Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart is a little bit jealous of the name, image and likeness money that is pouring into the Oregon Ducks right now.
“Wish I could get some of that NIL money he’s (Nike co-founder Phil Knight) sharing with (Oregon Ducks head coach) Dan Lanning,” said Smart at the 2024 SEC media days event.
Oregon is long associated with the Nike brand. Phil Knight attended the University of Oregon and has been a major donor to the Ducks’ athletic department for a long time.
NIL is perhaps a reason why five-star cornerback DJ Pickett, who many expect to commit to Oregon, dropped Georgia from his list of top schools. However, Kirby Smart knows Georgia can only control so much when it comes to NIL and thinks players deserve NIL.
“I think it’s a mistake to assume that all players lead with that (NIL), or that’s the primary objective,” said Smart. “I think that would be an insult to high school football players and really insult to all people being recruited.”
“I don’t experience, I don’t get to the finish line of official visits where that’s the primary objective. If it is, we’re probably not getting to that point,” continued Smart. “We’re probably not going to be in the conversation.”
Georgia is not considered as much of an NIL powerhouse as other top programs. The Bulldogs currently have the third-ranked recruiting class in the 2025 cycle. Oregon’s class of 2025 is ranked No. 4 in the country.
“Is that (NIL) one of the key decision makers? Yes. Should it be? Yes,” added Smart. “I’m happy that these kids get an opportunity to improve their situation or make money and give back to their families or in some cases their communities.”
“If it’s better for that young man because of a financial difference between us and another school, I respect that decision and opinion they have to make,” said Smart.
At the end of the day, Kirby Smart is primarily concerned about the players in his locker room.
“I have to worry about the players we do get, okay? I worry about the ones that we do sign, that they’re the right kind of kids and they’re coming for the right reason. That includes money; but it’s not just money.”
NIL has transformed the landscape of college football. One positive example is that donating to Georgia’s NIL collective gives UGA fans an opportunity to get more access to the Georgia program this August via an open practice.
