Smart weighs return to UGA
(Updated 9:30 p.m.)
Kirby Smart, the defensive coordinator of newly crowned national champion Alabama, apparently is considering a return to Georgia, his alma mater, for the same job but considerably more money.
Smart, seen as a leading candidate for the UGA position since the Dec. 2 firing of Willie Martinez, was weighing a formal offer on Saturday but “has neither signed it nor made a decision regarding the opening,” according to the Tuscaloosa News, which cited “multiple sources.”
Smart has been publicly coy about his interest in the job but left the door open during a press conference in California two days before the national-championship game. He could not be reached for comment Saturday.
Georgia had no comment on the matter other than to say that no announcement of a hire was scheduled. Associate athletics director Claude Felton said he had not heard from coach Mark Richt all day and that no announcement was expected through Saturday night. Felton said Richt had been on the road recruiting.
Smart would be a popular hire in Bulldog Nation. Former UGA defensive great David Pollack posted on his Twitter account Saturday: “From what I am getting guys I think Georgia has made a very SMART choice on their next DC, nothing 100% but def looks good.”
Smart makes about $360,000 in base salary at Alabama. Georgia is believed willing to pay much, much more than that.
All indications are that UGA will make a hire within the next few days. Richt would like to have the new defensive coordinator named before the final recruiting contact period starts Friday. Also, junior linebacker Rennie Curran -– expected by most around the Georgia program to enter the NFL draft –- has been trying to withhold a final decision until he has a chance to talk with the new coordinator.
Smart played defensive back for Georgia from 1995-98, making All-SEC as a senior, and began his coaching career as an administrative assistant at Georgia in 1999. He also coached running backs at UGA in 2005.
For most of his coaching career, Smart has worked under Nick Saban -– at LSU (2004), the Miami Dolphins (2006) and Alabama (since 2007). He has been the Tide’s defensive coordinator the past two seasons.
Saban seemed to be sending a pointed message to Smart on Friday when he said at a news conference that assistant coaches should not make lateral career moves.
“I’m not pleased when guys make lateral moves because it’s a little bit human nature to think, like my dad used to say, the grass is always greener on top of the septic tank,” Saban said. “You always think it’s better someplace else. You kind of let your ego get involved, and you make moves that you shouldn’t make and really aren’t in your best interests for a career standpoint.”
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949 comments Add your comment
The Lone Trumpeter
January 9th, 2010
7:12 pm
Much different to run what you know versus running the whole show.
Chipped Tires
January 9th, 2010
7:12 pm
You blind homers….. Nick Saban still runs the Defense at Bama. Kirby Smart is still green. He needs more experience and IF he comes to UGA he will be vanilla just like Boo BOO .
Top Dawg 2
January 9th, 2010
7:12 pm
go GEORGIA!!!!!!!!!!
dawg gone it
January 9th, 2010
7:13 pm
http://www.tidesports.com/article/20100109/NEWS/100109537/1011?Title=Smart-offered-UGA-job
Dawg Alum
January 9th, 2010
7:13 pm
Atlanta’s WSB-TV 2 just announced that Kirby Smart actually has a contract offer in hand but has not signed it yet.
Also, just announced Tuberville is Texas Tech’s new head coach.
Tech Real Fans Are...
January 9th, 2010
7:13 pm
MAD AS HELL AND NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!!!!!
SOUTHGADAWG88
January 9th, 2010
7:14 pm
750 K is too much.Bama has had 3 DC’s in the last 3 years.It would be a good hire but not for that much money
jerry
January 9th, 2010
7:14 pm
If the Cowboys lose tonight-I wish-but I doubt it, I can’t see any reason an announcement can’t be made tommorrow one way or the other. Let’s get this show on the road.
Tech Real Fans Are...
January 9th, 2010
7:14 pm
SCARED GEORGIA GETS THEIR MAN
Rammer Jammer
January 9th, 2010
7:15 pm
Louie, you’re delusional.
I’m not a fan of UGA or Tech, but you guys have no reason to trash talk after your loser triple option attack got shut down by Iowa and you lost to an average UGA team. Without Thomas next year, you’re pathetic passing game with be even worse. RTR!
Tech Real Fans Are...
January 9th, 2010
7:15 pm
SCARED THEY WON’T GET THEIR MAN
Tech Real Fans Are...
