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CBS Sports slots Kirby Smart behind Nick Saban as college football’s top coach
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CBS Sports slots Kirby Smart behind Nick Saban as college football’s top coach
There’s little doubting of Kirby Smart these days The Georgia head coach has guided the program to back-to-back national championships, the first coach to do so in the College Football Playoff era.
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Kirby and the Dawgs will never be good enough for some. When Kirby wins his third this season, this rube will say that it wasn't impressive enough to unseat Saban. We know who the best is and that's good enough for me.
Nick does have 7 titles. Bear with 6 right. Tom Osborne with 3. El Doucho Meyer with 3.
I think Nick has to be the GOAT. Until Kirby gets his 4th we should pump the brakes. 1 game at a time.
Kirby is definitely top 2 active.
Let's put it like this. Kirby is 47 and in his prime and has shown he CAN win the big one. Saban is in his 70's and his days are numbered although he's still considered the greatest. Said it before and will say it again. Saban won his first title at 52, Kirby won his 2nd and is still only 47. ENOUGH said. Go DAWGS!
I slot CBS Sports right behind Bevis and Butthead Sports!
I don't believe in the "Championship Counting" method of grading a coach. The only thing that separates a Kirby Smart from a Nick Saban, is...Time & Luck.
With a lot more time on the current trajectory....Kirby will probably pass him on the "Natty Count". With just a little more luck, the Dawgs could've had one of the Natty's, Nick lays claim to....2017
Bottom line, is...there's a big difference between the "Minnesota three-peat" era...the "Bear Bryant" era...and the "Nick Saban/Kirby Smart" era. Each one of those teams and their respective Coaches deserve that same recognition.
There is no such thing as "Greatest of All Time"...or "Best That Ever Played". Those things are just toys for the "Football Fans" to play with, in the off-season. Lol. IMO, there can ONLY BE..."Greatest of His Time".
You can try to measure a player/coach's value and compare it across time...but, there are too many nuances and variables to consider. So...IMO... It's best to, just say...Kirby is the best I've ever seen at UGA and is currently..."The Best Coach in the Game".
But, even THAT, wouldn't be completely accurate...as Erk Russell was pretty dang good, too. Too bad Dooley let him leave, to build that Ga. So. Program, else, he would've/should've succeeded Vince Dooley. Which would've put Erk squarely in the middle of this conversation...and, definitely would've put a few more Natty's in the UGA coffer.
Dooley got a lot of the credit, that should've gone to Russell....just like Saban gets a lot of credit, that should go to Smart. That makes Smart..."Greatest of His Time". There it is. Lol
Employee A tells the boss that he was great 3 to 5 years ago, but didn't make quota the last couple of years. Employee B has been rep. of the year the last two years in a row, with the upcoming year looking very prosperous. Who is seen as the more important employee-A or B?
Two things. Why would you not count the number of championships to ASSIST is the grading of a coach. Sure there have been a lot of great coaches that have not won the big one but then there are those that have figured it out and maybe got the breaks but it's what people remember them by mostly. Seconded I never said Saban was the greatest of all time, I stated what people CONSIDERED him to be as the greatest of all time. Might as well ad a third. A few of my buddies and I all graduated from elementary school, high school and UGA together. We don't always see eye to eye as I was always a Stetson guy as I watched him all through high school, but one thing we all have in common as such as with you. We are die hard DAWGS!
Kirby is living rent free in Nick's head as well as many others!
BigDawg, I beg to differ....Perhaps time plays into the determination but if you know anything about Kirby Smart and the program he has instilled at UGA, you know absolutely that luck has nothing to do with a DAWG victory....it's all about individual personal commitment, dedication and perseverance in becoming elite and the surrender of self for the good of the TEAM.
@GtheGreek
Didn't Kirby just acknowledge in an article EARLIER today that the Dawgs were lucky to beat Ohio St?
I think, maybe you misunderstood me, just a little bit. I wasn't referring to just you or anybody else on here. I was talking about some of the so-called experts that, Paul Finebaum and ESPN, put so much stock in.
I didn't mean to suggest it shouldn't be "a" consideration...along with many others. But, it's really not fair to make it "the" consideration...especially when comparing the BCS/CFP era Coaches to the AP/UPI (among others) Polling era Coaches.
And, the coaches of the, "Freshmen don't play" and "there's no limit on scholarship players", eras. It was a different game with a crooked road to the Championship. PR was boss, back in the day...not necessarily, play on the gridiron.
