Why Georgia And Kirby Smart Benefit From Nick Saban’s Retirement

With apologies to Lou Gehrig’s spirit, University of Georgia football coach Kirby Smart is the luckiest man on the face of the earth.

That was Smart’s record against Alabama coach Nick Saban, and that was ridiculous since folks held their breath during Georgia-Alabama games to see how Smart’s Bulldogs would lose this time.

Here’s the latest: Kirby Paul Smart is now the undisputed champion of his profession, and he has the ability to knock the crimson and white out of Alabama just about anytime he pleases.

Just like that, the bogeyman during Kirby’s eight years of goodness (and often greatness) with the Bulldogs is gone.

He’s done since Saban and “1-5” retired out of nowhere Wednesday after seven national championships, including six at Alabama during the past 17 years.

Saban was the primary reason the Crimson Tide ranked fourth on Forbes’ 2019 list among college football programs with a three-year average revenue before the pandemic of $134 million.

Pop Warner. Knute Rockne. Frank Leahy. Amos Alonzo Stagg. Bud Wilkinson. Woody Hayes. Barry Switzer. John McKay. Tom Osborne. Bobby Bowden. Neither of those college football coaching legends nor Alabama’s other eternal god named Bear Bryant surpassed Saban in greatness for a career.

Which meant Smart wasn’t alone among his peers getting spooked by Saban, owner of a 31-3 record against his former assistant coaches. It’s just that Smart remained Saban’s most prominent and persistent target.