Smart has enjoyed tremendous success under Saban. Several media outlets reported that Smart would be the choice just days after Georgia announced it was parting ways with Richt, who won two Southeastern Conference titles and almost 75 percent of his games in Athens but fell out of favor with many top boosters because of a perception that his team’s underachieved.
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“I interviewed Coach Smart on Sunday morning, and, following that interview, I accepted the athletic director’s recommendation to hire Kirby”, said UGA President Jere W. Morehead.
Mark Richt, who averaged 9.6 wins per year while coaching the Bulldogs for the last 15 years, made $4.1 million annually.
He began his tenure at UA as defensive backs coach, but was promoted to defensive coordinator after the 2007 season. It is Smart’s first head coaching job. “He’s a great coach”.
Smart went to Bainbridge High School.
“I think that everybody in this building is very, very focused on what we’re trying to do for our team, because regardless of what anybody’s opportunities are in the future, all those things get enhanced by us playing well in this game”, Saban said.
Now, it’s time to put the plan into action.
Alabama’s defensive coordinator obviously didn’t want to talk about his future after the second-ranked Crimson Tide’s 29-15 win over No. 18 Florida Saturday. Alabama’s defense held the Gators – which struggled throughout the season – to 180 total yards. Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity did not reply to an interview request from The Associated Press on the status of the search. Both games will kick on December 31.
“His leadership with what he’s responsible for, which is the defense, for us has been outstanding”. They respond well to him. He’s been waiting for his time, and you know what, he’ll get the right one, and he’ll do a great job. “I try to be a good graduate assistant wherever I can to sort of help him out”. His place in the bowl picture-be it with Georgia in the TaxSlayer Bowl or Alabama in the Playoff-hasn’t quite been nailed down, but clarity should come when the 39-year-old Smart takes part in an introductory Bulldog press conference on Monday. “Someone who understands the true meaning of a student-athlete by actually experiencing it himself – someone who competed at the highest levels on the playing field, was mentored by some of the very best in the game, and understood the specific ingredients necessary to excel at the highest levels of college athletics – Kirby Smart fits that profile”. The University of Georgia went to great lengths to make it appear that the decision to hire Kirby Smart as its next football coach happened quickly and suddenly.
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He was one of the highest paid assistants in college football and had seemed content leading one of the nation’s best defenses on a year-in year-out basis, but interest first from SC and then from Georgia resulted in the long-expected promotion to head coach for Smart.
