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Kirby Smart crashes Savannah Bananas game, surprises former Georgia DB Jake Skole

Stephen Samraby: Steve Samra05/09/26SamraSource

Kirby Smart made sure Friday night at Truist Park became a moment Jake Skole will never forget. During the Savannah Bananas game featuring the Party Animals, Skole received a surprise message from his former coach that quickly turned into a full-circle moment years in the making. 

A video from Smart appeared on the jumbotron as the former Georgia defensive back stood on the field: “Hey Jake. It’s Coach Smart, your old ball coach from UGA,” Smart said in the message. “I just wanted to send you a little message and tell you how proud we are of you and your family, how well you’ve represented the University of Georgia in all you’ve done. 

“Who would’ve thought it, man? A Roswell, GA kid playing in Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves. So proud of you man, and all that you’ve accomplished. We’ll see you soon. Go Dawgs.”

Moments later, the crowd erupted when Smart walked onto the field himself carrying a black Georgia jersey for Skole. The two embraced before exchanging jerseys in front of thousands of fans, creating one of the coolest moments of the night.

Alas, Skole’s path to that stage has been anything but traditional. Coming out of Blessed Trinity Catholic High School, he was a standout baseball and football prospect who originally committed to Georgia Tech. 

Everything changed when the Texas Rangers selected him with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2010 MLB Draft. The Rangers viewed Skole as a high-upside outfielder with elite athleticism, and he spent years chasing a professional baseball career before ultimately deciding to return to football. 

That decision led him to Athens, where Smart immediately welcomed him into the program: “I felt like I was spinning wheels some in baseball and I did not want that window for football to close up,” Skole told 247Sports back in 2016. “Kirby was the first one to reach out to me.”

Now, years later, the relationship between player and coach remains strong. Friday night served as another reminder of the connections built inside the Georgia program under Smart, and also provided a fitting scene for Skole, a former first-round MLB pick turned Bulldog, to receive a standing ovation inside the home of the Atlanta Braves.