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 $360,000 in 2009.
Richt has been trying to hire a new defensive coordinator since the Dec. 2 firing of Willie Martinez and two other defensive coaches.
Georgia previously pursued two veteran defensive coordinators for the job, Virginia Tech’s Bud Foster and LSU’s John Chavis. Both opted to remain in their current jobs after having their contracts considerably sweetened.
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1,397 comments Add your comment
Josh D
January 11th, 2010
3:22 pm
Richt is trying to get the biggest fish in the pond. I am a Georgia fan and the answer is not the biggest fish. The answer to who we need to get as the DC is no other than John Lovett from Miami. He is an excellent recruiter and is one hell of a Defensive Coordinator. Look what he has done in one year for the Hurricanes’ defense. He is who we need and this is who Richt needs to turn his focus to. If we want to conted for the SEC championship and for a national championship.
J$
January 11th, 2010
3:22 pm
Per David Pollack on twitter: “Wow so Smart signs a term sheet to join Georgia as their new DC and then Backs out. Wow wow wow”
How2fish
January 11th, 2010
3:22 pm
‘Bama 1…yet another Bama fan showing some class thanks for living up to your rep!
Dbalcer
January 11th, 2010
3:22 pm
I want to hear Smart say that not Saban. If Smart lets Saban do his talking that speaks sadly to his being his own man.
Bartkowski had a great arm!
January 11th, 2010
3:23 pm
Simple, I was thinking the same thing. Don’t go by what Saban said at a press conference regarding another matter.
AltamahaDawg
January 11th, 2010
3:23 pm
Joe B, I am willing to bet if Kirby Smart patted you on the head, you will still pee yourself and frame the picture. Of cource he still has a home here. (technically he was born in Alabama) Damn good Dawg, that didn’t have much to gain to make a lateral move right now.
Devil's Advocate
January 11th, 2010
3:23 pm
What happens now if KS accepts the job Saban says he is not interested in? Is it possible KS can make his own decisions? Is it possible that Saban doesn’t have a clue what KS’s intentions are? What would you KS dumpers havre to say then?
dawg it
January 11th, 2010
3:23 pm
nice one Bama 1 , and after all dogs pulled for you guys last week. we’re on the same team
youngdawg
January 11th, 2010
3:23 pm
I don’t care what Nick Satan says! Let’s here from Kirby! OK Damon offer him more $. If he turns down 2mil a year then go offer it to Will just to see of he’ll consider it.
buzztheirazz
January 11th, 2010
3:23 pm
what happens when grantham says no?
Bo
January 11th, 2010
3:23 pm
I heard he wanted garner out, and richt would not do it, so don’t hang your head dawgs. he does have some saban in him!!!! no pun intended!!!!
cantondawg
January 11th, 2010
3:23 pm
THIS IS GREAT NEWS. Grantham has alot more experience than Smart and won’t be looking to make a head coaching job in a couple of years. Grantham has both NFL and college experience. Grantham was a DC for 4 years in the NFL. KS has only been a DC for two years and we really don’t how good he is because SABAN is the real master behind the defense. Bring on CTG
Beelzebub's Advocate
January 11th, 2010
3:23 pm
Hire Al Groh. Let Rodney Garner go to Tech as the DC.
dawgnation
January 11th, 2010
3:23 pm
Stop trying to spin it. We got rejected after offering everything but the kitchen sink. We are a second tier SEC program.
dixiedawg
January 11th, 2010
3:24 pm
What we want & what we get are usually 2 different things as we’ve already seen.
Sybil Walker
January 11th, 2010
3:24 pm
Love the headline!! How appropriate!!
David Womack
January 11th, 2010
3:25 pm
I was just contacted by Mark Richt, and have a good offer. I will accept the job. With that balding, shiny head who could say no? BTW, what gay fraternty has a closet for Richt?
RxDawg
January 11th, 2010
3:25 pm
Whatever. Smart was the 3rd choice for this very uninformed misguided fan. I never understood the infactuation with Smart nor why he would make a lateral move over to UGA.
I don’t see this as some kind of failure and neither should anyone else
DAWG NATION
January 11th, 2010
3:26 pm
POOR GUY COULDN’T EVEN TALK FOR HIMSELF
TW3A
January 11th, 2010
3:26 pm
Richt now tell the story like it really went down, lay out evry detail
kl5
January 11th, 2010
3:26 pm
Richt did the right thing. Go hard for the #1 choice, it was a long shot, now go to Plan B, which should not take long.
ncdawg
January 11th, 2010
3:26 pm
…most sensible comment by far: Dawgs97 @ 3:18 p.m.
Russ, the Temporary Mascot
January 11th, 2010
3:26 pm
A$$ painting a dog will come back to bite you in the a$$. Kirby saw how I was treated and decided to stay put. Expect an announcement today that it may be February before the selection is made. Let’s see . . . how many coaches is that?
No one likes an a$$ painter.
Bremen Dawg
January 11th, 2010
3:27 pm
Kirby was a short term solution, 2- 3 years max, so maybe this is good for UGA. Lets get someone that is looking to stay for awhile.
NORRIS
January 11th, 2010
3:27 pm
SOMEBODY’S HEAD NEEDS TO ROLL FOR LETTING THE WORLD KNOW WHO ALL WE HAVE MADE OFFERS TO. IT IS AN EMBARRASMENT TO THE TEAM. IT APPEARS AS THOUGH NO ONE WANTS TO WORK AT GEORGIA AND NO ONE WANTS TO WORK FOR MARK RICHT. OF COURSE THAT MAY NOT BE THE CASE BUT THIS IS THE WAY THE MEDIA HAS PORTRAYED IT.
