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Despite Georgia Bulldogs coach’s heartfelt plea, this ‘American Idol’ Top 5 singer failed to make the cut

Slater Nalley was so good, even Coach Kirby Smart couldn't help but ask fans to send him to 'American Idol' Top 3

'American Idol' is watched by various people from different walks of life who do their best to show their appreciation and love for their favorite contestants. Since contestants' fate in 'American Idol' is decided by audience votes, it becomes imperative for fans to use their vote in the best way possible. Fans can vote 10 times for a contestant online, 10 times via the app, and 10 times via text, which amounts to 30 per person. However, if this isn't enough either, various fans urge others to vote as well. This is exactly what Kirby Smart did for his favorite contestant, Slater Nalley.

Kirby Smart is the head football coach of the University of Georgia Bulldogs. He has formerly been a player for the Bulldogs, playing as a defensive end from 1995 to 1998. As the head coach, Smart had transformed the Bulldogs into a powerhouse of a team, leading them to national championships in 2021 and 2022 and two SEC championships. The team has also held an impressive 94-16 record through the 2024 season, as reported by Motorcycle Sports. On Tuesday, May 13, Smart made a tweet on X (formerly Twitter) as he wrote, quoting a tweet of 'American Idol,' telling fans to vote for Slater Nalley to make it to the Top 3. Smart called upon his Bulldogs fandom as he wrote, "Dawg Nation, let’s help this Georgia boy out! Vote for Slater! #GoDawgs."

Despite Smart's appeal. This did not come to be, as Nalley was eliminated from the competition, making way for the final Top 3: John Foster, Breanna Nix, and Jamal Roberts. However, this made way for various hilarious comments from users under Smart's tweet as users either supported Nalley or tried to support other contestants. One fan wrote, "Sorry, Kirby …you know Jamal Roberts : TEXT 12 to 21523."

Various fans were quick enough to make football references, as one user wrote, "What’s his 40 time, Coach?" while another added, "Can he run block?" One fan had another interesting idea as they wrote, "Invite him to sing the National Anthem for the Dawgs! He’s awesome!!" Nalley, during the Top 5 Disney Night episode, performed his rendition of 'You've Got a Friend in Me' by Randy Newman from Toy Story and 'Born To Be Wild' by Steppenwolf, as reported by Fandom. However, Nalley, along with Thunderstorm Artis, received the lowest votes, eliminating the two from the competition.

Nalley took to Instagram to write about his experience on 'American Idol.' "Although my journey on Idol has come to an end, I can promise you this. I will NEVER quit." The 17-year-old wrote. "I am using this as an opportunity to start over with a new, incredible fan base. Y'all stay tuned; very soon some exciting news is headed your way… I love you all infinitely."