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Nick Saban (2008-2014) vs Kirby Smart (2017-2023)
Posted on 11/21/23 at 12:52 pm
Posted on 11/21/23 at 12:52 pm
Never thought I'd see another coach duplicate Saban's 2008-2023 but Kirby is on pace to duplicate or exceed Saban's run.
Both Saban and Kirby's first seasons at Alabama and Georgia respectively were anomalies so I threw then out. Saban (2008-2014) and Smart's (2017-2023) next 7 seasons have been remarkably similar:
Saban (2008-2014)
84-11 record with 3 national titles and 3 SEC titles
Smart (2017-2023)
84-10 record (with games still left this season) with 2 national titles and 2 SEC titles
Nick has gone 113-11 from the start of the 2015 season until this point of the 2023 season so Kirby still has a ways to go to match CNS but on the current trajectory Kirby Smart and Georgia are on it's certainly possible. It'll be interesting to see if Kirby can match the GOAT'S record
Both Saban and Kirby's first seasons at Alabama and Georgia respectively were anomalies so I threw then out. Saban (2008-2014) and Smart's (2017-2023) next 7 seasons have been remarkably similar:
Saban (2008-2014)
84-11 record with 3 national titles and 3 SEC titles
Smart (2017-2023)
84-10 record (with games still left this season) with 2 national titles and 2 SEC titles
Nick has gone 113-11 from the start of the 2015 season until this point of the 2023 season so Kirby still has a ways to go to match CNS but on the current trajectory Kirby Smart and Georgia are on it's certainly possible. It'll be interesting to see if Kirby can match the GOAT'S record
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Posted on 11/21/23 at 12:58 pm to Govt Tide
A 1-0 coach would be 'on the path' to match Saban.
Kirby has done a fantastic job at UGA, and in a short amount of time. I'm not saying UGA won't continue to be successful... but pump the brakes. The most impressive thing about Saban's tensure is the longevity of sustained excellance. As you mentioned, Kirby has a ways to go, but definitely a good start
Kirby has done a fantastic job at UGA, and in a short amount of time. I'm not saying UGA won't continue to be successful... but pump the brakes. The most impressive thing about Saban's tensure is the longevity of sustained excellance. As you mentioned, Kirby has a ways to go, but definitely a good start
Posted on 11/21/23 at 1:10 pm to Govt Tide
Kirby is 4 games from doing things no one has every done in the SEC. He can own the all time SEC wins in a row record (tied for it right now) 3 NCs in a row, already first coach with 3 8-0 SEC seasons, back to back undefeated years.
But the longevity of Saban at such a high level is likely never to be matched.
And we still have GT, Bama and if we make it playoffs before most of the above.
But the longevity of Saban at such a high level is likely never to be matched.
And we still have GT, Bama and if we make it playoffs before most of the above.
This post was edited on 11/21/23 at 1:11 pm
Posted on 11/21/23 at 1:28 pm to Govt Tide
Saban got a Bama team that had gone 26-24 in the past 4 seasons and was about to get hit with a textbook scandal from the previous coach's watch
Kirby got a UGA team that had gone 40-13 in the past 4 seasons and was already well stocked with talent in one of the top 3-4 richest HS talent states in the country
Kirby is a hell of a coach and the records are identical at first glance, but given the state of each program when they took over, hard to not to say Saban's is more impressive
Kirby got a UGA team that had gone 40-13 in the past 4 seasons and was already well stocked with talent in one of the top 3-4 richest HS talent states in the country
Kirby is a hell of a coach and the records are identical at first glance, but given the state of each program when they took over, hard to not to say Saban's is more impressive
Posted on 11/21/23 at 1:30 pm to HighTide_ATL
quote:
but given the state of each program when they took over, hard to not to say Saban's is more impressive
We are 8 years in.
At this point, "the state of each program when they took over" is irrelevant.
Dawg fans could argue that Kirby was a first time head coach and what he is doing is more impressive because of that.
Saban was a former NFL head coach and former college football national championship head coach when he built Bama.
Posted on 11/21/23 at 1:41 pm to meansonny
quote:
Dawg fans could argue that Kirby was a first time head coach and what he is doing is more impressive because of that. Saban was a former NFL head coach and former college football national championship head coach when he built Bama
^ and this is why it’s apples to oranges but Bama fans want it so badly to be the same
Posted on 11/21/23 at 1:54 pm to HighTide_ATL
quote:
Kirby got a UGA team that had gone 40-13 in the past 4 seasons and was already well stocked with talent in one of the top 3-4 richest HS talent states in the country
that had to start a virginia transfer or a TFr at QB
that had to start a transfer at rhode island at LT
that had to start a guy that would be an NFL tackle at guard, because of zero depth or other options on the OL
that had its best player 10 months removed from obliterating just about every item in his knee
that went to overtime at home against GA Southern the year prior
That scored 0 TDs and single digit points at home against missouri the year prior
That scored a grand total of 2 TDs (combined) against really bad AU/GT teams
Whose best wide receiver was 5'8 160 pounds
Recent history has really warped people's minds as it relates to 2016 UGA. Much like Saban in 2007, that first year was more about kicking out the garbage, cutting the fat, dismissing the troublemakers, and creating a culture that would get leaders to buy into. That 2016 squad he inherited barely even resembled the one of justs 12 months later in 2017.
Posted on 11/21/23 at 1:58 pm to Govt Tide
What those two have done is remarkable though.