BamaJoe
January 11th, 2010
3:27 pm
re: Wal-Mart
well the real question is: will Wal Mart exist that far out in the future?
JB
January 11th, 2010
3:27 pm
Kirby last seen tied and bound in closet in Saban’s office forced to watch replay of NC game where announcers referred to BAMA defense 16 times as “SABAN’S DEFENSE”……….did Kirby not have the balls to tell the world or
NOT ALLOWD TO SPEAK. Saban is a Jerk. Also, Scratch him off the list for When Mark leaves one day.
fishtales
January 11th, 2010
3:27 pm
But…but…but…I thought it was a “done deal”? I don’t know how many of you said you had sources and it was definite and Kirby was seen eating at the Varsity and blah blah blah blah blah. Just more talking out of your rears like most Bulldog fans do. No facts or anything but you KNOW exactly what is going to happen. Book it…write it down…etc. Now, it’s “we never really wanted him. He sucks. He’s not welcome back to Athens. Bama cheats. Saban is a liar.” More blah blah blah. No wonder you all are an underacheiving program. UGA fans are the most classless, self-entitled fans in the SEC.
Independent Thinker
January 11th, 2010
3:27 pm
Sybil, I agree…the headline is priceless! And so very true.
And for those who say all these people turning it down make UGA look second rate…nahhhh..you did that all on your own.
smart move
January 11th, 2010
3:27 pm
why would anybody leave Bama to come to Richt if Bama hadsame amt on the table
Randy "Macho Man" Savage
January 11th, 2010
3:27 pm
Ohhhhhhhhhhhh yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah
SNAP INTO IT LEG HUMPERS!
Love those Bama Rednecks
January 11th, 2010
3:28 pm
Newsflash – Smart not coming to UGA, he’s to busy showing off the trophy at Wal-mart. Someone had to stand in for the best man at the wedding in sporting goods. Word has it, the bride was mad at her brother and went to the baby section with the baby daddy.
Dawg stuck in Bham
January 11th, 2010
3:28 pm
Unnamed coach in Athens has said that Smart did give a verbal YES last week before the NC game and that Smart wanted the contract in writing. Richt gave it to him. Smart really did plan on signing it and coming to Athens. He didn’t do it to play UGA. But Saban talked him into staying by telling him that his next move should be as a head coach and not as DC….even told him he thought UGA would be open in a couple of years….talk about a weasle
RichW
January 11th, 2010
3:28 pm
If Kirby Smart can’t speak for himself and has to have saban let the world know he’s staying at Alabama he’s not the kind of man we want at Georgia anyway, we need a DC with his own back bone, not a saban lacky.
TW3A
January 11th, 2010
3:28 pm
whoever we get will be better than what we had
Cuz
January 11th, 2010
3:28 pm
Any other DC want a raise. Just make Mark Richt your facebook friend.
KD
January 11th, 2010
3:28 pm
Coach Richt just announced at a press conference, that he and UGA has offered Kirby Smart the DC job and he has accepted the offer. See SATAN, two people can play that game ! SATAN was just talking to let people know who’s THE BOSS around his house.
IKnowEverything
January 11th, 2010
3:28 pm
You Georgia fans should now realize that Georgia is just an average at best. If not why is it that nobody is excited to coach at GA.
Buck Up
January 11th, 2010
3:28 pm
Quit your crying Dawgs fans. You sound like the North Avenue Nerds.
Get over it.
-
memphisdawg
January 11th, 2010
3:28 pm
oh well, darn, bring on Grantham
AltamahaDawg
January 11th, 2010
3:28 pm
Why is it a given that no NFL guy can be hired till they complete thier last game. Wouldnt expect them to not finish the contract, but since when it is a given that you can’t hire a guy to start at a lter date??
Brookhaven Bulldawg
January 11th, 2010
3:28 pm
The question is, did CMR put an Independence Bowl victory over hiring a new DC and the future of the program?
Ed
January 11th, 2010
3:29 pm
Now go get Tim DeRuyter before Texas A&M gets him!!
Lost again
January 11th, 2010
3:29 pm
UGA, it looks like you lost again. Maybe you can get a DC by June or July. Does it register that good coaches don’t want to be associated with a mediocre team?
Artie
January 11th, 2010
3:29 pm
In other words, the Almighty Saban is NOT LETTING Smart leave!!!
Dan
January 11th, 2010
3:29 pm
Smart can go F himself
DaveDawg
January 11th, 2010
3:29 pm
So what the heck does Kirby have to say for himself??
This statement only confirms the Smart will never be fully respected while he’s toiling in Saban’s shadow.
TW3A
January 11th, 2010
3:29 pm
We three coaches should be very thankful to Georgia. They got a raise that their teams would have nevr game them until somebody else wanted….Now that is loyal…
AltamahaDawg
January 11th, 2010
3:29 pm
how is that the question?
RealDawg
January 11th, 2010
3:30 pm
BAMA-A winning program for two years, wow. Those fat elephants only won 60% of their games in the 2000’s. They love to pump themselves up and follow up good years with a 6-7 season.
I hope they had to give Kirby a big raise to keep him (if it is true).