Georgia has hired Alabama’s defensive coordinator Kirby Smart to replace Mark Richt as the Bulldogs’ head football coach.
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Smart, Alabama’s defensive coordinator the last eight years, has been one of the most sought-after head coaching candidates of the last couple of years, including this one. The Crimson Tide will face Michigan State in the College Football Playoff and Saban indicated that Smart would spend the next 7-10 days with his new squad before returning to Alabama practices.
Smart said in a statement via a press release, “It’s an honor and privilege to return home to the University of Georgia and my home state”.
Smart played defensive back for the Bulldogs from 1995-98, earning first-team all-SEC honors in his senior season.
Alabama coach Nick Saban said Sunday that Smart would be with the team for the remainder of the postseason.
“We knew he got the job obviously but he said he was going to be with us through this playoff run, and give us all he has for the next two games”, cornerback Cyrus Jones said following Alabama’s 29-15 SEC Championship win over Florida. “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”. It would be really easy for the Georgia players to feel slighted by their new coach remaining at a conference rival instead of getting to work with them. There also has been no confirmation of talks with Smart by Georgia officials.
“It’ll be weird when we play him, I guess, seeing him on the other side”, Humphrey said of Smart’s seemingly looming departure.
He’ll have to unseat another Saban disciple in his own division in Florida coach Jim McElwain, who got the Gators to the league title game in year one.
Smart agreed to a six-year deal that will pay him at least $3.75 million per season, with a base salary of $400,000 and $3.35 million from apparel deals, television and radio appearances, and other endorsements.
“For a guy like me who’s spent four years under his coach, that means a lot”.
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“We’ve worked together for a long, long time”, he said before pausing for several seconds to collect himself. “I am pleased to welcome Kirby, his wife, Mary Beth, and their three children back home to the University of Georgia, and I look forward to supporting him in his new role as our head football coach”. “I couldn’t be happier for someone who is very deserving of an opportunity like this one”.
