Alabama head coach Nick Saban shocked the college football (and sports) world with his sudden retirement announcement last week.
Saban was quickly showered with praise and compliments for everything he’s done for the sport. He is widely considered to be the greatest college football coach of all-time.
Washington’s Kalen DeBoer has since been named Saban’s replacement as the coaching transition is well underway.
One of Saban’s fiercest rivals of recent years has been his old protégée, Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart.
Smart recently broke his silence on Saban’s stunning decision, and admitted that its one he didn’t see coming…
“Little shocked when it came about, but it’s one of those things that’s inevitable for all of us,” Smart said during an interview on 92.9 The Game in Atlanta.
“We’ll all walk away, and sometimes you walk away on your own terms and sometimes you don’t. I thought it was pretty cool he got to walk away on his own terms,” he added.
Kirby Smart to Nick Saban before the SEC Championship:
"You're a hell of a coach”
This moment hits different now 😪
— NFL Retweet (@NFLRT) January 11, 2024
Smart, who worked alongside Saban at LSU, Alabama, and the Miami Dolphins, shared his initial reaction to the news before delving into the character of his mentor, both on and off the field.
“I have a lot of respect for him as a coach, as a person, and as a man,” Smart said.
“What he and Mrs. Terry have meant to, really the game of football, but especially to Tuscaloosa, they’ve been incredible. He’s put a lot of coaches through his coaching factory, I can assure you of that.”
“I’m too old for this sh*t.” – Nick Saban before the SEC Championship this year.
He wasn’t being coy this time. The greatest of all time has coached his last game at Alabama.pic.twitter.com/lcuR5AyOLs
— Jon Tweets Sports (@jontweetssports) January 10, 2024
Now that you’ve had a few days to digest the news, just how surprised were you that Saban retired?
Did the new Wild Wild West world of NIL and the transfer portal drive him out?
What are your thoughts on the DeBoer hire?
With Saban now gone, is Kirby Smart the new King of the SEC???
BREAKING: With news of Nick Saban retiring. We now have the UNDISPUTED GOAT in college football coaching in Little ole Athens Georgia.
KING KIRBY SMART!!!! ALL HAIL THE KING!
Go Dawgs! pic.twitter.com/4u5MhnuMwi
— 🚫 LEE Ring (@HBTFD1) January 10, 2024