Kirby Smart has not necessarily been shy about taking in transfers during his five seasons as head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs.

Even before the current NCAA transfer portal allowed athletes to more easily move from school to school, Smart always had his eye out for players who could help improve a position of need.

Some examples include defensive back Maurice Smith and offensive lineman Tyler Catalina. Since the portal became established in October of 2018, there's been wide receiver Lawrence Cager—and yes, quarterback Jamie Newman.

While other schools have been more aggressive about bringing in new players from other schools, Smart has typically saved those bullets for times when there’s been an area of great need.

So, while some coaches may see the portal as an integral roster-building instrument, Smart said his approach, when it comes to dipping into the transfer portal, has not changed.

During last week’s conversation with Mike Farrell of Rivals, Smart explained why.

“I'd start by saying it really hasn’t changed what we do, because, given the opportunity to sign a high-quality, really good football player with great grades, great character out of high school—I’m picking that 10 out of 10 times,” Smart said. “I want to go that route if I can.”

With signing day having come and gone, the option of signing more of those high school players is effectively over. Now it appears Smart will lean on the portal to supplement his roster.

According to the Scholarship Distribution page found on UGASports, Georgia’s current scholarship totals sit at 83, considering that returning seniors such as Devonte Wyatt and Justin Shaffer won’t count thanks to the waiver granted by the NCAA.

With a few spots left, Smart could add a couple of cornerbacks if they were to enter the transfer portal.

The decisions of Tyson Campbell, Eric Stokes and DJ Daniel to move on to the NFL has left Georgia without its three most experienced cornerbacks, and the Bulldogs could perhaps look to bring in someone with experience at the position.

Although Smart feels good about talented players like Kelee Ringo, Jalen Kimber, Nyland Green, game experience is in very short supply.

“What the transfer portal has done is give you an option,” Smart said. “It’s given you an option, where, if you strike out, if you don’t do well, or if you have a dire need, you can go get a better player, an upgrade at a position if you don’t have that.”

But the 85 man limit is not the only factor in fleshing out the roster. Coaches need to have room on their 25 man limit of initial counters per year.

"Now, you have to have the initials (initial counter spots) to do that. That’s the hard part,” Smart said. “You have to ask yourself; do you have the initials to do it, or do I decide that this young man will be better in Year 2 or 3 than a guy who is in the transfer portal.”

So does Smart burn an initial counter spot on an athlete who may only be at UGA for a year or two, or does he hold out for a high school player who would be at Georgia for four years? It comes down to need.

“So, it really hasn’t changed,” Smart said. “The only thing that’s changed is, okay, it’s after signing day, we’re done, what do we have left and what do we need? That need base is really what we look in the transfer portal for.”