Kirby Smart Calls Out Players' 'Hunger' in NIL Era in Viral Video After Georgia's Win vs. Florida

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart explained how he believes the NIL era has impacted the drive of college football players after the No. 3 Bulldogs secured a 27-8 win over No. 17 Florida on Saturday.

"It does seem different," Smart told reporters when asked about the current state of the SEC compared to the last 25 years. "I've asked several coaches about it and we all have speculation. I don't want to get judgement on what it is. Everybody's practicing less, but everybody's getting injured more and it doesn't make sense. It doesn't add up because we're not at the point of the ninth game yet. Nobody's played any more than they normally would have right now."

"I don't know that the players are any different," he added. "I think about the teams we had in 2021 and 2022, how physical they were and how they practiced. We can't even get close to that now. Is it different culture that guys don't want to as much? I don't know. They were definitely hungrier, because there was a motivation to make it. A lot of these guys, they make more than I was made until I was 40. So, it's just a different day and age."

While Georgia sits atop the SEC standings, every team in the conference has suffered at least one loss this season.

Parity has been more prevalent compared to past years, as 14 of the SEC's 16 teams have lost at least two games to conference opponents to begin the season.

Health issues have also surfaced among key players across the college football landscape, although they haven't been limited to the SEC.

Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor was ruled out for the remainder of the 2026 season after undergoing toe surgery , while Ohio State passer Julian Sayin is in danger of missing the rest of the year due to an injury to his right throwing arm.

Oregon signal-caller Dante Moore will also be sidelined through the end of his 2026 campaign with a concussion .

Smart appears to believe that the NIL deals given out to players have decreased their intensity in practice compared to the era before NIL, which may be affecting their preparation for the physicality of regular-season games.

According to Stewart Mandel, David Ubben and Sam Khan Jr. of The Athletic, SEC teams have an average NIL budget of $33 million to $38 million. It represents the highest mark among all conferences.

As for Smart, his team will look to continue building momentum during an upcoming matchup with No. 12 Ole Miss on Saturday.