Smart explains decision to reject UGA (updated)
Athens — Kirby Smart won’t be coming to Georgia as the Bulldogs’ defensive coordinator, deciding after two days of deliberation to remain in the same job at Alabama.
Smart, a former Georgia player, explained his decision in written comments provided by Alabama:
“I think it was pretty well known that there was an opportunity to return to my alma mater as defensive coordinator,” Smart said. ”I wouldn’t even have considered discussing the position with any other school, but when it is a place I’ve spent some of my best years and had some great memories, I thought it was something I should discuss with my family and figure out what was best.
“After thinking about all the factors over the last couple days, we are going to stay at the University of Alabama. We love it in Tuscaloosa, have made some great friends here and I think we are building something special here at Alabama with Coach [Nick] Saban. I have learned so much in the time I’ve spent with Coach Saban, and every year I feel like a become a better coach.
“I’ve got a great deal of respect for Coach [Mark] Richt and the job he has done there, and the University of Georgia will also have a special place in my heart. Not only did I play there, but my wife played basketball there and we have a lot of friends at UGA.”
Smart had been considering a lucrative multi-year offer — reportedly for three or four years at around $700,000 per year — to return to his alma mater as defensive coordinator. His pending decision had been the subject of intense speculation among UGA fans over the weekend. Saban previously had expressed his disapproval of assistant coaches making lateral career moves.
“We’re very pleased and happy that Kirby is going to be staying here at the University of Alabama with us,” Saban said in a statement this afternoon. ”He’s done a fabulous job for us. He’s one of the finest assistant coaches in the country.
“You expect guys like Kirby to get lots of opportunities to do things, and we want to continue to help him continue to develop his career here so that when he leaves here, it’s going to be to be a head coach and probably in a very good situation. So we’re excited about that. We’re happy for him and his family. It’s very pleasing to us.”
Alabama is believed to have aggressively countered Georgia’s financial offer, but said it would not reveal Smart’s new salary until it is approved by trustees in the spring. Smart’s salary was around $360,000 in 2009.
Richt has been trying to hire a new defensive coordinator since the Dec. 2 firing of Willie Martinez and two other defensive coaches.
Georgia previously pursued two veteran defensive coordinators for the job, Virginia Tech’s Bud Foster and LSU’s John Chavis. Both opted to remain in their current jobs after having their contracts considerably sweetened.
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1,397 comments Add your comment
Troof
January 11th, 2010
8:18 pm
Gosh, such a poor impostor of me. I was hoping for more originality!
RTR!
CANINE NONSENSE
January 11th, 2010
8:18 pm
SEPTIC TANK’S IN ATHEN’S! YOU KNOW WHERE YOU REDNECK TRAILER PARK TRASHER’S COME TO THE GAME AND REFUSE TO USE THE CAN’S MADE FOR TRASH BE=OTCHA!!!
Troof
January 11th, 2010
8:18 pm
gadawg, his name is Paul Finebaum and you show your FAIL by admitting you listen to him!
dandydawg
January 11th, 2010
8:19 pm
Canine Nonsense… I have to admit, you are funny. Thanks for the laughs and good luck this year. I hope all of you have a great year and Go Dawgs!!!!
Big Ole Dawg
January 11th, 2010
8:19 pm
im glade that kurby samlls don’t take are job. Im a 74 gradate off UGA and I now tat we can due mush beter then Kurby. How bowt Terri Bowden? he wone all his gams at awburn one yer.
Shelley Meyer
January 11th, 2010
8:20 pm
Troof…you are funny!
Willie Martinez
January 11th, 2010
8:20 pm
okay UGA, get on your knees and beg, then I’ll maybe think about it………hate to say I told you so but……..HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
Troof
January 11th, 2010
8:20 pm
Dear Coach Richt,
Please hire Coach Smart! Don’t break my heart…or neck…over it!
Signed,
David Pollack
Troof
January 11th, 2010
8:20 pm
I love my Unka Jimmy!!!! {{{umph….umph….ouch!…slow down!}} There, there…..that’s it. Oh, Unka Jimmy!! Kiss me!! Yes!!!! Keep it up!!
