Who goes to Bama-Smartt or Pruitt?

[bamawriter]

Just as illogical as comparing a coach's 20th year to another coach's 3rd.

I don't believe anyone is doing that.

Smart also had more success than Saban during his first three years at LSU too. Saban went 8-4, 10-3, and 8-5 his first three years at LSU.

And they had the same number for SEC titles and SECCG appearances in those 3 years.

But do we really wanna compare taking over from Mark Richt to taking over from Gerry Dinardo?

 

[GVF]

The process is irrelevant. Both coaches knew the process when they signed up. Richt even got a shot at the playoff and missed it. Also, how do you know what the BCS rankings would've been in 2017? Without knowing those you can't definitively know UGA would've finished third. The comparison is disingenuous because you cherry pick Richt's best years and leave out his worst. Its pretty clear that Richt wasn't the same coach in his last years at UGA. By using cherry picked numbers and a small sample size someone can create any narrative they want. That's like me leaving out Smart's first year and saying Smart will never lose a game in the East because he's undefeated against all SEC East teams the past two years. I can also say Smart goes to the playoffs once every 3 years. Though true, the small sample size makes the statement misleading. There is no connection between Richt's time at UGA and Smart's other than Smart taking Richt's players where Richt couldn't.

Valid statement. Smart got off to a good start, and has immense potential if he matures properly into an elite coach. He was left a very formidable roster to accomplish what he has his first 3 years. Smart also coughed up a few good assistants to lateral moves after this last season. So, is there something there? Can people work for him long enough to keep the initial success established and improving? I would interject that this has happened more than once with other programs when a change is made. The program gets a boost from the excitement and the new coach comes out swinging. What remains to be seen is if Smart sustains it, or the success wanes into Richt type success. Which most schools would die to have. I was a Richt fan. I have a UGA tie of my dad's that is autographed on the back by Richt. And what may seem foreign to some is that I am also a #2 UGA fan. UT #1, UGA #2. My dad was a UGA employee for his entire career. They put the food on our table and his income from UGA put me through college. And his nice retirement keeps my mom up in his absence. But, my grandfather lived in Knoxville, and Willie Gault went to UT from my HS when I was in 8th grade. He would save me all the football news clippings to read when we came up. It was cool to actually know someone that you ran track with make the big time at a school like UT. Gault actually came to UT primarily for track. Back then UT was one of the premier track schools for sprinters. I became infatuated with Vol football. I'm a UT fan, but not a Dawg hater.

 

[bamawriter]

Saban didn’t have to play Saban.

True. But Urban Meyer was pretty darn good.

 

[GVF]

Um, what?!?!

Um, Keep reading.

 

[Atlanta917]

Valid statement. Smart got off to a good start, and has immense potential if he matures properly into an elite coach. He was left a very formidable roster to accomplish what he has his first 3 years. Smart also coughed up a few good assistants to lateral moves after this last season. So, is there something there? Can people work for him long enough to keep the initial success established and improving? I would interject that this has happened more than once with other programs when a change is made. The program gets a boost from the excitement and the new coach comes out swinging. What remains to be seen is if Smart sustains it, or the success wanes into Richt type success. Which most schools would die to have. I was a Richt fan. I have a UGA tie of my dad's that is autographed on the back by Richt. And what may seem foreign to some is that I am also a #2 UGA fan. UT #1, UGA #2. My dad was a UGA employee for his entire career. They put the food on our table and his income from UGA put me through college. And his nice retirement keeps my mom up in his absence. But, my grandfather lived in Knoxville, and Willie Gault went to UT from my HS when I was in 8th grade. He would save me all the football news clippings to read when we came up. It was cool to actually know someone that you ran track with make the big time at a school like UT. Gault actually came to UT primarily for track. Back then UT was one of the premier track schools for sprinters. I became infatuated with Vol football. I'm a UT fan, but not a Dawg hater.

