It was the kind of video that makes a fan base’s collective blood boil.
Picture this: Georgia just got handled 28-10 by Ole Miss in Oxford. The playoff hopes are flickering. The "Dawgs" looked flat. Then, a clip surfaces on social media. It shows Georgia safety Jake Pope—a kid who grew up in Buford and transferred in from Alabama—jumping up and down, smiling, and seemingly celebrating as Rebels fans swarm the field.
🔗 Read more: Tiger Woods Net Worth: Why He’s Still Winning the Money Game in 2026
The optics were, to put it lightly, horrendous.
When Kirby Smart was asked about it during his Monday press conference on November 11, 2024, he didn't hold back. He didn't use "coach speak." He didn't pivot to talking about the offensive line. He called his own player an "idiot." Specifically, he said, "What an idiot. I mean just stupid."
It was a raw, unfiltered moment from a coach who was clearly feeling the heat of a disappointing season. But within 24 hours, the narrative shifted. Kirby Smart did something he rarely does in such a public, blunt fashion: he walked it back and apologized for the name-calling.
Why Kirby Smart Apologizes to Jake Pope (and the Team)
If you follow Kirby, you know he’s intense. He’s the guy who famously screamed "Eat off the floor!" in a locker room speech. He expects total buy-in. So when he saw a player looking happy after a beatdown, he snapped.
By Tuesday, November 12, the tone had changed. Smart admitted he shouldn't have used that language. "I’ll say I should not have called the kid an idiot and that was a mistake by me," Smart told reporters.
He didn't just apologize to save face with the media. He revealed that Jake Pope had actually addressed the entire Georgia locker room. Honestly, that’s a tough move for a backup safety to make—standing up in front of guys like Carson Beck and Malachi Starks to explain why you looked like you were rooting for the other team.
Smart’s pivot wasn't just about being "nice." He realized that calling a player an "idiot" publicly gives the green light for the entire internet to harass a 20-year-old. In the age of the transfer portal and NIL, a coach losing the locker room over a misinterpreted video is a recipe for disaster.
The Context Everyone Missed in the Video
So, was Jake Pope actually celebrating the Georgia loss?
Basically, no.
Pope grew up in Buford, Georgia. If you know anything about Georgia high school football, you know Buford is a powerhouse. One of Pope's childhood friends is Reece McIntyre, an offensive lineman for Ole Miss.
When the fans stormed the field, Pope was trying to get to the tunnel. Suddenly, he ran into long-time friends he hadn't seen in ages. In that split second, the human element took over. He wasn't thinking, "I’m glad we lost." He was thinking, "Oh man, there's my buddy!"
He jumped. He smiled. He got caught on camera.
"I am Georgia through thick and thin," Pope wrote in a subsequent apology on X. "In no way, shape or form would I ever celebrate a loss in this program."
It’s easy to judge from a couch, but 20-year-olds make "emotional mistakes," as Kirby later called it. The problem was the timing. If Georgia had won by 30, nobody would have cared. Because they lost, it looked like a betrayal.
The Double Standard Debate
This incident sparked a lot of "water cooler" talk in Athens and across the SEC. A lot of fans pointed out a perceived double standard.
Over the last few years, the Georgia program has dealt with some serious off-field issues, specifically involving racing and driving infractions. Critics were quick to note that Smart hadn't used the word "idiot" or "stupid" to describe players who were facing actual legal trouble.
Why go so hard on a kid for smiling at a friend?
The answer is likely the "frustration of the moment." The Ole Miss loss was jarring. Georgia’s offense was stagnant. The pressure was mounting. Sometimes, a coach vents that frustration on the easiest target.
What This Tells Us About the 2024-2025 Bulldogs
- The Pressure is Real: Kirby is under more stress than ever to maintain the "Dynasty" post-Saban.
- Accountability Still Matters: Pope had to address the team, proving that "The Georgia Way" still requires answering for your actions.
- The Portal Era is Different: Kirby had to balance being a "hard-ass" with the reality that he needs to keep his players' spirits up.
Moving Forward: Lessons from the Apology
Ultimately, this was a "storm in a teacup" that could have become a hurricane. Smart’s decision to apologize to Jake Pope publicly helped de-escalate the situation before the Tennessee game. It showed a level of maturity that even the most elite coaches sometimes struggle to find.
For Jake Pope, the lesson was clear: when you’re wearing the "G," you are always on camera. You don’t have the luxury of being "just a kid" on the field, even after the clock hits zero. He eventually ended up entering the transfer portal again, landing at UNLV for the 2025 season, where he’s found some success on the field.
If you’re a fan or an aspiring athlete, take a page out of this playbook. If you mess up, own it immediately. Stand up in front of your peers. And if you’re the leader, know when your words have crossed the line from "critique" to "insult."
👉 See also: Why San Diego State Athletics is the Real Powerhouse Nobody Saw Coming
The "idiot" comment is now just a footnote in Georgia history, but it served as a major reality check for how quickly things can turn in the SEC.
What you can do now: If you’re following Georgia’s current roster, keep an eye on how Kirby handles post-game interactions during high-stakes losses. The "Pope Incident" changed how the staff manages player-fan interactions during field storms. Always look for the context before hitting "share" on a viral clip—sometimes a "celebration" is just a kid seeing a friend.