Kirby Smart: ‘looking forward’ to next season with Tide
Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart, whom many Georgia fans would love to see in the same job in Athens, made a rare appearance before the media today and said he is “looking forward” to being with the Crimson Tide again next season.
Smart, who like other Alabama assistant coaches is normally kept off-limits to the media by head coach Nick Saban, was made available at a news conference advancing Thursday’s BCS national championship game.
According to this Mobile Press-Register report from the news conference in southern California, Smart did not categorically deny interest in Georgia’s open defensive coordinator position, although that might have been because he wasn’t directly asked about it.
Here is some of what Smart did say at the press conference, according to the Press-Register:
“It’s been great. It’s been great having these players and doing this, and I’m looking forward to it next year. I mean, we’ve got a lot of good players coming back. We’re losing a lot of good ones too, but it’s something that’s special to be around, because these guys bought in and they went through some hard times. And now they’re reaping the benefits, which they deserve.”
On his head-coaching aspirations, he said:
“To be honest with you, I don’t ever think about it or worry about that. I think [longtime Florida State defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews] had a hell of a career. He’s a father figure to me. I worked for him for two years, and if I ended up coaching at Alabama for the next 30 years or however long he was at Florida State, I’d think my career was a pretty big success.
“My lifelong goal was to ultimately be a defensive coordinator, and if I ever got a chance at a head job, that would be great. But that’s not something that I’m going to draw my career and say I was a failure, I didn’t get to be a head coach or whatever. I’d be completely content with that. If a better opportunity presents itself, then obviously that’s something down the road. But young as I am, I’m happy to be where I’m at and happy to be at the University of Alabama.”
Since Georgia’s Dec. 2 firing of Willie Martinez, Smart — a former UGA player (1995-98) and assistant coach (2005) — has been at or near the top of just about every rumored list of defensive coordinators that Mark Richt would or should pursue. And if the Georgia job remains open after Thursday’s national-title game, perhaps that possibility would heat up. But to this point Smart still has given no indication he would leave Alabama for another coordinator’s job.
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356 comments Add your comment
Gatorguy
January 3rd, 2010
7:26 pm
Jawga boy
How many NC rings do you have? RFLMAO!!!!!
Big Sack Dawg
January 3rd, 2010
7:27 pm
jawga boy.. Thats hilarious man. Just dont call him a BOY.
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
January 3rd, 2010
7:27 pm
hahaha. come on dogs. I know you know about Golden Coral steaks
Gatorguy
January 3rd, 2010
7:28 pm
Jawga boy
We could probably still whip GA’s butts without a coach. Or, as Spurrier once said. “I could beat GA with their own players”
jawga boy
January 3rd, 2010
7:28 pm
Gator boy , we got 2. How many you got?
Gatorguy
January 3rd, 2010
7:31 pm
Big sack on the chin
Just be SURE you tell everyone—you get annual butt-whippins by “boys”!
LMAO!!!
Big Sack Dawg
January 3rd, 2010
7:31 pm
$1.4 Million… G.CORRAL TOO PRICEY FOR YOUR CHEAP A$$. Now , get off I-285 BEFORE YOU RUN OUT OF GAS.
LET ME HAVE IT DAWG FANS, FYI
January 3rd, 2010
7:33 pm
$1.4 Million = St. Simons
Re-posted!!!!!!!!!!
Gatorguy
January 3rd, 2010
7:33 pm
Jawga punk
Where do ya get 2? Or, is it some Athens Herald Cahmpionship?
We have 2 in the last 4 years. LOL!
Big Sack Dawg
January 3rd, 2010
7:34 pm
Every one tell that boy goodnight.
GOODNIGHT , BOY
Eaaasssy
January 3rd, 2010
7:35 pm
Good one sickandtired! Is that the best comeback you have??? By your lack of ability to deny any of the evidence I laid out regarding your impending beat down, it’s obvious you know another one similar to last years massacre at the Peach Bowl is on the horizon. Way to step out of your comfort zone with a “trailer” comeback. Nice. Really creative. What’s next, you telling me how much more money you’ll make over a lifetime because of your Tech degree? Enjoy your beat down loser
Tech Real Fans Are..
