Kirby Smart, head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs, guided his team to a decisive victory over Mississippi State on Saturday night at Sanford Stadium in Athens. Despite the triumph on the field, much of the postgame conversation focused on a heated exchange between Smart and Mississippi State’s freshman quarterback, Michael Van Buren Jr., during a pivotal moment late in the fourth quarter.
As the game neared its conclusion, Van Buren scrambled for a six-yard gain near the Georgia sideline. After being tackled, he attempted to get up and return to the field for the next play, only to find himself in an unexpected confrontation with Smart.
The 48-year-old coach, visibly agitated and holding his visor, appeared to shove Van Buren with considerable force, even extending his elbow and knocking the young quarterback off balance.
Though Van Buren didn’t fall, the incident sparked immediate reactions both on the field and across social media.
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Despite the shove, no penalty was called, and the game continued uninterrupted. However, fans watching the game—particularly Mississippi State supporters, but also some from Georgia—were quick to criticize Smart’s actions. Many felt that a coach should never put their hands on an opposing player, especially in such a physical and confrontational manner. The situation became a flashpoint in the aftermath of the game, with some fans calling for more accountability from the respected coach.
When asked about the altercation during the postgame press conference, Smart, a two-time national champion coach, insisted that the incident was unintentional. According to Smart, the shove wasn’t meant for Van Buren at all but was rather a byproduct of his frustration as he attempted to communicate with Georgia’s defensive coordinator, Glenn Schumann.
“I think I was going after Schumann,” Smart explained. “I was trying to get Schumann’s attention. We were trying to change personnel, and I think it was the play where they came over to our sideline. But no, I don’t really remember it.”
Smart’s explanation—that he had been caught up in the heat of the moment and didn’t realize Van Buren was in his path—did little to quell the criticism. Though he claimed not to recall the full details of the interaction, the replay footage broadcast on SEC Network clearly showed Smart making deliberate contact with Van Buren as he attempted to move back onto the field. The shove, while brief, was enough to fuel widespread debate about the appropriateness of the coach’s actions.
Van Buren, for his part, seemed to downplay the incident when asked about it after the game. The young quarterback, just beginning his college career, said he wasn’t entirely sure what happened but chose to focus on his performance rather than dwell on the altercation.
“I’m not really sure what that was, but I was just trying to play my game,” Van Buren said. “I didn’t really see it for real.”
Though both Smart and Van Buren brushed off the moment as inconsequential, fans and analysts were less willing to let it slide. Many pointed out that regardless of intent, a coach making physical contact with an opposing player should never happen, especially at such a high level of competition. The incident raised questions about whether Smart’s emotional intensity on the sidelines sometimes crosses the line, and some fans felt that a formal reprimand might be warranted.
Social media, predictably, had no shortage of opinions. Clips of the shove were widely shared, with viewers dissecting the footage and offering their own takes on whether Smart’s actions were intentional or accidental. The consensus seemed to be that, intentional or not, a coach of Smart’s stature should exercise more control in those tense moments.
Despite the controversy, both Georgia and Mississippi State will now move forward with their seasons. For Smart, the incident is likely just a blip in an otherwise successful coaching career, but it serves as a reminder of the scrutiny that comes with being one of the most prominent figures in college football.
Meanwhile, Van Buren, a freshman with much to prove, will continue to develop and grow as a player, perhaps using this strange sideline moment as motivation moving forward.
As for the fans, the memory of that awkward exchange between Smart and Van Buren may linger, but with Georgia advancing further in their pursuit of another championship, focus will inevitably shift back to the on-field battles.
Still, the episode stands as a reminder of the intensity and unpredictability of college football—and of the need for even the most experienced coaches to keep their emotions in check.
