I think not watching much football and having nobody to talk about it with skewed my perception. Starting in Smart's second year, I see the Bulldogs won their division 3 years in a row, and only stopped last year, in a year that was literally a throwaway season (just don't tell rtf4 that).
I'm revising my previous sentiment on Smart. After his first year he won 13, 11, and 12 games consecutively, and then still won 8 of 10 games in a shortened season last year where everything was upside down, though without winning the division. That's not a coach I'd be inclined to part ways with anytime soon, or even criticize much.
I am ashamed I had to look up who UGA played in the 2019 SECCG. I really gotta start paying more attention.
Anyway, it looks like the occasional meeting with Alabama and LSU is UGA's only impediment. Struggling with Alabama is not a black mark, everybody does right now. UGA just has the misfortune of running into LSU when LSU is having good years, and when LSU is good it's not a strike to lose to them either. A Tigers team without Burrow doesn't beat UGA, it's bad luck that his two years coincide with the Bulldogs playing them, not a failing of Kirby.