January 3rd, 2010
7:36 pm
STILL on I-285
Eaaasssy
January 3rd, 2010
7:38 pm
I could split time on tech’s defensive interior.
Tech Real Fans Are..
January 3rd, 2010
7:39 pm
defense-less
Kirby Smart's Coming to Georgia
January 3rd, 2010
7:40 pm
Kirby is still very interested in the Georgia job according to real insiders. Kirby is still widely considered to be interested in joining the Bulldogs after the Jan 7 Bowl game. Kirby said in THIS interview: “If a better opportunity presents itself, then obviously that’s something down the road.”
Granted, Richt has talked defensive philosophy with a LOT of guys. Chavis and Foster were both NEVER candidates for the job and were NEVER offered the job. Ever. Richt has contacted during this process: Smart, Sanseri (current Bama LB Coach), Steele (former Bama DC), Gardner, and Grantham (Dallas Cowboys). Gardner is the ONLY one Richt has publicly said he has eiliminated so far. The frontrunner is, and continues to be Kirby Smart. But there’s a mile long of others very interested if he changes his mind after the Bowl game.
Eaaasssy
January 3rd, 2010
7:40 pm
Update: Another Tech D-Lineman just got pancaked by UGA’s O-line. Expect a lot more of the same against Iowa nerds
Kirby Smart's the Guy
January 3rd, 2010
7:41 pm
Richt would NEVER offer the job to ANYONE who wold turn it down. Not gonna happen. If you hear that one, that’s a false beta.
dd
January 3rd, 2010
7:43 pm
30-24
jawga boy
January 3rd, 2010
7:44 pm
Gator boy……The Bulldogs have brought home two national championships in their storied history: a shared title in 1942 and a consensus national championship in 1980 (several polls recognized the Bulldogs as national champions in 1927, 1946, and 1968, as well). In addition to their 2 national championships, the Bulldogs have won 12 Southeastern Conference (SEC) championships, the most recent coming in 2005, boast two Heisman Trophy winners (Frank Sinkwich, 1942, and Herschel Walker, 1982), and hold the distinction of having three graduates become Super Bowl MVPs (Jake Scott, 1972, Terrell Davis, 1998, and Hines Ward, 2005).
Thats only football. Baseball, Tennis, Equestrian…..you dumb crackers are so stupid.
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
January 3rd, 2010
7:48 pm
Dude,
Hahaha. Smart ain’t coming to georgia. No matter how closely you study each of the words the writer said he said. Didn’t your mom ever teach you to not believe everything you read? Well I am now telling YOU to not believe everything you WRITE!
Eaaasssy
January 3rd, 2010
7:53 pm
1.4,
What is to be done with you defense this offseason? Surely PJ will address this gaping hole. Hasn’t he? You certainly have ample opinions about our D Coord search. What is your opinion about the state of your defense. Especially with your only standout leaving for the NFL next year?
jawga boy
January 3rd, 2010
8:04 pm
Eaaassssy…… 1.4 Mill don’t have to worry about a defense. He plays in the ACC , that’s how they got to the Orange Bowl.
Loula dawg
January 3rd, 2010
8:04 pm
Kudos to the poster for an honest take:
UGA FAN
January 3rd, 2010
5:47 pm
I sick and tired to UGA fans posting the 30 -24 score of which we beat tech. When we are able to Consistantly beat Florida, Alabama LSU on a regular basis. We have something to boast about. Damn a state championship. That’s want high schoolers aspire to win. What about a National Champoinship. Then and only then can be boast.
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
January 3rd, 2010
8:05 pm
Eaasssy,
Hope this makes sense, i’m rushing for dinner.
In my opinion, our defense will be much much better next season if we can stay healthy. We were able to redshirt a lot of real good athletes on defense. Granted they were not 5-star-can’t-miss-studs like georgia gets, but our coaches really are good at getting guys to play above their heads. But that’s just me talking. I believe the Tech-georgia games will be exciting, back and forth, slug outs as long as Paul Johnson is there.
