Georgia coach Kirby Smart said he was trying to get defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann’s attention when he shoved Mississippi State quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. in the fourth quarter of a 41-31 victory at Sanford Stadium on Saturday.
Smart shoved Van Buren after the freshman was pushed out of bounds on Georgia’s sideline by safety Dan Jackson at the end of a 6-yard run with 2:55 left in the game.
Smart had taken off his visor and was yelling at someone on Georgia’s sideline when Van Buren ran into his path. He was not penalized for making contact with the quarterback.
“I think I was going after Schumann,” Smart told reporters after the game. “I was trying to get Schumann’s attention. We were trying to change personnel. I think it’s the play they came over to our sideline and trying to get Schumann’s attention. But, no, I don’t really remember it.”
Van Buren completed 20 of 37 passes for 306 yards and three touchdowns and one interception in his second college start.
“I’m not really sure what that was but I was just trying to play my game,” he said. “I didn’t really see it for real.”
Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby declined comment on the incident after the game, saying he hadn’t seen what happened.