Kirby Smart speaks about relationship with Nick Saban since retirement

Nick Saban took down Kirby Smart for the final time on Dec. 8 as Alabama won the SEC Championship to earn a spot in the College Football Playoff. Just over a month later on Jan. 10, Saban announced his retirement from coaching. A move you have to imagine was celebrated a bit in Athens.

The relationship between Saban and Smart has always been a good one. Alabama and Georgia have played in some of the most important games in recent times and there’s no doubt they wanted to beat one another. But there has always been a respect between the two, something Smart says is still active as Saban moves into retirement.

“Nick’s been great,” Smart said. “He’s been wonderful for my career, he’s a great man. He’s a leader in college football. He continues to do that. Been very supportive of me and my family. Enjoyed it.”

Smart spent nine seasons in Tuscaloosa, beginning as the defensive backs coach in 2007. He was quickly promoted to defensive coordinator in 2008 and was part of one of the best runs in college football history with Alabama. Four of Smart’s career national championships are with the Crimson Tide.

Taking control of his alma mater was too good of an opportunity to pass up, though. Smart brought the standard Saban had set with him to Georgia and instantly became Alabama’s biggest on-field rival when it came to competing for championships.

Facing each other six times, Saban came out on top on five occasions. Four of them were SEC Championship games, while no Alabama fan will forget the 2017 national championship when DeVonta Smith scored a walk-off touchdown.

Smart will have fond memories of his head-to-head win against Saban too, occurring in 2021 in Indianapolis for Georgia’s first championship since 1980. It felt like the Bulldogs had finally slayed the beast, taking down somebody who haunted the program for years.

Through all the matchups, Saban and Smart have remained friends with one another. On-field matchups have not come in the way of their relationship, often seen smiling while talking during pregame warmups.

We will get our first taste of Alabama-Georgia without Saban on the sidelines this year. Smart will take his team to Tuscaloosa on Sept. 28 for a regular season matchup, the first between them since 2020. Georgia has not won at Bryant-Denny Stadium since Saban’s first season in charge, 2007.

Kalen DeBoer is now on the other sideline, where the relationship between him and Smart is still in its infancy stages.