January 9th, 2010
7:16 pm
SCARED WHEN THEY GET A WOMAN
Jesup
January 9th, 2010
7:16 pm
Smart is a feel good hire, and i think he would be way better than Willie………..but, I think Grantham would be a better hire. he has more experience and seems to be a very good x and o coach as well as a good motivator…….on a side note florida killed us this year in recruiting. Maybe Smart can bring some tide recruits with him.
Tech Real Fans Are...
January 9th, 2010
7:16 pm
HOPING THEY GET A WOMAN
jerry
January 9th, 2010
7:17 pm
Bama is paying Saban so much they can’t afford to match UGA’s offfer.
Tech Real Fans Are...
January 9th, 2010
7:17 pm
CHECKING TO MAKE SURE IT IS A WOMAN
Citizen
January 9th, 2010
7:17 pm
http://www.tidesports.com/article/20100109/NEWS/100109537/1011?Title=Smart-offered-UGA-job
Kirby Smart is packing for Athens!
dawg gone it
January 9th, 2010
7:18 pm
So Smart was a running backs coach at Georgia in 2005? He’s come a long way in a short time.
Techie
January 9th, 2010
7:18 pm
As a Tech fan I could care less who UGA hires as their DC. All you dawg fans know how to do is talk about Tech. Worry about your own problems and we will take care of ours. You talk about our bowl games, you talk about how you own us. Well that may be true but most teams care about winning championships, not champions of state. We will win championships and you will not, bama with or without KS will kick your a$$ and Fla will keep you away from the SEC east….that is what I would be worried about. Not Tech.
Link: Georgia Formally Offers Kirby Smart - Page 3 - TideFans.com
January 9th, 2010
7:19 pm
[...] Re: Georgia Formally Offers Kirby Smart The AJC is reporting that UGA has not scheduled any DC hiring announcement. UGA: no announcement imminent on DC | UGA Sports [...]
G'Vegas Dawg
January 9th, 2010
7:19 pm
Expect Kirby Smart to be announced as the new DC on Monday. 4 year deal at $800K per. Travis Jones is expected to come along as well. Multiple sources out of Athens have confirmed this.
Techie
January 9th, 2010
7:20 pm
If Smart comes to UGA he will never be a head coach. When was the last time a UGA assistant was picked for HC…..good luck KS…
G'Vegas Dawg
January 9th, 2010
7:21 pm
Techie – 30-24 AHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA! DORK! Go play with your erector set and pop pimples with your roomie….
jerry
January 9th, 2010
7:22 pm
Jesup: My sentiments exactly. Smart would be fine but Grantham would be better just on experience. And knowing Jerry Jones, if Dallas loses tonight, he might be the next head coach.
PMDawg
January 9th, 2010
7:22 pm
louie- still runnin that yap I see. GT is still and will always be a second rate program. Its funny that you feel that sense on entitlement after beating UGA once. I wouldnt be too ready to taste the hedges all your gonna taste is the dirt when UGA runs all over GT. Go entertain your blow up doll.
blazerdawg
January 9th, 2010
7:24 pm
right on Gulf Dawg
G'Vegas Dawg
January 9th, 2010
7:26 pm
Do any of idiot Tech queers really think CPJ will stick around when he gets offered another job? Especially one in the SEC or any other program for that matter? I guess we need to quit letting you DORKS win once every 10 years so you won’t get your little dorky feelings hurt when you fall back to reality. Way to show up in the orange bowl….
Ole Yeller Dawg
January 9th, 2010
7:28 pm
Asheville Dawg:
Don’t you remember in all those old movies, that whenever the ship starts to sink, the rats are always the first to jump ship! Pete Carroll gave Mark Sanchez such a hard time last year when he declared for the NFL draft. Now look who’s jumping ship, just one year later!!
Saban’s remark aimed at Kirby Smart reminds me so much of the same scenario with Pete Carroll and M. Sanchez.
I guess to be a good HC now days you have to be some what of a control freak!
Whats the over/under that Saban is about to jump?
Top Dawg 2
January 9th, 2010
7:29 pm
what is your second favorite team?
