SEC Issues Statement on Kirby Smart Sideline Incident

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey has addressed a sideline incident involving Georgia Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart and Mississippi State quarterback Michael Van Buren. Sankey issued a statement on Monday afternoon clarifying that the contact should have resulted in an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. “Coaches cannot make contact with an opposing player,” Sankey affirmed in a statement sent to the Athens Banner-Herald.

The incident in question occurred during the Bulldogs’ matchup against Mississippi State on Saturday. Smart was reportedly attempting to reach defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann to address game personnel when he crossed paths with Van Buren, inadvertently resulting in physical contact as the quarterback was running out of bounds.

Following a review of the event, Smart reached out to Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby and quarterback Van Buren to explain the misunderstanding. “I didn’t even realize that I had run into him,” Smart said. “But I reached out to Lebby (Saturday) night and talked to him and he said the kid was great. And then yesterday, I talked to Mike [Michael Van Buren], I told him I had no intentions or ill will toward him at all.”

Van Buren, appearing unfazed, stated, “I really wasn’t sure what that was but I was just trying to play my game. I didn’t really see him for real.”

Sankey’s statement notably excluded any mention of disciplinary actions for Smart, contrasting with a previous incident in January when Alabama men’s basketball coach Nate Oats was reprimanded for making contact with a Missouri player. Sankey stated then that such actions “violated the expectations for conduct and sportsmanship.”

Smart reiterated the intensity of the sideline environment, explaining, “If you’ve ever been on the sideline during a game, it’s pandemonium. It’s really pandemonium when you’re trying to change personnel.” The matchup saw Mississippi State rallying after a significant deficit, with Van Buren passing for 306 yards and three touchdowns.

Georgia is scheduled to play against No. 1 Texas on Saturday. Smart expressed confidence in Van Buren’s abilities, predicting, “He’s a really good player and he’s going to be a good player in this league.”