“Relentless Standard”: Fran Brown Shares the Greatest Lesson He Learned from Kirby Smart
Athens, GA — June 26, 2025
Ask new Syracuse head coach Fran Brown what shaped his meteoric rise in college football, and he doesn’t hesitate. “It was Kirby,” he says with conviction, referring to Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart. “No question—the biggest lesson I took from him is the power of holding the standard. Every day. Every rep. Every detail.”
Brown, who served as Georgia’s defensive backs coach under Smart from 2022 to 2024, credits much of his coaching DNA to his time in Athens. Now one of the fastest-rising head coaches in the country, Brown reflects on his time with the Bulldogs not just as a chapter, but as a masterclass.
“Coach Smart doesn’t just talk about excellence—he demands it, breathes it, lives it,” Brown said in an exclusive interview. “I remember a film session during spring camp. We’re watching a cornerback who was running with the second team. He did 95% of the play right. But Kirby? He paused the tape and laser-focused on the 5% that wasn’t. He said, ‘That 5% will get you beat in January.’ That stuck with me. It’s not about being good—it’s about being great when it matters most.”
For Brown, the lesson wasn’t just technical; it was cultural.
“You build a program not just with players but with expectations,” he said. “Kirby built a machine at Georgia because he refused to let anything slide. Whether it was a busted coverage or a missed team meeting by 30 seconds—it all mattered. And he didn’t care if you were a five-star or a walk-on. Everyone was accountable. That’s leadership.”
Brown has begun instilling those values at Syracuse, leading to what many are calling the Orange’s most energized offseason in a decade. He’s transformed practice tempo, revamped recruiting strategy, and introduced a “daily discipline” program modeled after Georgia’s culture.
“Kirby taught me it’s not just about calling plays—it’s about building men. These kids need structure, belief, and a fire lit inside of them,” Brown said. “You walk into a Kirby Smart practice, and it feels like a playoff game. That’s what I want here.”
Brown also praised Smart’s ability to adapt in-game without compromising his principles. “He’s not afraid to evolve. People think he’s just an old-school guy, but that’s wrong. Kirby is constantly studying, changing, adjusting. That’s why Georgia stayed dominant.”
Despite leaving Athens, Brown still keeps in touch with Smart. “We text. I send him clips of our guys sometimes, just to get his feedback. He’s been supportive. I’ll always be grateful.”
As for his own legacy, Brown isn’t focused on chasing Georgia’s trophy case—yet. He’s focused on the day-to-day process.
“I told my guys: we may not have the five-stars, but we’re going to practice like champions. That’s what Kirby taught me. The standard is the standard.”
And if Fran Brown has anything to say about it, the fire lit in Athens is burning bright in upstate New York—one rep, one lesson, and one relentless standard at a time.
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