Did Georgia's head coach Kirby Smart really just try to get away with that? A controversial timeout call during a crucial Week 8 game against Auburn has the college football world buzzing, and not in a good way. Imagine this: the clock is ticking down, tension is high, and Smart appears to signal for a timeout... but then claims he was just clapping. Seriously?
The incident unfolded with 13:06 remaining in the fourth quarter. Auburn had the ball, facing a 3rd and 9 from their own 39-yard line. The play clock was dwindling, adding to the pressure. What happened next is where the controversy explodes: Georgia seemingly gets their timeout back, and the play clock is reset, leaving Auburn fans (and plenty of neutral observers) scratching their heads.
But here's where it gets controversial... Was it a brilliant coaching move, bending the rules to his advantage? Or a blatant attempt to deceive the officials? The crew over at the Triple Option Podcast, including football legends Urban Meyer, Rob Stone, and Mark Ingram, didn't hold back their opinions. They openly mocked Smart's explanation, with Stone even asking Meyer to demonstrate the difference between a clap and a timeout signal. "Kirby Smart on the sideline trying to say that this (mimics a timeout gesture) is clapping," Stone said incredulously. "This is – I don’t hear anything right in my microphone. Do you hear this clapping? What a bunch of B.S." Ingram chimed in, calling Smart "crazy" for the incident. And this is the part most people miss... Ingram, a former Alabama running back, admitted he wasn't exactly heartbroken that the call went against Auburn, Alabama's arch-rival.
Adding another layer to the drama, there was a potential false start by Georgia's left tackle right before the timeout debacle. Did he jump early because of the expiring play clock, or because Auburn was simulating the snap count with a clap of their own? Smart himself alluded to the simulated clap after the game, saying, "Hey, man, weird stuff happens in that weird stadium. Maybe our vision was illusion, a figment of our imagination."
Stone, however, remained unconvinced by Smart's explanation, although he did commend Smart's tenacity in arguing his case. "I love the fact that while the officials were having this conversation – what the hell is going on, that Kirby was out on the field," Stone observed, "still doing this (mimics clap), doing his theater to anybody who would pay attention."
Smart later clarified that he wasn't calling a timeout at all. Instead, he claimed he was trying to alert the officials to Auburn's alleged simulated snap count. He maintained that he was confident his offense would have gotten the snap off in time, rendering a timeout unnecessary. On Monday, Smart stood by his initial statement, reiterating his focus on the upcoming top-10 showdown against Ole Miss. The game is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast nationally on ABC.
So, what do you think? Was Kirby Smart pulling a fast one on the officials, or was he genuinely trying to point out Auburn's simulated clap? Was the ref crew right to give Georgia the timeout back, or did they get hoodwinked? This incident raises a larger question: How much leeway should coaches be given when arguing calls with officials? In a sport where every second counts, these controversial moments can swing the momentum of an entire game. Share your thoughts in the comments below! I'm especially curious to know if fans of rival teams see this situation differently. After all, in the heat of competition, does everything become fair game?
