{"id":487078,"date":"2026-02-24T06:06:08","date_gmt":"2026-02-24T06:06:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/487078\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T06:06:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T06:06:08","slug":"mario-cristobal-fires-back-at-kirby-smart-for-tampering-joke-takes-shot-using-carson-beck","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/487078\/","title":{"rendered":"Mario Cristobal fires back at Kirby Smart for tampering joke, takes shot using Carson Beck"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mario Cristobal joined the stage at the ceremony for the Steve Spurrier First Year Coach Award, where he fired several shots at his former colleague at Alabama<\/a>, Kirby Smart. Now the head coaches at Miami<\/a> and Georgia<\/a>, respectively, Cristobal didn\u2019t hold back roasting the Bulldogs headman.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a great piece to watch what a player like Carson Beck<\/a> can do with great coaching,\u201d Cristobal said, as the camera panned to Smart. Beck was a two-year starter for the Bulldogs under Smart before transferring to Miami where he led the Hurricanes to a national title appearance in his first season with the program. <\/p>\n

Smart reacted with a nod and a thumbs up. Watch the full video below:<\/p>\n

NEW: Mario Cristobal had JOKES for Kirby Smart tonight\ud83d\udc80<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026to watch what a player like Carson Beck can do with great coaching.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cIf it wasn\u2019t for all his years of pre-NIL, we wouldn\u2019t have NIL right now.\u201d <\/p>\n

(via @theleoreport<\/a>)pic.twitter.com\/UmoZxLRULv<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 On3 (@On3) February 24, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

This came after Smart apparently took aim at Cristobal jokingly for sitting too close to Georgia cornerback Ellis Robinson<\/a>. Smart claimed he wasn\u2019t sure they should be sitting together, alluding to him possibly tampering with his defensive back. <\/p>\n

However, Cristobal didn\u2019t stop there. He poked fun at Smart for his success in the recruiting space, stating \u201cif it wasn\u2019t for all his years of pre-NIL, we wouldn\u2019t have NIL right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Miami head coach continued his attack on Smart by giving him credit for his success \u2014 especially when \u201cyou have all that time to sit at home watching us on TV during the playoffs.\u201d He credited the Bulldogs for winning the SEC Championship, praising their 7-1 record in the regular season against the conference.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s awesome,\u201d Cristobal said. \u201cWe were 5-0 against the SEC, I don\u2019t know what you were.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cristobal joked that he was in \u201cenemy territory\u201d at the event, which was being held at Spurrier\u2019s Gridiron Grille in Gainesville, Fla. He stated that some in the crowd may even be on Smart\u2019s side.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never felt so welcome in enemy territory,\u201d Cristobal said of Gainesville. \u201cExcept last year at the Swamp, 41-17.\u201d<\/p>\n

The pair of coach\u2019s jabs come at the event, which was set to honor UNLV \u2014 and former Florida head coach \u2014 Dan Mullen, who won this year\u2019s Steve Spurrier First Year Coach Award<\/a> via the Football Writers Association of America. <\/p>\n

Miami and Georgia are expected to be national championship contenders this coming season. Both program made the College Football Playoff this past season with the Bulldogs falling in the quarterfinal. <\/p>\n