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Monday, January 11, 2010

Smart, Saban Quotes

Here's the full release from Alabama...

Tuscaloosa, Ala. -- University of Alabama head coach Nick Saban announced Monday that defensive coordinator Kirby Smart would remain in his current position with the Crimson Tide. Smart won the 2009 Broyles Award, given annually to the top assistant coach in college football. He just finished his third season at Alabama and the Tide ranked second nationally in total defense and scoring defense in 2009.

Quote from Head Coach Nick Saban
“We’ve very pleased and happy that Kirby is going to be staying here at the University of Alabama with us. 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.”

Quote from Defensive Coordinator Kirby Smart
“I think it was pretty well known that there was an opportunity to return to my alma mater as defensive coordinator. 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 Saban. I have learned so much in the time I’ve spent with Coach Saban, and every year I feel like I become a better coach.

“I’ve got a great deal of respect for Coach 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.

“At the end of the day, I just feel like this is where I am supposed to be and this is a special time to be at the University of Alabama.”

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

BOOOOOOO! Hey everybody, now let's talk bad about Smart and say things like we don't need him, and find clever ways to mock his name (Kirby Poot)! /sarcasm

Seriously though, we'll be fine with whoever Richt gets. Hopefully it'll be soon.

JRL said...

Unlike many I refuse to put this in the "we lost" bag. KS did what he thought best and I wish him well. CMR aimed high (I'm grateful for that) and must now move on - no big deal. Smart is not the only guy in the country that knows defense.

Anonymous said...

Yep, this time next year we might be looking at it like "man aren't we glad THAT didn't happen?"

David Davis said...

For some reason, I highly doubt that.

BigMuddyDawg said...

And what was it, 700 some odd thousand dollars? Not saying we spend that much on our guy but the fact that this figure was offered has got to be raising some eyebrows, right?

blackertai said...

*Sigh*

Anonymous said...

While I think we will ultimately be fine with whomever Richt signs as DC, it is going to cost way more than his new contract for Kirby to get back in Saban's good graces. I'm sure Nick has already let him know what day of the week his trash needs to be rolled to the street.

Anonymous said...

I sure wish he would have squashed this a long time ago. He could've, you know. But thanks, Kirby, for stringing us along until Jan. 11.

Captain said...

Time to start hyping Tim DeRuyter before Texas A&M gets him.

Mike said...

Time to start hyping Tim DeRuyter before Texas A&M gets him.

Amen.

This is our guy. DHale, get it out there. He's going down to A&M to interview this week. We need to get to him before he commits to them.

He's turned two dead last in their conference units (Ohio and Air Force) around in very fast time. He has an MBA. Sharp dude. We don't need another recruiter. That's taken care of. We need a tactician. DeRuyter's our dude.

Get on it.

Captain said...

What Texas_Dawg said. Or the DC at Boise State - those Boise guys can coach.

Plus, anybody who can get kids from Compton, CA to come play in Boise has the recruiting thing figured out really, really, really well.

Anonymous said...

what about the guy at UNC?
Everett Withers...the guys resume speaks for itself, every where he's been its turned to gold...
http://tarheelblue.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/withers_everett00.html

Anonymous said...

"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"

LOL,Saban sounds like Darth Vader:

"You have only begun to discover your power. Join me, and I will complete your training. With our combined strength, we can end this destructive conflict and bring order to the galaxy."

Jameson said...

I'm sure Saban would have been really angry if he'd left...you know, because he'd never leave a program after working so hard to turn it around.

Anonymous said...

Rodney Holloway:

Get a grip, dude. Mark Richt represents the program with dignity and class.

He is one of only 5 SEC coaches to win 10 games four years in a row (Dooley, Bryant, Fulmer, Spurrier are the others).

Put down the sharp objects, and I will write off the Damon comment to you having a bad day.

Anonymous said...

Rodney,

I can only guess that you are trying to troll this site because your comments simply aren't grounded in reality.

Just look at CMR's whole body of work before you make remarks like that.

