Kirby Smart addresses Michigan controversy and discusses their 2021 Orange Bowl matchup
Michigan Football is currently embroiled in a shocking scandal, facing accusations of operating a sophisticated sign-stealing operation that extended beyond just staffer Connor Stalions. Now, Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart has offered his perspective on the matter.
Kirby Smart led the Georgia Bulldogs to victory over Michigan in the 2021 Orange Bowl
Smart, who guided the Georgia Bulldogs to a 34-11 victory over Michigan in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Orange Bowl on Dec. 31, 2021, stated that he did not observe any indications during that game that would have given him reason to suspect the Wolverines were stealing their signals.
“I didn’t notice anything or know anything. Nobody we talked to warned us or anything like that,” Smart said. “I think everybody we play, they say, ‘We steal your signals.’ We play somebody, they’re great at stealing your signals. But what they’re referencing is different than stealing them. They’re coming in and you’re talking about someone coming in and filming them. That’s completely different. We’ve tried to hide the signals, hold the calls, put signs up, do all that. But there’s nothing I remember about the Michigan game that makes me think that.”
Smart did say that teams do attempt to decipher their opposition's signals during a game, but that he's never heard of a team trying to do so in the manner Michigan is alleged to have done.
“As far as in game, I think people try to do that. It tries to go on. As a signal caller, when I had to call defenses it confused me if I had to sit there and try to tell me what they thought they got. I’m trying to think about what the best call for the situation is,” Smart said. “You’re relying on misinformation or something that’s not very reliable, so I don’t know. There have been times where people have said they’ve had our signals in-game and this or that. You talk to the team that you played last and when you’re not going to play them again, sometimes they share what they might have had on you and things like that. So I’ve heard of it in game.”
TL;DR (too long didn't read)
- Michigan Football finds itself embroiled in yet another controversy, this time facing allegations of orchestrating a sophisticated sign-stealing operation.
- Coincidentally, the Georgia Bulldogs secured a victory over Michigan in the 2021 Orange Bowl, precisely during the period when these allegations of sign-stealing by the Wolverines were unfolding.
- In response, Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart asserts that he observed no indications that would suggest his team's signals were being stolen.
Bottom Line: More evidence is coming out
With the emergence of additional evidence casting a highly unfavorable light on Michigan, there is a growing curiosity about the potential repercussions and the broader impact on the football program.
However, at this moment, it appears that a significant adversary of the Wolverines holds the belief that no questionable activities took place during their pivotal December 2021 matchup.