But right now, what Kirby is doing is just insane. Saban has always dropped at least one game a year (outside of 2009 and 2020). Kirby has gone three years without dropping a regular season game (and two straight years without dropping a single game). I don't think people quite grasp how difficult that is in the SEC.
People can say "let's see if he can keep it up though". But he isn't showing any signs of slowing down plus what team in the SEC is going to derail him besides maybe Bama from time to time? Maybe one day complacency might settle in but frick, it hasn't after three years...
But right now, what Kirby is doing is just insane. Saban has always dropped at least one game a year (outside of 2009 and 2020). Kirby has gone three years without dropping a regular season game (and two straight years without dropping a single game). I don't think people quite grasp how difficult that is in the SEC.
People can say "let's see if he can keep it up though". But he isn't showing any signs of slowing down plus what team in the SEC is going to derail him besides maybe Bama from time to time? Maybe one day complacency might settle in but frick, it hasn't after three years...
Posted on 11/21/23 at 2:00 pm to WG_Dawg
quote:
Recent history has really warped people's minds as it relates to 2016 UGA. Much like Saban in 2007, that first year was more about kicking out the garbage, cutting the fat, dismissing the troublemakers, and creating a culture that would get leaders to buy into. That 2016 squad he inherited barely even resembled the one of justs 12 months later in 2017.
This is the point I've been trying to get across to Auburn fans who are in full blown panic mode right now. Freeze inherited a literal shitshow and to me, has done a great job with the limited amount of talent he has.
Posted on 11/21/23 at 2:04 pm to HighTide_ATL
Bama was 10-2 in '05 and was in the top 10 in regular season. I love how gumps act like he took over a terrible situation 
Posted on 11/21/23 at 2:15 pm to HighTide_ATL
quote:
and was already well stocked with talent in one of the top 3-4 richest HS talent states in the country
It's a damn good thing for UGA that the NCAA mandates that high school kids have to stay in state. This is always such a retarded take.
Posted on 11/21/23 at 3:38 pm to Govt Tide
Kirby is just proving it just takes buying alot of 5*s and playing a weak schedule to be deemed the GOAT. He will be til the next HC comes around with that same situation and they will be the GOAT.
In the future the BCS championships and the 4 team playoff champs will be considered easier to get than the 8 or 16+ playoff champs. Just like handed out AP champs before the BCS.
In the future the BCS championships and the 4 team playoff champs will be considered easier to get than the 8 or 16+ playoff champs. Just like handed out AP champs before the BCS.
This post was edited on 11/21/23 at 3:39 pm
Posted on 11/21/23 at 3:42 pm to Rabern57
I see no reason why Kirby can’t match and pass saban’s longevity. He’s a young man.
Posted on 11/21/23 at 3:48 pm to Legionfield
Cfb is slowly becoming the NFL with no salary cap or draft. It's headed to super conferences and no one to regulate anything. It will be a completely different game in 5 years. It will be hard for any coach, no matter how great they are, to play through 3+ real top 10+ teams every year to win a NC.
This post was edited on 11/21/23 at 3:54 pm
Posted on 11/21/23 at 3:49 pm to Govt Tide
It is what it is. I didn't think Kirby would be this good but here we are. He is outpacing Saban at this point. I only hope that Bama doesn't stay with Saban too long because coaching big-time college football is a young man's game.
Posted on 11/21/23 at 3:53 pm to Rabern57
Nothing caps a day of work off like an Auburn melt.
Posted on 11/21/23 at 4:02 pm to meansonny
Kirby and Saban have a lesser version of the Switzer-Osborne dynamic.
Osborne always had trouble with those 80s Oklahoma teams and would sometimes keep him from basically being another Saban. Kirby has beaten Nick like what….once in the last 4-5 tries? These next two games that Georgia has against Alabama this year and next year will show whether or not he’s able to get that monkey off his back.
Osborne always had trouble with those 80s Oklahoma teams and would sometimes keep him from basically being another Saban. Kirby has beaten Nick like what….once in the last 4-5 tries? These next two games that Georgia has against Alabama this year and next year will show whether or not he’s able to get that monkey off his back.
Posted on 11/21/23 at 4:10 pm to Rabern57
quote:
Kirby is just proving it just takes buying alot of 5*s and playing a weak schedule to be deemed the GOAT.
quote:
Rabern57
Melt
Posted on 11/21/23 at 4:10 pm to Shaft Williams
The NIL (which is only a coupla years in) and now the 12 team playoff is gonna change CFB going forward...
Saban was dominant for 12-15 years and Kirby has been right there with him for the last 7. Things are changing so fast it'd be amazing to see either continue to be the kings of CFB...
Gonna be wild going forward.
Saban was dominant for 12-15 years and Kirby has been right there with him for the last 7. Things are changing so fast it'd be amazing to see either continue to be the kings of CFB...
Gonna be wild going forward.
Posted on 11/21/23 at 4:10 pm to BigBadBoodieDaddy
quote:
But right now, what Kirby is doing is just insane. Saban has always dropped at least one game a year (outside of 2009 and 2020). Kirby has gone three years without dropping a regular season game (and two straight years without dropping a single game). I don't think people quite grasp how difficult that is in the SEC.
But let's not ignore the fact that all 3 of UGA's biggest rivals have been in the gutter the last 3 years, and really no east team outside of UT last year and Mizzou this year has really been worth a shite either. Their west opponents outside of AU have been Mississippi State, Arkansas, and Ole Miss. Those are the facts.
This post was edited on 11/21/23 at 4:14 pm
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