I'm talking about winning two SEC championships his first five years in the conference (how many other coaches have topped that?) bowl wins, W/L percentage compared to his counterparts, etc.

Anonymous said...

How about the DC at Nebraska? He did a better job against Texas than Saban/Smart and did it with Colt McCoy in the game not a freshman. He also coached under Pellini who is an excellent defensive guy!!

Anonymous said...

Watching our coach fumble through this process gives me flashbacks of watching a confused Bryan Evans try to figure out who he is supposed to cover while Reshad Jones "tries" to make a tackle on the guy Evans left wide open:

A half-hearted attempt with no real outward illustration of care, intensity, interest, or emotion.

Regardless of what is truly going on inside the program, the frustration level is understandable.

Randall said...

Ok, Ok, Ok David I finally stumbled across it on you tube. You are very sly to stay mum about this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgbBP9Em00A

very sly indeed

Anonymous said...

Rodney,

You are incredibly stupid.

Sincerely,

Sensible People Everywhere

Anonymous said...

Kirb would've been a great hire...but chances of him coming had to be slim at best anyway. I just hope that same sort of money will be offered to Jones or Grantham. Either one of those guys would be an improvement at the worst. I want someone who will teach our corners to look back to the ball like CHAMP BAILEY used to do. In fact they should just show film of that beast for practice.

Anonymous said...

Hey David Pollack save the tweets. You were a lot better football player than giving inside scoop.

Mike said...

Hey David Pollack save the tweets. You were a lot better football player than giving inside scoop.

What was wrong with his tweets? He said that Smart being hired was likely but not 100%. Nothing wrong about that.

Anonymous said...

I don't have a problem with Pollack's tweet: Smart did sign the sheet and changed his mind after hours, no doubt, of Saban begging him to stay.

I still think if we had offered the "coach in waiting" thing, Kirby would have come back to UGA. This might have tipped the scales as I don't feel Richt coaches 5 more years.

Mike said...

I still think if we had offered the "coach in waiting" thing, Kirby would have come back to UGA. This might have tipped the scales as I don't feel Richt coaches 5 more years.

Wow. I am definitely glad we did not do that then.

Kirby Smart is a 34-year-old who has never managed a defense of his own. Offering him the head coaching spot now is just insane... especially when there are proven DCs out there that could do the job we need done right now just as well and for less money.

Sponge said...

Captain and Texas are right, that Air Force DC is a miracle worker.

Anonymous said...

Can we get Sylvester Croom???

Anonymous said...

Hale-

What is the process for interviewing and eventually hiring a coach in the NFL? Do you have to wait until their season is over b/f you can approach them, or could we announce a hire of guy like Grantham who still has games left to coach?

Thanks

Anonymous said...

I don't think we "lost" Kirby Smart. I think Kirby did exactly what I feared he would do seven weeks ago. I think Kirby purposefully held up our coaching search until the completion of his bowl game by expressing (and faking) sincere interest in our DC job, but requested that we wait until after Bama's NC game (and probable win) to discuss the details.

Kirby is no dummy. He knows that winning a NC would drive up the asking price for UGA. It would also loosen Bama's purse strings and make them more likely to match or exceed UGA's offer. He also knew that early January is only one month from National Signing Day, which would give Bama even more incentive to up the ante for their top recruiter.

Kirby played CMR like a violin. I'm not bashing Kirby. The system is what it is, and CMR allowed himself to be played. Kirby is a bright young coach with a very bright future ahead of him. UGA will find a quality DC. Both Kirby and UGA will come out of this whole thing smelling like a rose. Regardless what most Dawg fans might think, the sky is not falling.

Anonymous said...

Whoever said CMR was a bad coach needs to go screw himself. He was the 4th highest winning percentage in college football.

David Hale said...

Hey folks,

Just a quick note -- I know a few comments from "Rodney Holloway" ruffled a few feathers yesterday. I got an email from the real Rodney Holloway today to let me know that it was an impostor making those comments. So... don't hold it against him if you ever meet Rodney in real life, but feel free to punch our troll in the face if given the chance.

Sorry for the problems!

-D