Kirby Smart Breaks Silence On Shoving Opposing QB

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Kirby Smart says there's no bad blood with Mississippi State QB Michael Van Buren.

Smart drew criticism from football fans over the weekend when he shoved Van Buren during a win over the Bulldogs. It appeared like the Georgia head coach was attempting to get the attention of DC Glenn Schumann.

Initially, Smart claimed he didn't remember the incident when asked immediately following the win. Now, he's unpacking the situation with a full explanation.

Kirby Smart says he's spoken to Michael Van Buren

The Georgia head coach explained that he had to go back and watch the video to fully realize what had happened. One he did, Smart picked up the phone and phoned Starkville.

"After you guys said that in the press conference, I went back and watched it and didn’t even realize I’d run into him. But I reached out to Lebby that night and talked to him, and he said the kid was great. And yesterday, I talked to Mike and told him I didn’t have any intentions or ill will towards him at all," Smart told the media Monday, according to The Athletic.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart says he called Mississippi State QB Michael Van Buren after shoving him during a win over the Bulldogs. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

Water under the bridge, and there's really no reason to blow it up into something it's not. It was clearly not meant to be malicious.

I'm not even sure the shove was intentional. If you watch the video, Smart clearly isn't looking at Van Buren at first, and the only possible red flag is when he extends his arms.

However, it was a heated game, Smart was fired up trying to get his DC's attention and Van Buren just happened to be next to him.

There's no reason to hint or imply Smart purposely did something wrong, and when he realized his error, he manned up and called Mississippi State's head coach Jeff Lebby and Van Buren.

Kirby Smart explains shoving Mississippi State QB Michael Van Buren. (Photo by Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Time to move on and not make it a big deal. Let me know what you think at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.

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David Hookstead is a reporter for OutKick covering a variety of topics with a focus on football and culture. He also hosts of the podcast American Joyride that is accessible on Outkick where he interviews American heroes and outlines their unique stories. Before joining OutKick, Hookstead worked for the Daily Caller for seven years covering similar topics. Hookstead is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin.