The train is rolling and it's continuing to gain speed as Kirby and the Dawgs are the new standard in college football. I looked at Kirby's overall record and started projecting ahead where he could be historically after a few more seasons.
Before I begin, all time head coaching lists generally state that a coach must coach 10 years to qualify for highest winning percentage rankings. After 8 years as head coach at the University of Georgia, Kirby holds a 94-16 record, good for a .855 winning percentage over his career.
2024
(projection) Dawgs roll through 2024 regular season with an 11-1 record, win the SECC, and then take 3 playoff games to secure yet another national title in Athens. (15-1)
(overall record projection) This puts Kirby at 109-17 overall for a winning percentage of .865. After 9 years as a head coach, he still wouldn't qualify for the all-time list but if he did at this point, Coach Smart would place 2nd all time passing Notre Dame's Frank Leahy as greatest winning percentage. (Leahy at .864)
2025
(hypotheticals)
10-2 regular season record, miss the SECC, win first 2 rounds of CFB playoff and lose in the semi-finals. (12-3 record, 121-20 overall, .858 career win %)
11-1 regular season record, win the SECC, win first 2 rounds of CFB playoff and lose the Natty. (14-2 record, 123-19 overall, .866 career win %)
11-1 regular season record, win the SECC, sweep the CFB playoff and win the Natty. (15-1 record, 124-18 overall, .873 career win %)
12-0 regular season record, win the SECC, sweep the CFB playoff and win the Natty. (16-0 record, 125-17 overall, .880 career win %)
(I realize I didn't list every hypothetical like 10-2, win SECC, sweep the playoffs but the numbers get very similar with several other hypotheticals.)
All Time Greatest HC Winning % After 10 Years
Knute Rockne (.881)
Frank Leahy (.864)
I think we could be two years away from Kirby Smart being considered in the top 5 of all time CFB head coaches. (in no order, Rockne, Leahy, Bear, Saban, Smart)
Before I begin, all time head coaching lists generally state that a coach must coach 10 years to qualify for highest winning percentage rankings. After 8 years as head coach at the University of Georgia, Kirby holds a 94-16 record, good for a .855 winning percentage over his career.
2024
(projection) Dawgs roll through 2024 regular season with an 11-1 record, win the SECC, and then take 3 playoff games to secure yet another national title in Athens. (15-1)
(overall record projection) This puts Kirby at 109-17 overall for a winning percentage of .865. After 9 years as a head coach, he still wouldn't qualify for the all-time list but if he did at this point, Coach Smart would place 2nd all time passing Notre Dame's Frank Leahy as greatest winning percentage. (Leahy at .864)
2025
(hypotheticals)
10-2 regular season record, miss the SECC, win first 2 rounds of CFB playoff and lose in the semi-finals. (12-3 record, 121-20 overall, .858 career win %)
11-1 regular season record, win the SECC, win first 2 rounds of CFB playoff and lose the Natty. (14-2 record, 123-19 overall, .866 career win %)
11-1 regular season record, win the SECC, sweep the CFB playoff and win the Natty. (15-1 record, 124-18 overall, .873 career win %)
12-0 regular season record, win the SECC, sweep the CFB playoff and win the Natty. (16-0 record, 125-17 overall, .880 career win %)
(I realize I didn't list every hypothetical like 10-2, win SECC, sweep the playoffs but the numbers get very similar with several other hypotheticals.)
All Time Greatest HC Winning % After 10 Years
Knute Rockne (.881)
Frank Leahy (.864)
I think we could be two years away from Kirby Smart being considered in the top 5 of all time CFB head coaches. (in no order, Rockne, Leahy, Bear, Saban, Smart)
