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
DawgFan
January 11th, 2010
4:28 pm
SweetHomeAlabama, Don’t forget where Bama was two years ago. The Independence Bowl at 6-6. Things change quickly. Keep Smart in Alabama and good luck to you.
Vince's Dooley
January 11th, 2010
4:28 pm
I have a new idea Coach Richt. What about Reggie Ball? We taught him a lot about UGA defense. Check on him.
Gatorguy
January 11th, 2010
4:28 pm
Hey
just in time for
(((((((((((((41-17)))))))))))))
Bartkowski had a great arm!
January 11th, 2010
4:28 pm
It’ll be very interesting to find out how much money Alabama coughed up to keep Kirby. I’m sure they had to give him more than the 700,000+ that his alma mater offered him. I’d be willing to bet he’s up there with Muschamp now. Don’t blame you there dude!
Maxwell Smart
January 11th, 2010
4:29 pm
OK chief. Let me say this one more time for the UGA folks who are to slow to fiqure this out. As I told agent 99 when Sabin said “get smart” it was a code word for KAOS that was intended to throw them off! Got it chief?
Tech has scholarships
January 11th, 2010
4:29 pm
4 spots just opened up for Tech if any of you 4/5 star UGA recruits are thinking about jumping off the sinking ship and want to play for a champion in GA.
good and gone
January 11th, 2010
4:29 pm
hahhahahahahahahahaha,gee and I thought the sun rises and sets in Athens according to you people..there’s one that ain’t coming back to that $hit hole.
UGADawg83
January 11th, 2010
4:29 pm
Hope we have someone in the hip pocket.
bryant
January 11th, 2010
4:30 pm
Saban does not allow any assistant coaches to speak with the media. Why woud KS want to make a latteral move to a program that thinks by changing uniform colors or helmets that it will make the team play better. I was in Athens for the last blackout, and it dawned on me that they needed to paint the seats black. Because at halftime (31-0)there were a bunch of empty seats. Kirby will be back in Athens one day, as the head coach.
Dude
January 11th, 2010
4:30 pm
kerryb,
It is good to think about the past i guess. I thought you were going to bring up 1980 for a second, like IT STILL MATTERS!! The fact of the matter is, the only thing the DAWGS have won in 30 years (on a national scale that is) was a GIMME BCS game against Hawaii. I don’t really think many people at Bama care too much about you not hearing anything during their probation. They are still too busy polishing that trophy. HAHA, Pathetic.
Senator Blutarski
January 11th, 2010
4:30 pm
I’ll resign from the Senate and be the DC if Richt doesn’t mind me going to some of those Saturday night parties so I can re-live my “Animal House” days
boots
January 11th, 2010
4:30 pm
Crap.
Rip
January 11th, 2010
4:30 pm
Hey Steak Shapiro and Pollack- I thought it was a “done deal”
kerryb
January 11th, 2010
4:31 pm
Believe me. a 4-5 star recruit will never come to Tech to play in a High School offense, and play for a 90 year old DC.
tbomachine
January 11th, 2010
4:31 pm
this is b********t. tired of being a dawg i waiting….. here’s to another subpar year. go dawgs–get someone else a raise
RealDawg
January 11th, 2010
4:31 pm
Athens > Tuscaloosa. LOL that BAMA girls still have 80’s big hair.
GABamaFan
January 11th, 2010
4:31 pm
Bama got a National Championship because McCoy couldn’t play. Good job of stinging the QB but that’s about all it amounted to. That’s the same way Bobby Bowden’s teams used to operate. They knew their opponents only had one real QB so they pounded his fanny until he was done for. It worked for them and it works for Saban. Otherwise, it was easy to tell that Texas was the better team!
———————————————-
Amazingly stupid post, but it is a GA fan who would know better than anyone about losing (are you still celebrating 1980?). If TX was the better team, then they would have had a running game to counter the loss of their QB. And if TX was the better team, then their defense would learn how to stop a dominating running game (didn’t they have the #1 run D coming into the game…so much for stats). Let’s play the what if game. What if Greg McElroy, who torched UF’s number one rated D, wasn’t injured himself with cracked ribs, which clearly affected Bama’s game plan (we have a running game, so we don’t have to rely on our QB)? What if Rolando McClain was not throwing up all week and 100% for the game? What if Mark Ingram doesn’t go out in the third quarter with severe leg cramps? We can play this game all day. And yeah, your’re right, Saban attacks the team’s weakness, which, in this case, was UT’s one dimensional attack. It’s called good coaching. Something I wouldn’t expect a UGA fan to understand.
kerryb
January 11th, 2010
4:33 pm
Dude thats funny. A Bama fan making a comment about bringing up the past. You guys dig Bear Bryant up before every football season. You would think he is still alive like Elvis.
KidMid
January 11th, 2010
4:33 pm
No problem Kirby. I hope you never come through Bainbridge again. If I see you, look for dawg Sh%t on your windshield.
Realist
January 11th, 2010
4:33 pm
GT Joe,
Your comments will matter win Tech wins a bowl game.
Alabama Jacket
January 11th, 2010
4:34 pm
I just LOVE how yesterday, Smart was the most AWESOME DC, and the FIRST choice of the DAWG fans… and now today, after yet ANOTHER rejection, he was never worth it! HAHAHAHAHA
How pathetic!
Just get over it… UGAy isn’t all that the stupid rednecks THINK it is!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
Vince's Dooley
January 11th, 2010
4:34 pm
Damon, can you see if that basketball coach can be our D-Coord? I mean we looked good against Kentucky last week.
