ATHENS — Georgia coach Kirby Smart doesn’t pretend to know or understand the ramifications of the NCAA’s historic vote on Tuesday that cleared the way for student-athletes to be compensated.
“I’m not smart enough to know and understand exactly how it’s going to affect the future,” Smart said at his Tuesday press conference.
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The No. 8-ranked Bulldogs (6-1, 3-1 SEC) are prepping to play No. 6-ranked Florida (7-1, 4-1) in a 3:30 p.m. showdown in Jacksonville on Saturday.
That’s where Smart’s focus is at, but he took a couple of minutes to reflect on the future of the pending NCAA legislation.
“I do trust the hands that’s it’s in and the committee’s that’s been formed to look into it,” Smart said. “I think they’ll do a tremendous job. It looks like to me that they would come up with a proposal somewhere around January 2021, maybe.”
The NCAA Board of Governors Federal and State Legislation Working Group, formed last May, has gathered information over the past several months that led to Tuesday’s decision, according to the report.
That group, which includes school presidents, athletic directors, student-athletes and league commissioners, will continue to gather information through April “to refine its recommendations.”
The coaches’ biggest concern, Smart said, was that whatever legislation gets passed gets applied the same across he county.
“Our biggest concern as coaches across the country, is it going to be an even playing field?” Smart said.
“The biggest concern is state to state of not being balanced. If it comes out balanced state to state, we’re all playing on the same playing field.”
Georgia coach Kirby Smart
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