CANINE NONSENSE
January 11th, 2010
8:21 pm
I’M TRYING TO GET YOUR MIND OFF OF YOUR LATEST LOSS!! BESIDE’S YA MAMMA AND LITTLE BROTHER NEED A BREAK!!
2010 Dawg
January 11th, 2010
8:21 pm
TRoof-Good luck in 2010 and see you in Atlanta for another showdown!
Troof
January 11th, 2010
8:21 pm
Thanks Shelley. Sorry about that heart issue Saban caused. He just gets carried away sometimes!
JUNKYARD
January 11th, 2010
8:21 pm
Your third grade teacher called and said you failed your spelling test again. But on the bright side, you are certified hillbilly. Canine is probably single and renting a single-wide trailer. And a fan of whoever is winning right now. Last year a Gator, this year a Bama hillbilly. Watch what you say because next year you will be a Dawg. And your wife….Oh I’m sorry, I meant your boyfriend wants to know whats taking you so long with the KY?
Gainesville Ray
January 11th, 2010
8:23 pm
Turn Coat- Trader
Troof
January 11th, 2010
8:23 pm
We’ll be waiting there, 2010 Dawg.
Shelley Meyer
January 11th, 2010
8:24 pm
Troof…do you think Urban is cheating on me???
dandydawg
January 11th, 2010
8:24 pm
CANINE NONSENSE,,,,,,,,
Take your 10 year old mind to bed. You are seriously misbehaving on a damn blog. Now go to be before your mother beats that ass!
blazerdawg
January 11th, 2010
8:24 pm
troofus is definately the new SSI
Troof
January 11th, 2010
8:24 pm
Junkyard, you do realize that the Redneck Games are held in……..Dublin, GEORGIA!!! LOL!!
RTR!!
Troof
January 11th, 2010
8:25 pm
No but Troof can spell. It’s definitely.
RTR!
Cornelius Washington
January 11th, 2010
8:25 pm
I did not want to play for that traitor anyway…you suck Kirby Smart.
Troof
January 11th, 2010
8:26 pm
Shelley, I believe he is. He’s now Saban’s new punk!
Don’t be jealous Coach Richt. Saban still has time for you every few years.
Satan Saban
January 11th, 2010
8:26 pm
Glad he decided to stay with me-the biggest liar in the coaching ranks. Oh, don’t forget I have the biggest ego of all also. If you don’t believe me just ask wonderful me!
Kirby Smart
January 11th, 2010
8:26 pm
Sorry for the let down. Did you really think I was coming back. I just wanted to get more money from Bama. I couldn’t really win at UGA until they get more talent on that side of the ball.
Troof
January 11th, 2010
8:27 pm
Cornelius, don’t worry about it. You couldn’t crack the roster at Bama anyway…which is why you are going to UGA!
RTR!! 29 years and counting Dawgs!!
Urban Liar
January 11th, 2010
8:27 pm
Hey Satan, I resent those words!!!
JUNKYARD
January 11th, 2010
8:27 pm
As Foxworthy explained, redneck is fine. It’s the Alabama hillbilly ignorance that is hard to deal with.
Troof
January 11th, 2010
8:28 pm
Kirby, smart move by staying at Bama. Bama can afford it and UGA won’t be winning any time soon with Mark Richt as head coach.
Troof
January 11th, 2010
8:29 pm
Junkyard, hillbillies are in Tennessee and West Virginia.
CANINE NONSENSE
January 11th, 2010
8:29 pm
JUNK YARD,WHEN I READ WHAT YOU TYPE……I HEAR BANJO’S BUBBA!!! DOT-AH-DUNE-DUNE-DUNE-DUNE-DUNE-DUNE-DUNE!!!
CANINE NONSENSE
January 11th, 2010
8:30 pm
BUT DANDY YOU SAID I WAS FUNNY!!??
JUNKYARD
January 11th, 2010
8:31 pm
Canine you have probably heard ALOT of banjo’s in your lifetime!!
CANINE NONSENSE
January 11th, 2010
8:32 pm
OK!! I’M OUTTA HERE!!! PEACE OUT!!
Stinger
January 11th, 2010
8:33 pm
I know it hurts so bad that Kirby and all the rest turned you down, but Bill Lewis is ready when you are. LMFAO
#13
January 11th, 2010
8:34 pm
SMART isn’t just his name. He knows better than to leave Saban and get caught up in a program that’s in shambles. Bama is about to pick up National Championship trophies like Tiger Woods picks up women…..
