I can't believe Kirby Smart is staying at Alabama through the playoffs

Submitted by SAMgO on
So it has been reported that, despite the official announcement from Georgia naming Smart their new HC, he will continue to coach the Tide's defense throughout the playoffs. How in hell is Georgia allowing this? The National Championship Game is on January 11 and NSD is February 3rd. He's also helping a conference rival and a school they regularly recruit against try to win it all. Is there and precedence for this whatsoever? I can't remember another coach doing this before. I'd be quite mad if I were a UGA booster helping to pay his salary.

I Like Burgers

December 6th, 2015 at 3:44 PM ^

Put it this way, in an alternate universe where Michigan hires Tom Herman last year, would Michigan fans have been pissed if he stayed coaching Ohio State through the national championship and wasn't out recruiting players and a staff?

And in an even more remote universe where Michigan made a bowl last season, wouldn't you also be pissed that your new head coach was still coaching at a rival instead of at his new school coaching bowl practices and getting his team off to a head start?

How many Michigan fans would give a shit that their new coach won a title as an OC but passed up an opportunity to coach and recruit for Michigan to do it?

Farnn

December 6th, 2015 at 3:06 PM ^

Ash is staying at OSU too through the bowl.  Seems Durkin is one of the few leaving immediately for the new job.  Wonder if Michigan had a shot at Rose Bowl if he would have stayed.

Bb011

December 6th, 2015 at 3:11 PM ^

That isn't what he is saying even in the slightest. He's saying if we were to be in a position to go to the rose bowl would durkin stay like smart is staying. The answer to that I would guess is no. I bet durkin not staying has more to do with Harbaugh not letting him than the other way around.

schreibee

December 6th, 2015 at 3:07 PM ^

Didn't Herman do the same last year with osu? He stayed through the NC game, then left for Houston.

Or is your logic that Houston should just be very happy to get a coach like Herman while UGa should exert their SEC influence and demand Smart join them asap?

I Like Burgers

December 6th, 2015 at 3:33 PM ^

The issue is that he's been looking for a head job for a long time, finally gets it, and rather than going to the new school to help build his team there, he's sticking with an in-conference team (albeit in a different division) to help them with their season.

Meanwhile, Georgia will have no coach to run their bowl practices, and no coach or permanent staff to go recruit.  Little tough to recruit kids if you can't answer "will you be on staff next season?"  If Alabama makes it to the national championship game, he'll only fully be in the Georgia job for 22 days before signing day.  That's not setting yourself up for success very well.

Like, either you want to be a head coach, or you don't.  Its the sitcom equivalent of having two dates with two different women on the same night -- it always ends terrible (but hilarious!).

Lionsfan

December 6th, 2015 at 4:14 PM ^

I dunno, just feels like it would be a weird situation. Unless Smart's future OC is already on staff, Smart would be coaching/gameplanning with a guy who isn't gonna be there next year. Plus with no Chubb, any gameplan Smart comes up for the Bowl Game gets thrown out the window when he comes back

And I don't think the bowl practices really matter that much, especially for a team like Georgia. It's not like they're a bad team that needs as much extra time with their coach as possible

I Like Burgers

December 6th, 2015 at 4:21 PM ^

I just feel like any coach given the opportunity to coach and evaluate his players (and some assistants) would do that.  Does he have to be super involved?  No.  But it would be his only chance to work directly with the players until the spring.

Plus, he's a first time head coach.  He could probably use all the reps he can get at running a program.

Blue Mike

December 6th, 2015 at 4:41 PM ^

Shouldn't he at least be spending the time focusing on pulling his staff together?  If I'm Saban, I don't let him spend any time contacting coaches.  If he's at my school as the OC, he's going to be spending his time coaching my offense.  At this rate, he's going to have 22 days to hire a staff and keep a recruiting class together, while anyone recruiting against Georgia has 37 days to tear his class apart.  Not a smart move.

JonnyHintz

December 6th, 2015 at 7:20 PM ^

He could go the Urban Meyer/OSU route. They got an NCAA waiver that essentially allowed two coaching staffs. Fickell coached the team in the bowl practices and bowl game while Meyer assembled the new staff and recruited.

A little bit different of a situation, but it IS actually rare for a new coach to come in and coach his team through bowl practices and bowl game. It has happened before, but it isn't a common occurrence.

Michology 101

December 6th, 2015 at 3:33 PM ^

Yes, indeed. I mean National Championships don't come every day. You do not deprive that man the opportunity to win a National Championship. There's nothing to discuss. As long as you're leaving on good terms, and the team still wants you, you stay for that ring. One could argue that it wouldn't be right for him to leave right now, and possibly disrupt those kid's opportunity to win a National Championship.

recklessaBrandon

December 6th, 2015 at 3:16 PM ^

Does anyone know if he is filling out his staff? Maybe he delegated many recruiting duties to them. Still a weird situation since Georgia and Alabama are peers/rivals unlike OSU/Rutgers, OSU/Houston, etc.