Ahead of the biggest… game… ever, Florida’s Charlie Strong isn’t the only defensive coordinator working in the SEC Championship game whose name is being tossed about by the coaching rumor mill.
Alabama coordinator Kirby Smart‘s name has been mentioned in connection with the coordinator openings at both Georgia and Florida State. Right now any and all attachment seems to be mainly media- or message board-driven, but head coach Nick Saban seemed perturbed at the notion of one of his coaches making a lateral move just for the sake of making a move.
“We want our coaches to advance. It should be their motivation to do a good job to be able to create a better opportunity for themselves,” Saban said. “If you’re a coordinator, you can become a head coach. If you’re not a coordinator, you can go some place and be a coordinator, and actually gain more responsibility.
“To move just to move sometimes, when it’s not really an advancement in responsibility, is (not) something that you like to see on your staff because you hope that the people that are there are working to move up the ladder.”
We tend to agree wholeheartedly with Coach Woodcock on this one, only we’ll say it a little bit differently and with no offense meant to either the UGA or FSU programs.
Why in the hell would Smart leave Alabama for the same position at schools who are, quite frankly, simply not at the same level as the Tide right now? It makes no sense at all. None.
Leaving for a head coaching gig is one thing; leaving for a job with the same responsibilities and title at a “lesser” program? C’mon now.
Then again, Smart’s agent wouldn’t be tossing his name out there in an effort to fatten up his client’s Tide contract, would he? Nah, that’s not how agents roll.
Speaking of rolling, insert an eye one here…
John, let’s think a little before we write, ok?
Saban is a defensive coach, so anyone on the D side of his staff is always going to have to share credit with Nick. At FSU or UGA, Fisher and Richt are offensive guys, so credit for running a great D there will go to the DC.
On top of that, both teams have talent on D, so turning them around won’t be a monumental task.
Finally, while he’s an undeniably good college coach, Saban’s first name would be better spelled with a D in front. Coaches are willing to stick around and learn from him- but not for long. Sunseri, and Smart especially, likely feel like they’ve learned what they need and would rather work for an actual human being for a while.
Saban would NEVER himself just switch jobs, you know from headcoach to headcoach to headcoach to head coach……. Oh wait. Never mind.
@hrmlss ….
Saban went from head coach in the college ranks to head coach in the pros–a step up. Then his family was unhappy with life in the pros and Nick discovered that’s not where his talents lie. It happens that way sometimes. He got the opportunity to come back and revitalize one of the most storied programs in college football–a step back from pro to college but a step up from LSU where he was before.
Makes a lot more sense to me than going from coordinator for a top-two defense at top-two ranked Alabama to Georgia or that mess at FSU.
Of course, reality isn’t as pithy as your bit of snark, but it makes more sense.
Let’s see Saban was a head coach at LSU, made a move that ok, maybe wasn’t quite lateral to head coach of Miami. Then made a less than lateral move back to college football as head coach of Bama. Seems like the king of lateral moves calling the kettle black.
Kirby Smart is a UGA alum; combining that with him not getting much credit on a Saban coached team, and that could be a reason to make a lateral move . . .
@Endy9 …
You’re not too bright, are you?
College to pros is not a lateral move.
Like I said, Nick realized he’s not cut out for pros. Family wasn’t happy. Wisely moved back to college.
LSU to Bama. Not a lateral move. Not by a long shot.
Roll Tide!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Doubt Kirby take a lateral move to the mess that is FSU. If he wants to go to his alma mater, I wish him well. But would expect he’ll wait for a head coaching offer.
[...] coordinators. Yeah, that’d make Coach Hancock a happy camper, especially knowing how he feels about his coaches making lateral moves. Permalink 0 Comments Latest Stories in: Big 12 Conference, Florida Gators, Rumor Mill, [...]
[...] Smart did intimate that, when he does move on from the Tide, it will likely be for heading his own football program as opposed to making a lateral move that his current boss so frowns upon. [...]