Denver Dog
January 3rd, 2010
8:08 pm
agree: winning the “state championship” is high school stuff. let’s win a BCS championship and then we can mouth off.
Eaaasssy
January 3rd, 2010
8:12 pm
I do agree. Fair enough.
Jeremy
January 3rd, 2010
8:12 pm
Why would a DC leave arguably the best team in the country to join CMR at UGA? backward step=silly move
Big L
January 3rd, 2010
8:16 pm
Okay, for all you techies. My brother majored in literature at UGA. He took engineering as a secondary. He is now building bio diesel plant s for a living. If it’s so hard , why was it an easy second for him? UGA engineer grads just don’t brag about it because there are so many other cool things that take up time in their lives. Besides world of warcraft and bitching because their football is second rate. Get a life you bug losers.
mason
January 3rd, 2010
8:17 pm
1.4M isn’t in Miami. Anybody that was in Miami for a major bowl for their team would not be living on a UGA blog all day playing the game of pretend.
(( 30-24 )) hahahahha!!
Glad it still hurts so bad yellow fuzz
FL.DAWG
January 3rd, 2010
8:18 pm
WHY CHAT WITH THE YELLOW JACKETS? THEY ALL SOUND LIKE A TEENAGER AND HIS FIRST SEXUAL EXPERIENCE… BESIDES , THEIR 11-2 COULD NOT BEAT OUR 8-5 AND THEIR ONE WIN IS NOT A THREAT TO OUR 8 OF 9. I DON’T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT THE ” YELLOWS ” I WANT TO HEAR ABOUT THE DAWGS………….
James Brown
January 3rd, 2010
8:20 pm
If you take a laptop with you to Miami in order to obsess over Georgia football blogs on (of all things) the AJC, instead of relaxing, partying and f###### your “girlfriend,” you might be a Tech fan.
If you can’t do the simple math to figure out that 9 SEC teams in bowl games and 2 in BCS games = more money per school than the ACC’s seven bowls and one BCS bowl, then you might be a Tech fan.
If you brag for over a year about a 3-point win even though you’ve only won one out of the last 9 and 5 out of the last 20, you might be a Tech fan…
Crimson Tide.com
January 3rd, 2010
8:26 pm
Overheard before Alabama coaches talked with the media :
“There is no way I am going to UGA coach Saban, they have become a second-tier program since I was there and I have absolutely no interest in boarding their sinking ship. If I was to go anywhere it would be Florida.” – Kirby Smart
Big L
January 3rd, 2010
8:26 pm
Jeremy, maybe cause Saban won’t allow anyone credit for their work. People think Saban is the reason for the defense. If Kirby were to right the ship at UGA, he would be recognized and not kept down. Saban won’t take credit for screwing up the Dolphins but he wants all the credit for when he leaves Bama. Trust me , he ain’t changed. He will leave Bama high n dry just like all the teams before.
CPJ's Sportsbra
January 3rd, 2010
8:26 pm
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl:
“Hope this makes sense, i’m rushing for dinner.”
Yeah, better hurry, don’t want to make your life partner mad, he might make you wear a ball gag and crotchless panties to bed. Don’t be late to Taco bell.
Jonathan Dowling
January 3rd, 2010
8:32 pm
The difference between the UGA football team and the University of Florida football team is that in Athens a 9-3 record is a good season.
CPJ's Sportsbra
January 3rd, 2010
8:34 pm
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl:
“I derive great pleasure in smacking down to dog nation on these blogs (that’s why I brought my lap top). Plus, I brought my girl friend along which has made it a little harder to hit on women down here.”
You’re laptop is still your mother’s ancient PC in the basement, you know, the one you use to surf gay porn. And, a blow up doll doesn’t really constitute having a girlfriend. Yellowfuzz…you’re a douc..!
Barkin'Dog
January 3rd, 2010
8:34 pm
I say Kirby Smart will be our DC on Friday, Jan. 8th. It was a done deal when it was offered, with the stipulation nothing is official until after the MNC game. Richt is so smart, he even got other coaches interviewed and written about just to throw off the media. I believe (from Smart’s comments about being a DC as a career) he would enjoy coaching for his alma mater (and return his wife to her home town), and he has a better chance of getting a HC’ing position coming from the Mark Richt camp than Saban’s, considering the record of honesty Saban has created for himself. I’ve been wrong before, just sayin’….