You could have 2 teams with identical undefeated records. But, lose the Natty, if one of those teams was USC, UCLA, Alabama, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Texas or Syracuse...simply because. Lol
It's almost, still that way today. Polls still determine the CFP Teams...I don't care what they say. Politics put Cincinnati in last year...Politics put LSU ahead of UGA in 2007...and, again OSU ahead of UGA in 2018.
The "best teams" don't always get a fair shot at the Trophy. That's just the reality of it, IMO. Some teams get just a little more consideration than others...not, because of what they did on the field, "this year"....but, because of the history, popularity and marketability of the University, it's HC and "Star Players".
EXAMPLE: IMO...Cincinnati got in last year, because a strong push from Rece Davis's commentary...and, Max Duggan's heroic performance, on National TV. They won over a lot of votes...in a LOSING performance, no less.
Till you actually get to a playoff on the field...it's mostly, a popularity contest...and always has been. I guess you could say, I question some of the former "named National Champions".
With this in mind...I don't put as much weight on the Champiinship as most do. But, I don't completely disregard it, either.
I'm with you, on Stetson. He's from near my neck of the woods, too. If...he had played at one of those North Georgia Schools or Camden, Lowndes, Valdosta...somewhere like that....and attended some of those "dog & pony show" development camps...his football IQ would've been higher and he would've been ranked much higher out of High School.
Bennett spent his first 2 years of College, just getting his feet wet and actually learning how to use his talent. Late bloomer.
BTW...Why did he not Graduate HS till he was 19? Has he got some kind of learning disability? I only ask in passing, cause of a BS article I read, that said he had not graduated from UGA, yet...after 6 years. I don't even know if THAT'S true. Lol...ya can't believe anything you read, anymore.
Go Dawgs.
Golly! I guess Kirby Smart has some work to do.
Not a problem with this. Just gives more fuel to Kirby who is always looking for one more thing to motovate himself or the players.
I disagree with that statement and I'm willing to bet Kirby disagrees. I know we as fans have short memories, but the win over Ohio State had a bit of luck involved. OSU out played UGA most of the night, the UGA offense made some big plays late and the defense still couldn't stop OSU from getting into FG range. UGA didn't have anything to do with the missed FG, that was just luck.
Honestly, it's really not a big deal as both Smart and Saban could be considered for both. You certainly can't yet call Smart the Greatest Coach of All-Time. Saban, as much as we hate him, have a long proven record. Bama has lost 3 games ONCE since his first full year that that was in 2010.
The difference is that there is a 24 year difference between the 2 coaches. Smart is just "warming up" while Saban is deciding when it's time to bow out. If Bama were to have a 4 loss season, I'd bet that Saban would announce his retirement right then and there. Smart is the future of NCAA football located in the State of where these future superstars are born.
This will be an interesting year for both us and Bama as we both have a lot to prove. We don't HAVE to win it all (although that would be so very awesome), but we MUST make a strong showing and prove that we have the formula for long term champions.
⬆︎ I'm quite sure this is how Kirby sees it. It is also the reality. ⬆︎
There is always some luck involved in sports. Kirby perhaps more than most coaches has figured out how to make his own luck, or, perhaps more accurately, Kirby has figured out how to get his players to make their own luck.
Someone said this - Kirby didn't invent the the machine, but he perfected it - we'll find out over time if the statement is true. So far, it looks like it might be true.
Go, Dawgs!
Back to back
If not for "Luck"...UGA would've beaten Saban in 2012...and again in 2017 and 2018.
If not for "Luck"...Saban would've had 3 or 4 losses in 2021 and missed the SECCG.
If not for "Luck"...Saban would've had 4 or 5 losses in 2022.
His "Luck" ran out against LSU. Kelly wasn't intimidated...he wasn't, "too busy looking at the pinstripes, to beat the Yankees". Lol
Luck plays a huge part, in any undefeated season,, in the SEC. Gotta have "Lady Luck" on your side...or, be great enough to out-play "Bad Luck". Which the Dawgs were, in 2021 and 2022....and, probably will be, for years to come.
I just wish some of the "Old Dawgs"...the OG's...were alive to enjoy this.. It's been a long time, coming. We ALL knew this is what the Dawgs could be, under the "right Head Coach". They've been called "a sleeping Junkyard dog"...or...."sleeping giant", for as long as I can remember. Mainly, due to their proximity to "Prime Recruiting Territory" and perennial "top talent pool" they've had over the years.
Spurrier once asked,...back in the '90's..."UGA gets all that talent every year...what do they do with it?". Lol...that's not a problem, anymore.