Kirby Smart - UGA using NIL fines to deal with driving issues - ESPN

DALLAS — Kirby Smart vigorously defended Georgia's approach to discipline and education amid his program's issues with speeding and reckless driving Tuesday at SEC media days, saying Georgia's NIL collective is fining players as punishment.

For the second straight year, off-field issues are a major offseason distraction for the Bulldogs.

«We're still talking about it because we've had issues,» Smart told ESPN. «The most important thing is the safety, the health and safety of our players and our community. We have to do a better job.»

Last week, Georgia starting linebacker Smael Mondon Jr. and backup offensive tackle Bo Hughley were arrested on separate misdemeanor charges of reckless driving, according to booking records from the Athens-Clarke County Sheriff's Office.

The repeated violations have come to light after Georgia football player Devin Willock and recruiting staff member Chandler LeCroy were killed in a car wreck in Athens in January 2023 and Jalen Carter, a former Georgia defensive lineman who is now with the Philadelphia Eagles, was driving with a suspended license during the night of that crash, leading to misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing.

«Please understand this: I'm defending the program, but I'm not defensive,» Smart said. «I am going to stand up for my program because we have good kids in our locker room. We gotta do a better job.»

Smart said he has tried to take new approaches, as the message has clearly not gotten across.

«I can't tell you the things that we've done that no one in the country has done,» Smart said. «Let's start with defensive driving, requiring certain incoming guys to take that course which, as far as I know, nobody in the country has done. Discipline, we suspended a