Kirby Smart's the Guy
January 3rd, 2010
8:35 pm
As long as Smart stays at Bama. No one will ever give Kirby credit for Bama’s D’s success. Saban will get ALL the glory. This does not help Smart at all. Smart, if he comes to Georgia, will get the credit if his defense is terrific.
Saban’s known as a terrible guy to work with, ask Kevin Steele, who bolted in 2007 as Bama’s DC for a lateral move from Bama. Saban doesn’t even let his DC do interviews.
Why would Smart stay at Bama and try to improve the #1 Defense when he could come to Georgia, and improve a defense ranked #57? Richt’s a MUCH easier guy to work for, more loyal, wins more than Saban, quits jobs a lot less, and will pay more. The time to make a move is after you get to the Natl Champ, then you can max out your pay. That’s when Richt made his move from FSU to Georgia. The timing is perfect for Kirby.
CPJ's Sportsbra
January 3rd, 2010
8:36 pm
im a loser
Mass Exodus Hit Gators....
January 3rd, 2010
8:38 pm
Here it comes, Haden’s gone as a Jr., he sees no good in playing for Florida in 2010, get ready for many more juniors to announce they are ALSO leaving.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft10/news/story?id=4792743
Mass Exodus Hit Gators....
January 3rd, 2010
8:41 pm
ESPN’s Chris Low predicts a MASS EXODUS will hit Florida in 2009. Many Jr’s will leave early. They don’t see 2010 as a positive for the Gators.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft10/news/story?id=4792743
Big L
January 3rd, 2010
8:43 pm
God , let signing day hirry up.
rabiddawg
January 3rd, 2010
8:46 pm
We all know CKS is the first choice.. Let’s cut the crud.. If we offer enough money he will come, simple as that.. Pay him and he returns home. nuff said..
YOUR $1.4 million Shreveport vs. OUR $14 million BCS Orange bowl
January 3rd, 2010
8:48 pm
I’m down here on my mommy’s credit card…my mommy does everything that I ask…and I do mean everything…
YOUR $1.4 million Shreveport vs. OUR $14 million BCS Orange bowl
January 3rd, 2010
8:49 pm
I’ve never kissed a girl…but I got 2 A’s and a B this semester
Dawg stuck in Bham
January 3rd, 2010
8:51 pm
For what it’s worth…Kirby and Richt didn’t see eye to eye alot in Athens. Wouldn’t surprise me if Richt DIDN’T want him.
CPJ's Sportsbra
January 3rd, 2010
8:52 pm
CPJ’s Sportsbra:
“im a loser”
Thanks Yellowcrust, only took two posts for you to hijack my handle.
That’s why I like jumping on here just to bust on pathetic, losers like you.
Enjoy that “Grande Burrito” in your panties
HUNKER DOWN
January 3rd, 2010
8:56 pm
Dear 1.4 Million,
We know you are in unchartered waters for a long time playing in a significant bowl ( not that it is the NC). However, you seem to forget that UGA is the legitimate ACC Champ by swatting your bugs like we have in the last 7 of 8 meetings. Therefore, should you happen to squeeze by Iowa, which is a big “if” then we would also therefore be the legitimate Orange Bowl Champs. By the way, we have convincingly won our bowl game so no pressure, keeping being a bug, and good luck. Only makes us shine that much more.
CMR Wins 2009 George Hamilton Cocoa Butter Open!
January 3rd, 2010
8:58 pm
from CNN.com….
“Security breach at Newark Airport. Terminal C on lockdown after man went through the wrong side of a checkpoint exit.”
Now why in the HAYULL woould a stupid mutt fan be flying thru EWR to get back to their Bogart trailerpark from Shreveport?
YOUR $1.4 million Shreveport vs. OUR $14 million BCS Orange bowl
January 3rd, 2010
9:02 pm
Along with being a Yellow Jerket, I also enjoy a night with a “male companion”. I’m loving South Beach!!!