Georgia's Smart calls out fans to boost crowd noise, help home-field advantage
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Coach Kirby Smart was disappointed in the somewhat muted performance of home fans in No. 5 Georgia's 31-13 win over Auburn on Saturday.
Even though there was an announced sellout of 93,033 at Sanford Stadium, Smart felt fans were not loud enough. Some fans even left early. Smart said he wanted the crowd noise to create more of a home-field advantage.
“To be honest, I’m probably disappointed in our fans for the first time,” Smart told Georgia radio network sideline reporter and former Bulldogs quarterback D.J. Shockley of Atlanta's WAGA TV following the game. ”I thought there was a lack of really affecting the game crowd-noise wise, passion and energy."
Georgia (4-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) extended its home winning streak to 27 games, a school record. The home winning streak, which began in 2019, is the longest among FBS teams. Mississippi State visits Athens on Saturday in another SEC game.
In his postgame news conference, Smart followed up on the topic when he said “we need it to be tough on other teams to play here. But it’s not. It’s not the same as it’s been in the past. It’s got to be energetic. It’s got to be.”
Smart stood by his critique of fans on Monday.
“I think I said what I said and stand by what I said and feel it could have been better but my job is to coach the football team and I’m going to do the best I can in my power,” Smart said.
Smart's concerns could have been influenced by seeing the struggles of other AP Top 25 teams in road losses on Saturday, including Vanderbilt's stunning 40-35 upset of No. 1 Alabama.
Following this week's game against Mississippi State, Georgia will play three consecutive games away from Athens, including an Oct. 19 game at No. 1 Texas and a Nov. 9 game at No. 9 Mississippi. The Bulldogs return home on Nov. 16 to play No. 8 Tennessee.
Smart's criticism of fans was a popular subject of questions at his weekly news conference. He grew testy after he was asked at what point of the game he felt fans let the team down.
“It’s like you’re wanting to make this us against them,” Smart said. “That’s not really what this is about. We’re a team. We’re a unit and I think it’s OK to say how you feel and try to pull the family together and pull in the right direction and you guys want to make it about ‘Kirby said this.’"
Two Georgia players made available for interviews on Monday, left guard Dylan Fairchild and outside linebacker Chaz Chambliss, said they were not aware of a decline in fan support in the game.
“Saturday, I mean, I was locked into the game,” Fairchild said. “I’m fully focused on what I have to do.”
Added Chambliss: “When I’m on the field, I’m not really big into all the juice and all that. I just want to focus on my assignment and getting communication across the field. You know, it’s kind of just like a dead silence out there.”
Smart said Georgia's long streak of consecutive home wins may have spoiled fans.
“You win these games at home and maybe you take it for granted if you win so many games at home,” Smart said. “But I know this. It’s hard. These teams going on the road across the SEC, you make it hard on them by what you do and what you create. ... It’s about us all pulling in the same direction.”
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