Kirby Smart, Dabo Swinney, and Ryan Day: The Last Champions Standing in College Football
With Mack Brown stepping away from North Carolina after the 2024 season, only three active college football head coaches boast a national championship on their résumé: Kirby Smart (Georgia Bulldogs), Ryan Day (Ohio State Buckeyes), and Dabo Swinney (Clemson Tigers).
Among them, only Smart and Swinney have won multiple national titles. Swinney led Clemson to glory in 2016 and 2018, while Smart secured back-to-back championships in 2021 and 2022. However, both coaches have faced challenges since their last titles—Smart has not won a playoff game since 2022, while Swinney’s last playoff victory came in 2019, though he fell short in the national championship that year.
Paul Finebaum Questions Georgia’s Coaching Staff
On The Paul Finebaum Show, SEC Network analyst Paul Finebaum shared his thoughts on college football’s elite coaches, calling Kirby Smart the best in the business but raising concerns about the Bulldogs’ coaching staff.
“I love Kirby Smart, I think he’s the best coach in the country,” Finebaum said. “I’d be hard-pressed to say he has the best staff in the country.”
Finebaum has been especially vocal about his doubts regarding offensive coordinator Mike Bobo. He criticized Smart’s decision to retain Bobo, dismissing arguments about his offensive statistics and arguing that the Bulldogs need a cultural shift. However, since Bobo replaced Todd Monken—who left for the NFL—Georgia has maintained a 24-4 record and captured an SEC championship.
Kirby Smart’s Legacy and the Road Ahead
Despite the scrutiny, Smart has built a powerhouse at Georgia. Across nine seasons, he has recorded 10 or more wins in all but two—one of which was the shortened 2020 COVID-19 season when the Bulldogs played just 10 games.
As Smart prepares for the 2025 season, the pressure is on to return Georgia to college football’s summit. Will he silence the critics and add another championship to his legacy, or will the doubts surrounding his coaching staff prove costly?
