Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin and former Alabama quarterback turned analyst Greg McElroy sparked some buzz this week by hinting that legendary coach Nick Saban might not be entirely done with coaching.
That speculation quickly made its way to Georgia head coach Kirby Smart, who was asked for his thoughts on the possibility of a Saban comeback.
In classic Smart fashion, he responded with a lighthearted jab, joking that Georgia just so happens to have a defensive analyst spot open, which was a nod to Will Muschamp’s recent departure.
Yeah, I called and offered him Muschamp’s job but he was overqualified, so he wasn’t interested,” Smart said during SEC Media Days.
“No, I heard all the scuttlebutt and everything about it. I almost laughed. It was like somebody needed something interesting to talk about yesterday, so they chose to go to Coach Saban to do it.”
While Smart didn’t exactly buy into the idea of his former Alabama boss making a full return to the sidelines, he had nothing but praise for Saban, and even shared that the two still talk football from time to time.
The game is better with him involved, and he is involved. He is passionate about it,” Smart said. “He and I still talk and share ideas from time to time about defensive philosophies and the way to do things, and he’s still watching tape and very, very involved in football. He loves it.
“His brilliance, as brilliant as he is in many ways is around football. It’s around scheming. It’s around another way to do something to stay ahead of the offensive minds, and I think that’s one of the elite talents he has, and he still loves that. He’s still passionate about that.”
Smart wrapped his thoughts up by reminding everyone who really calls the shots.
“But make no mistake about it,” Smart said. “The boss at home is going to make that call for him, not him.”
