re: Nick Saban (2008-2014) vs Kirby Smart (2017-2023)

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This is one of the absolute biggest gargantuan talking points that nobody ever seems to talk about. When Saban first started his rise to prominence, the only other truly elite coach in the league was Meyer, who was gone 4 years into saban's tenure.

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Saban inherited a program that over the previous 4 years had landed 2 five stars (1 transferred before Saban got there). He immediately had to contend with a coach that had won the national title and, and another coach that would win the title in his first year. Saban is a tier above Meyer and Miles imo. Meyer though is a very good coach, he has personal vices that get in his way though, and made it difficult for him to keep up with Saban because of how Saban was building a program to sustain success. Miles was a decent coach for the era that found himself in a good situation, sort of like Orgeron.

Saban also had to contend with a legitimate in-state program that was undefeated in 04, and manages to field a formidable squad at least 50% of the time, which is significantly more than anyone can say about Georgia Tech this century.

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Kirby from his frist day on the job as a head coach until now has had Saban in his way. It really makes what he's done thus far even MORE remarkable. If Saban didn't exist Kirby already has 1 more natty if not sevearl more.

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So to recap what Saban “had to contend with”:
1. Two years removed from the college game, and had to put together a staff and ramp up recruiting from zero with just 1 month till NSD in 07.
2. Inherited a program that not only was barely averaging .500 the previous 4 seasons, had lost to its instate rival 6 years in a row, and had just 1 five star and roughly 20 4 stars (maybe 25th in a talent team composite?), and was in the SEC West which had won 2 of the past 4 conference championships
3. His program was immediately hit with a sanction by the NCAA for violations that happened under the previous coach’s tenure
4. Would face multiple national championship coaches in-conference over his first 4 seasons

Vs Kirby’s path…
1. Learned under Saban about the process and building a college program for 8 straight seasons before taking the UGA position. It’s been discussed multiple times over the past several years how he essentially photo-copied whole aspects of Alabama football’s approach to help mimic Alabama’s success
2. Hired by a program that was averaging 10 wins a year the previous 5 years, and found himself in the weaker division of SEC which had not won the conference in 7 years
3. Inherited a roster that was 6th in team composite with 10 five stars and 31 four stars
4. Program was in a state regularly in the top 4 of high school football talent with a weak in-state rival, and no in-state rival within conference
5. Hired coaches and recruited rostered players to UGA from Bama throughout his first few years to help implement Bama’s approach and culture as quickly as possible
6. Immediately began re-recruiting kids he had recruited to Bama. Everyone has heard the big board story, and how he leveraged it to negatively recruit Bama and lure players to UGA
8. Only had 1 championship level coach to contend with over his first four seasons, which was not in his division, and happened to be his former boss whom he essentially modeled the majority of his program after

What’s that saying about “standing on the shoulders of giants” (insert sabanmidget.gif)

If you think these variables don’t significantly contribute to the similarity in the records/accomplishments, and that what Kirby has done, given all his advantages, is more impressive…well just have to agree to disagree