It’s that time of the year when we get coaches and players praising one another in press conferences before championship games. And I must say that I think I prefer the UFC’s approach of bad-mouthing your opponents leading up to the matchup. It’s more disrespectful, but it’s undoubtedly more entertaining for fans. I digress, though. Kirby Smart spoke to reporters recently and had nothing but amazing things to say about CJ Stroud.
“I loved his mom, man. What a tremendous woman. She’s awesome. Went all the way across the country and got to sit in his home and visit with him. He has a really good disposition about him. He’s not real high, not real low, not real emotional. He keeps a really level head, which to me at quarterback is one of the number one qualities you can find. He came on a visit to our place as well and got to see him at the Heisman. He’s just matured. To see him grow, he’s always had tremendous arm strength and touch and velocity on throws, but he’s become a complete quarterback there in their system.”
Kirby Smart and Georgia football narrowly missed out on CJ Stroud. Coming out of high school in 2020, he was highly touted as a five-star recruit and took an official visit before signing with Ohio State. And it’s no wonder why he was so heavily recruited, the dude is a baller. He’s got all the intangibles that elite signal callers possess with all the physical skills to boot, and his decision between UGA and Ohio State may have been even closer than initially realized.
“Georgia was honestly my second school right after Ohio State. It was really close,” Stroud said, via Bucknuts’ Patrick Murphy. “But at the end of the day, I chose to go to Ohio State, and if I had it again, I’d probably choose it again.”
I wouldn’t regret going to Ohio State either with the incredible receivers Stroud has played with or the terrible competition he’s played against. It’s a recipe for success. That is no slight to Stroud or the Buckeyes, but the SEC is a more competitive conference, regardless of the down season it had in 2022.
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Photographer: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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