Georgia coach Kirby Smart made his strongest comments yet about wanting to move the Georgia - Florida football game to the schools' campuses rather than playing it in Jacksonville.
During an interview on SEC Network at SEC media days Wednesday, Smart said having the game in Jacksonville hurts recruiting because prospects aren't allowed to attend the neutral-site game.
Three SEC home games are played in Athens, Georgia, in the season when Georgia is designated as the home team. There are less opportunities to host recruits.
Smart said that he was competing against coaches who hosted recruits at their biggest games. Guess where the recruits are when they play at Alabama. The biggest recruits want to go to LSU and Alabama. It's an opportunity for us to bring kids from all over the country to watch Georgia play. They would like to see Georgia play Florida.
It's crucial. It's very important that recruits are recruited. I can't get a Florida coach to agree with me.
The Jacksonville City Council approved a contract extension last year that will keep the SEC contest there for at least the next three years. There is a chance to play it there in two years. The two teams are going to play at TIAA Bank Field in October.
Billy Napier, the new Florida coach, told reporters at SEC media days that he wanted to coach in the game before making a decision about where it should be played.
Napier wants to experience the game first. I want to experience that game in Jacksonville before I make a decision on it. Both arguments have a lot of credibility. There is also some tradition in the home-and- home. The rivalry is there. It will be determined by time.
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