FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Kirby Smart has declared the NCAA transfer portal a “good thing,” but the process is by no means perfect.

Smart, sharing the stage with Florida State coach Mike Norvell at the Orange Bowl Coaches’ Press Conference on Friday, acknowledged the challenges college football continues to face.

“There are issues and problems,” Smart said. “I think the fallout, this is going to be 5- or 10-year study when you look back, and kids are going to be graduating at less of a rate.”

Smart suggested those who propose and legislate NCAA rules and calendars have to take into account potential academic ramifications.

“We have to decide if they’re student-athletes or not,” Smart said, “because what we’re seeing is decisions are being made less on student-athletes, and on where they need to go, and financial reasons with NIL and portal mixed together.”

Smart said players don’t often take into account how the academic calendars might vary from one school to the next when making their transfer decisions.

But that is one of the many things coaching staffs have to take into consideration, beyond the conflict of the early signing date and the NCAA transfer portal window overlapping.

To boot, players have until Jan. 15 to declare for the NFL draft.

That has been more challenging for a program like Smart has built at Georgia, as the Bulldogs have produced a nation-high 25 draft picks over the past two seasons, and 34 over the last three.

Smart seemed to suggest and early high school signing date, and/or a later December portal window.

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