LeftCoastDawg
January 9th, 2010
7:30 pm
If it’s Smart there’s no reason not to announce now. If Smart is staying at Bama it’s probably in his interest to string Richt along, to mess up recruiting. If it’s Grantham he won’t want to announce while the Cowboys are still playing, so Grantham doesn’t have to deal with media. I say it’s Grantham and look for an announcement IF the Cowboys lose. If the Boys win this will go another week.
Top Dawg 2
January 9th, 2010
7:31 pm
mine is Boise state.
bigun
January 9th, 2010
7:32 pm
IT’S A DONE DEAL!!!! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirby_Smart
SABAN WILL BE USC’S NEXT COACH AS WELL.
He Hate Gator
January 9th, 2010
7:33 pm
Rumour in Gatorland…Johnson to USF…
LeftCoastDawg
January 9th, 2010
7:34 pm
Techie – you claim all UGA fans know how to do is talk about Tech, yet here you are on a UGA blog talking about UGA. What’s wrong with that picture? I have never in my life visited a Tech blog and I don’t even hate Tech like most Dog fans do. They’re just way down on my my Like list.
Louie
January 9th, 2010
7:35 pm
CPJ is going NOWHERE ,you hear me NOWHERE. This obviously bothers the mutt nation to hear this repeated. Why would he leave an up and coming program like GT that is on the verge of dominating(including it’s rivalry with mutt central. He is well known for being a winner where ever he has been DEAL WITH IT.
GaGator
January 9th, 2010
7:36 pm
Richt has already offered two DC the job at UGA and all he has got is a big no. I can’t believe Smart would have so little self-esteem that he would be willing to be the third
choice. If he were to accept the DC position, I would be concerned about so undiscovered issues.
PMDawg
January 9th, 2010
7:36 pm
louie- “the verge of dominating” get used to that statement
PHIL
January 9th, 2010
7:38 pm
Now what are all of you people going to say when Kirby gets here and the players are still no good? What are you gonna write on the blogs then? What we need is players with experience, not coaches. I hope the new coaches help what we have. They are going to have to be good. But one thing for certain is that we are going to have 3 safeties next year that are better than the two we started this year. Just hope our interior D Line can come on.
PMDawg
January 9th, 2010
7:38 pm
gagator- tell me more about the two offers you speak of cause I don’t think there were ever offers just talk
PHIL
January 9th, 2010
7:39 pm
GAGATOR ……….that name is like saying tall midget or genius moron or patriotic Benedict Arnold or Tebow is gone but still here.
Dama O'Bama
January 9th, 2010
7:40 pm
Little louie, Revenge of the nerds comes on at 10:00 tonight on Comedy Central .Go put on your pink pastels and night gown and eat your milk and cookies and get off of here,ok.
Saban to USC?
January 9th, 2010
7:40 pm
Has anyone heard the rumor that USC has expressed an interest in hiring Nick Saban?
Mike
January 9th, 2010
7:40 pm
David Pollack also said Kirby Smart was heading to UGA about a month ago. He’s about as reliable as a turd.
Hutson Mason
January 9th, 2010
7:41 pm
Can you imagine the pocket pool games at UGA if Smart comes?Smart,Pollock,Greene,Stafford,Cox and me Baby!!!!!
GaGator Idiot
January 9th, 2010
7:42 pm
Gay Gator,
Well let’s see, your coach wet the bed and decided to take a leave of absence then waffled when the NFL job he thought he was getting fell through. Not to mention your DC saw the writing on the wall and bailed out. Hope you enjoyed your run, Tebow’s crying at the championship game showed how skewed your expectations are.
PMDawg
January 9th, 2010
7:42 pm
Saban going to USC would be about right for him, get a program up to the promised land then see ya! Except at the next level of course
Suwaneedawg
January 9th, 2010
7:44 pm
Louie, put down the crack pipe and go to bed. Or maybe you are just a moron.
Otis from Mayberry
January 9th, 2010
7:45 pm
I’ma a drunk and Saban a liar their is audio and visual proof
Ole Yeller Dawg
January 9th, 2010
7:45 pm
Phil:
The word your are looking for is OXYMORON.
Buckhead Bulldog
January 9th, 2010
7:45 pm
Uh-oh Louie is about to go cardiac on us….Chill Louie, you are on a UGA blog site! Now go ask your Mom if she will make meatloaf for you tonight.