Travaris Robinson explains how Kirby Smart, Nick Saban compare on the field

Travaris Robinson sees a lot of similarities when it comes to Nick Saban and Kirby Smart. After spending two seasons at Alabama as Saban’s cornerbacks coach, he joins the Georgia staff this year as a safeties coach and co-defensive coordinator.

As he arrived for a press conference, he noted the difference in how things were from Alabama, where Saban didn’t allow assistant coaches to speak to the press. However, in terms of how things are overall, there wasn’t too big of a change going from Tuscaloosa to Athens.

“First of all I would say, you see this microphone right here?” Robinson began. “That would be the main difference. As far as the energy and different things like that, getting after guys and holding guys accountable, I would say it’s equal. I would say the microphone and getting that public talk, it’s a little bit different when guys come to you or when you hear it on that microphone and your players hear him talking to you. ‘Hey, T-Rob, this guy don’t know what he’s doing’ or ‘you don’t know how to coach it.’

“So it holds everybody accountable. It’s really good. Anybody can get it man. Coach Saban has been a mentor to all of us. We talk to him all the time. He’s a guy who everything we learn from him. He’s been great to us.”

It would make sense that Smart would have a similar coaching style to Saban. After all, he spent nine seasons as an assistant coach at Alabama from 2007-15 and was a member of the legendary coach’s inaugural staff with the Crimson Tide.

Smart has since gone on to build quite the reputation after taking over at his alma mater in 2016. He has directed the program to two national championships, two SEC titles, three College Football Playoff appearance and a 94-16 overall record.

For an up-and-coming coach like Travaris Robinson, the opportunity to learn from both has been something that he doesn’t take for granted. This season will be the second time he assumes the role of defensive coordinator after he held the title at South Carolina from 2016-20.

Georgia has developed a reputation as one of the top defenses in the country in recent years and only appears to be on the rise under Smart’s direction. Robinson will hope to be a part of keeping that going when the Bulldogs kick off the season on Aug. 31 against Clemson.