DawgFan
January 11th, 2010
4:34 pm
Daddy Saban, Can I go out and play. Just like Ray Goff said, never go back and coach at your alma matter because if you do poorly, you have no home to go back to. The thing is how big of an ego does Nick Saban have? He can’t let his DC tell anyone what he decision is, but he speaks for him.
kerryb
January 11th, 2010
4:34 pm
I guess you will clean your houndstooth hat before next year.
jaxdawgfan
January 11th, 2010
4:34 pm
I’m disappointed but not surprised. I can’t say that I blame him for staying where he is.
Got 12?
January 11th, 2010
4:34 pm
STAGE TWO: Smart is ours! He’s the greatest DC ever! Na na na boo boo, Bama! Go Dawgs!!! Woof!!! Woof!!! Woof!!!
cursive
January 11th, 2010
4:34 pm
I never would’ve thought that it would take this long to find someone who wants to coach Defense at UGA. Honestly, it is sad and embarassing now, and the program may be in bigger trouble than I’d thought.
Good Dog
January 11th, 2010
4:35 pm
Ok, give Kirby a head coach offer. CMR is a great guy, but he has bottomed out. Need a new start.
Gdawg
January 11th, 2010
4:35 pm
Kirby, thank you for turning down this job, as I know that you would have been in over your head. Richt, as I told my son last night, Granthan is the man and has been all along as far as I am concerned. By the way, I will take CMR and his class over an egomaniac in Saban any day of the week. Kirby, I hope you give up 500 yards and 40 points per game next year. Go Dawgs!!!!!!
kerryb
January 11th, 2010
4:36 pm
Dude, I guess that was a GIMME game for Utah last year.
Alabama Jacket
January 11th, 2010
4:36 pm
kerry b…
dude… Elvis is dead!
Dave TV
January 11th, 2010
4:36 pm
I HERE JERRY GLANVILLE IS STILL AVAILABLE – COACH RICHT
Disappointed Dawg Fan
January 11th, 2010
4:36 pm
Kirby……….you no longer belong to UGA, you are no longer a Dawg, and you are no longer welcome here. At least grow a pair and tell us your self you greedy @$$hole. Like all people like you say,” It’s just business.”
FLDAWG
January 11th, 2010
4:37 pm
CMR and CKS wear Nick Saban pajamas. Oh well let’s move on and welcome whoever will take the job.
COME ON OUT AND
January 11th, 2010
4:37 pm
Enter your comments here
so long
January 11th, 2010
4:37 pm
well let’s see ..all you dogpoops screamed to high heavens demanding a firing and you got it, oops…becareful what you want out of life…
Got 12?
January 11th, 2010
4:37 pm
STAGE THREE (current stage): Kirby is a traitor who is no longer a alum and not welcomed in Athens!!! I hate Saban (for winning)!!! I hate Bama (for winning)!!! It’s really Saban’s defense anyway! Kirby doesn’t really do anything and is not really a coach anyway!
Maxwell Smart
January 11th, 2010
4:38 pm
OK Chief Looks like I was wrong again!!! Guess Kirby doesn’t like it doggie style!
Erk Russell
January 11th, 2010
4:38 pm
Mark, Give me a call. I’m available and can do the job. I will work cheap and be most effective.
kerryb
January 11th, 2010
4:38 pm
Alabama Jacket. That was SARCASM. I guess you didn’t undestand that.
Atlanta_Tiger_Fan
January 11th, 2010
4:38 pm
Why would he leave a winning program to go to UGA???? Would have made absolutely no sense! UGA will continue to be 2nd rate SEC team for years to come so get used to it!
Kid me not
January 11th, 2010
4:39 pm
Good for Kirby! Good for Georgia Bulldawgs! The best for Georgia is still out there. Patience will win!
collegeballfan
January 11th, 2010
4:39 pm
Career wise I would think Smart made the correct choice. He is in demand now with one nat Champ ring. Bama will be favored for a 2nd next year. How much in demand will he be with a 2nd Nat Champ ring?
Smart move to stay.
Dawg4Life
January 11th, 2010
4:39 pm
UGA may be the most pathetic program in Division 1 right now. Most programs take a week to hire a DC. The is going on two months and is about to go into a key recruiting period. We need to get someone and fast. Have we thought about looking at the local high schools???? Gwinnett has a nasty defense
Jerry Glanville
January 11th, 2010
4:39 pm
I am tan, and rested, and ready.
Shake & Bake
January 11th, 2010
4:39 pm
Broyles award winners don’t make lateral moves. UGA needs to bring someone up from the ranks that’s hot, DC’s usually move now to HC positions where OC’s did a decade ago.
Just looking in the wrong place that’s all, and the fact that Damon Evens is a jerk along with Mike Adams. If Vince was still there you could pull anyone you wanted in.
N. Saban
January 11th, 2010
4:40 pm
Willie might come back if you give an increase in pay & apologize for firing him!
Kentucky Cat
January 11th, 2010
4:40 pm
No DC wants this job. They know the cupboard is bare and CMR will be struggling to keep his job in a couple of years.
(((((((((((34-27)))))))))))))))
Bama Fan Who Thinks You're Better Off
January 11th, 2010
4:40 pm
Gdawg: If you’re better off without him, why hope he fails? That just makes no sense. And, why are you concerned about Nick Saban’s personality type?? He wins everywhere he goes. That’s the personality type I want — the one that wins.
Btw, I hope you guys win, too. See? I’m no Dawg hater.
bustervols
January 11th, 2010
4:41 pm
I believe the linebackers coach at Appalachian State would be a good DC.