Georgia football head coach Kirby Smart has his work cut out for him in the national championship game tonight. His team faces the Alabama Crimson Tide, a team attempting to win its fifth championship in the last nine years. Oddsmakers don’t believe in him or them. And on the other sideline will stand his mentor, Nick Saban.
When Smart’s Bulldogs kickoff this evening, it will be the 12th time one of Saban’s former assistants has attempted to beat the mentor… and still (to this day) Saban remains undefeated in those contests. Since Smart’s departure from Alabama in December of 2015, the Tide seemingly hasn’t missed a beat. Including tonight’s game, Saban has reached the title game in three consecutive seasons.
This speaks more to the mastery of Saban’s program-building than a negative reflection on the impact of Smart’s departure. I’m sure Saban knew that Smart’s days were numbered well before he left. After all, Smart won multiple national awards while on Saban’s coaching staff. Most notably, Smart was the first ever Alabama coach to receive the Broyles Award, recognizing the nation’s best assistant coach.