Vince's Dooley
January 11th, 2010
8:34 pm
Is Amos Alonzo Stagg still coaching? It would be hard for him to run away.
Nick Saban
January 11th, 2010
8:35 pm
Like usual I made the announcement for Kirby before he did, just like I’m actually the one that calls the defense not him.
JUNKYARD
January 11th, 2010
8:36 pm
PEACE OUT!! IT’S GOOD TO HAVE SCHOOL PRIDE!! HOPE NO ONE GOT OFFENDED. JUST A LITTLE TRASH TALKING AMONGST FANS THAT DON’T LIKE THE OTHERS TEAM…..UNLESS THEY ARE PLAYING TEXAS!!!!!
Danny Forde
January 11th, 2010
8:36 pm
This might impact recruiting at Bama. If they have to pay alot more to keep that youngster, then thye will not have much to pay them players like they always do. How many tasty freeze franchises can you buy with that money
Troof
January 11th, 2010
8:38 pm
Danny, Bama can afford them!!! RTR!!
CDAWG
January 11th, 2010
8:39 pm
If I could interrupt this fine dialogue for just a moment to ask a question; why has neither CMR nor UGA held a press conference or said anything? I wonder if Grantham would really be interested in this job and if so, is Dallas going to offer him a raise to stay
Troof
January 11th, 2010
8:40 pm
Dear Coach Richt,
I know I’m “past my prime” so to speak but I think I can get the job done as the new old UGA DC.
Signed,
Erk Russell’s ghost
Troof
January 11th, 2010
8:41 pm
Dallas Cowboys > UGA Bulldogs
The ladies in DFW are much nicer!
drsoul
January 11th, 2010
8:42 pm
You GA Dawgs had better pull your black jerseys and black fan t-shirts back out for the next couple of seasons… and you GA alums should be proud of KS that he made a ’smart’ decision…!!!! there is still room in the future for KS to return to GA, but now is not the right timing…. he will be much more valuable and stronger in the future… let him get a few more years at a ‘1st class’ institution and he will be better equipped to come in and do GA some good… you have deep problems and issues right now from Adams down to Richt and the entire bungled program…. you are also part of the SEC and other schools within want to see you do well… we have a hell of a conference and do not need another ‘black eye’ with a disrupted program, but it starts at the top… Look hard at BAMA..it took them awhile to learn to get a ‘first-rate’ coach and see what happened… but, it has got to be a real winner and leader…does not start with coordinators.. it will come again… we all want the Bears and the Dooleys again, but ain’t many around…. BAMA got theirs…you will get yours again…!!!! show some real class all you GA alums and be proud of KS…don’t be fairweather jerks and rednecks and put him down…
JUNKYARD
January 11th, 2010
8:42 pm
BAMA CAN MATCH ANY OFFERS FOR ANYTHING. THEY DO NOT LACK FINANCIAL PROVISIONS. THATS THE ONLY REASON I THINK SABAN WILL RETIRE THERE. THE SEC WOULD NOT BE NEARLY AS STRONG WITHOUT BAMA. EVEN IF I DON’T LIKE THEM, I HAVE TO GIVE THEM THE RESPECT THEY HAVE EARNED!!
SUPER DAWG
January 11th, 2010
8:44 pm
Glad Smart is not coming. He was not qualified anyway. As long as he is at Bama he will not be taken serious. Bama has no chance of repeating as NC. Heck Tenn had them beat this year and Texas would have won if Mccoy played. We will get someone much better and much more qualified than Kirby Saban oh I mean Smart. Right. Roll Over Tide
Reality
January 11th, 2010
8:44 pm
Remember uga fans and coach richt…. Womack is available to be your next DC. After all, aren’t dogs used to getting left over scraps? LMFAO!!!!!!
Troof
January 11th, 2010
8:50 pm
SUPER DAWG = FAIL
No chance, huh? I like our chance much better than UGAs. Get out of your own division first. Then we’ll talk.
Troof
January 11th, 2010
8:50 pm
Reality, he would probably come cheap too.
Curtis E. Flush
January 11th, 2010
8:51 pm
I think I smell somethin…