Georgia football's Kirby Smart gets massive Nick Saban praise ahead of Tennessee clash

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As the Georgia football team prepares to face the Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday, they get some kind words from former Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban. The comments were specifically for Georgia football head coach Kirby Smart, who served under Saban at Alabama from 2007-2015.

Nick Saban on the work Kirby Smart has done with Georgia football

Saban was on “The Pat McAfee Show” on ESPN, where they were previewing the upcoming game between the Bulldogs and Volunteers as the host asked the recently retired head coach about Smart and his thoughts on the program he’s leading. The response would be nothing but positive as he expressed how he took the great aspects of his time with Alabama and translated them seamlessly with Georgia.

“Well, I think Kirby’s done a fantastic job,” Saban said. “He’s one of the best coaches we ever had on our staff. I mean, he did a great job with our defense for many, many years. He’s a good recruiter, he has got great relationship with the kids, and he’s a really good teacher. So, I think the job that he’s done here at Georgia now, he took over a program here in Georgia that wasn’t totally in the tank, but the way he’s been able to elevate that program through really, really good recruiting.”

“I think Kirby Smart has done a fantastic job & he’s one of the best coaches that we ever had on our staff..

He’s elevated this Georgia progrum through very good recruiting” ~ Coach Saban #PMSLivepic.twitter.com/lYydfx82RU

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) November 15, 2024

The Georgia football coach and Saban have kept close, even being somewhat of rivals as the Bulldogs and the Crimson Tide had many classic games in the SEC championship game or even the national title contest. However, the teacher this time got the advantage over the student as Saban is 5-1 against Smart, though the last time they faced off, Georgia hoisted up the national title in 2022.

Nick Saban speaks on Kirby Smart’s recruiting with Georgia football

One aspect Saban mentioned that was interesting about Smart was recruiting, and while he said already that the Bulldogs coach is great at it, sometimes it could hurt you in the long run, especially with the emergence of the transfer portal. One of the reasons it could have negative results is that the talent level is too deep with higher-tiered programs.

“But I think one of the things that people don’t really realize that when you recruit really well in this day and age, sometimes it hurts you,” Saban said. “In other words, we did it at Alabama. He’s done that at Georgia, so you recruit really well. You get these high profile players who are good players, but their expectation is, is they want to play very quickly. So if they don’t play very quickly, then they want to transfer.”

Nick Saban on how the transfer portal has changed recruiting

While the Georgia football team will keep blazing the recruiting trail, there could be situations where several players transfer out if the playing time is sparse. Saban would use an example of an inside linebacker being the second best on the team, but because of the talent, they could go to another program where he receives a bevy of opportunities.

“So maybe they’re the second best guy you got at inside linebacker now you got to play the third best guy, because the second best guy is gone,” Saban said. “And how many twos can you get out of the portal? Because most people in the portal want to go someplace where they can play. So that’s kind of a, I don’t know, a circumstance that I don’t think many people really kind of grasp that when you recruit well, it actually can hurt you a little bit down the road.”

At any rate, the Georgia football team is currently ranked 12th in the country at a 7-2 record, 5-2 in conference play as they look to take down the Tennessee Volunteers, who are No. 7 in the nation at an 8-1 record, 5-1 in conference play.

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