Want to talk with Georgia football coach Kirby Smart at a golf course? Better make it quick

Kirby Smart grinds as Georgia football coach most of the year.

From August to January, it’s pretty much all ball with recruiting a constant.

Then comes offseason workouts, spring practices and summer camps with some time for family vacations.

This is the time of year to get in some golf. He played at a Peach Bowl golf event last week in Greensboro with Senator Tommy Tuberville, the former Auburn coach.

Smart Wednesday morning was in Hoover, Ala. for his annual stop for the Regions Tradition pro-am in the Champions Tour event.

Who did Georgia football coach Kirby Smart play with in the Regions Tradition Pro-Am?

He was part of a group playing with three-time majors champion Padraig Harrington.

He did quick interviews with a Birmingham radio station and a group of reporters beforehand.

“I’m going to be brief because I have to hit a ball or two,” Smart said apologetically to media members. “I might get somebody hurt out here.”

Here’s some of what he told reporters:

On if he could ever have imagined as a Georgia defensive back in the 1990s that a Bulldogs head coach could ever make $13 million a year and could he imagine it would be him: “Absolutely not. Look at the coaches over the years that paved the way (Florida State’s) Bobby Bowden, Mickey Andrews, Joe Kines, all the guys that helped shape my career, how hard they worked at what they did, never thought it would have happened."

On how Georgia fared with the transfer portal this spring when it gained quarterback Jaden Rashada from Arizona State, lost backup running back Andrew Paul and wide receiver Tyler Williams and kept defensive lineman Christen Miller who flirted with the portal.

“It’s been great. We were not really active in it. We kind of retained our roster and worried about the kids we got.”

On the SEC rule that kept players from transferring within the conference during the spring window:

“I’d be comfortable with that rule being permanent. I think that’s important that we’re not fighting each other’s rosters in the spring time. I don’t think it’s very good for our league. It’s probably good for other leagues because I’ve had several coaches that tell me outside our league they hope we keep that because it gives them an opportunity to gain SEC players. It’s something that’s been in for a while and I support it.”

Smart also spoke with Cole Cubelic and Greg McElory on WJOX-FM 94.5, giving a hug to now retired Alabama coach turned ESPN analyst Nick Saban after he was done.

On retaining his second and third stringers in the transfer portal era:

“How do we sell you might be a two now, but you’re closer to going to the NFL Draft from here as a two then you are at our neighbor school as a one. The development piece is probably what we sell the most.”

On what he wanted to work on most in the spring:

“The quarterback running the ball, the running quarterback is becoming more prevalent. We want ways to change it up to affect him and not let him sit there and be comfortable. We looked at a lot of things with that. A lot of gap scheme things defensively. “

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: What Georgia football coach Kirby Smart said before pro-am golf event