scenario. However, at 10-2, the Bulldogs will essentially be a "lock" for an at-large bid and they very well will be set up to potentially be a host for a game in the first-round.
After Tennessee, Georgia (7-2, 5-2) will close out the year with UMass and Georgia Tech both at home.