Kirby Smart says Georgia’s pass rush still needs work as offseason reinforcements get sidelined

Georgia’s defensive front has been described as talented, but head coach Kirby Smart said the Bulldogs have not fully resolved what he views as their biggest problem from the 2025 season: generating consistent pressure up front. In comments highlighted by Yahoo Sports on Aug. 28, Smart indicated he is still not sure Georgia has fixed the pass-rush issues that showed up repeatedly, even with pieces in place that can play high-impact roles.

The concern is grounded in production from 2025. Georgia finished last in the SEC with 20 sacks, a number that captures how often the defense struggled to affect games early, force hurried throws, or sustain drives from the opposition’s perspective. In a conference where quarterback pressure can dictate the tempo of entire offenses, that sack total became a clear diagnostic mark for the staff to address heading into the next season.

Smart’s uncertainty also comes as Georgia tries to manage a new-look defensive line identity. The Bulldogs have long emphasized pressure, and the organizational challenge is not simply talent level, but how the group performs as a unit across downs, situations, and offensive formations. According to the Yahoo Sports report, Smart framed the offseason in terms of whether the pass rush has become dependable enough to carry the defense week to week.

Georgia’s recruiting and roster-building efforts included pursuing a proven edge presence through the transfer portal. The Bulldogs landed former Auburn Tigers pass rusher Amaris Williams as a major reinforcement, and the addition was viewed as a direct answer to the need for more impact rush plays.

That plan ran into a serious complication. The same report states that Williams suffered a torn ACL during spring practice, which will sideline him for the 2026 season. For Georgia, that turns what was supposed to be an immediate reinforcement into a long-term recovery storyline, forcing the staff to reassess how it distributes reps and who carries the pass-rush burden on the field.

The setback is likely to shift how Georgia’s defensive front is evaluated during the 2026 season. When a team finishes last in the SEC in sacks, each early snap becomes evidence of whether the unit has improved in the areas that produce pressure: winning matchups, finishing rushes, and sustaining the ability to impact passing downs even when offenses adjust protection schemes.

Looking ahead, Georgia’s immediate focus will be translating offseason intent into on-field disruption. With Williams unavailable and Smart still calling the pass rush a work in progress, the Bulldogs’ 2026 defensive identity may hinge on whether other front-line performers can elevate their production and whether the scheme can create cleaner looks that produce sacks the way it is intended to.

For Georgia fans, the key watch point is straightforward: can the Bulldogs move away from the 20-sack profile that defined the 2025 season, and can they do it consistently enough to change how opposing offenses game-plan in the SEC? Until then, Smart’s caution likely will remain the operating philosophy rather than a completed fix.