When a fanbase is as championship starved as UGA, they don't really care about anything other than winning. I doubt anyone would deny Richt is a great person. He and his family gave a ton to the university and its players. I'm from Kennesaw, so it meant a lot to me how he handled the Paul Oliver situation. I definitely think UGA went about firing Richt the wrong way, but it was time for him to go.

 

[05_never_again]

The process is irrelevant. Both coaches knew the process when they signed up. Richt even got a shot at the playoff and missed it. Also, how do you know what the BCS rankings would've been in 2017? Without knowing those you can't definitively know UGA would've finished third. The comparison is disingenuous because you cherry pick Richt's best years and leave out his worst. Its pretty clear that Richt wasn't the same coach in his last years at UGA. By using cherry picked numbers and a small sample size someone can create any narrative they want. That's like me leaving out Smart's first year and saying Smart will never lose a game in the East because he's undefeated against all SEC East teams the past two years. I can also say Smart goes to the playoffs once every 3 years. Though true, the small sample size makes the statement misleading. There is no connection between Richt's time at UGA and Smart's other than Smart taking Richt's players where Richt couldn't.

I don't know exactly what the BCS rankings would have been in 2017. Depends on which exact BCS you're talking about. There were different flavors that included computers plus polls, just certain polls, etc. The point still stands that barring some huge discrepancy between what the 2002 BCS thought and what a hypothetical Playoff Committee in 2002 would have thought, Richt would have been in a 4-team playoff in his second year.

You're trying to drive huge divisions between Richt and Kirby's first 3 years that aren't really there. You're hung up on their personal styles and I'll be the first to admit those are totally different. However, the results on the field through the first 3 years are actually pretty similar. That isn't to say I know what the future holds for Kirby. He might end up being far more successful than Richt. What I do dispute is the conclusion drawn by a lot of Dawg fans that Kirby's first 3 years proves he's light years ahead of Richt, which I just don't see yet.

 

[GVF]

When a fanbase is as championship starved as UGA, they don't really care about anything other than winning. I doubt anyone would deny Richt is a great person. He and his family gave a ton to the university and its players. I'm from Kennesaw, so it meant a lot to me how he handled the Paul Oliver situation. I definitely think UGA went about firing Richt the wrong way, but it was time for him to go.

Richt knew that and he'd have left on his own. He wasn't one to kill the horse and still try to ride it. That's why he abruptly left Miami. It was time for him to retire and he knew he didn't have the desire to see that job thru.

 

[Deacon Blues Dawg]

When a fanbase is as championship starved as UGA, they don't really care about anything other than winning. I doubt anyone would deny Richt is a great person. He and his family gave a ton to the university and its players. I'm from Kennesaw, so it meant a lot to me how he handled the Paul Oliver situation. I definitely think UGA went about firing Richt the wrong way, but it was time for him to go.

There was a lot more to the Richt firing than most folks know about. Pruitt had something to do with it. I think Pruitt and Richt expected Pruitt to be UGA’s next HC, and both were surprised by the Smart hire. The powers at UGA did an end-around on Richt and Pruitt.

 

[Atlanta917]

I don't know exactly what the BCS rankings would have been in 2017. Depends on which exact BCS you're talking about. There were different flavors that included computers plus polls, just certain polls, etc. The point still stands that barring some huge discrepancy between what the 2002 BCS thought and what a hypothetical Playoff Committee in 2002 would have thought, Richt would have been in a 4-team playoff in his second year.

You're trying to drive huge divisions between Richt and Kirby's first 3 years that aren't really there. You're hung up on their personal styles and I'll be the first to admit those are totally different. However, the results on the field through the first 3 years are actually pretty similar. That isn't to say I know what the future holds for Kirby. He might end up being far more successful than Richt. What I do dispute is the conclusion drawn by a lot of Dawg fans that Kirby's first 3 years proves he's light years ahead of Richt, which I just don't see yet.

UGA fans think Smart is better than Richt for a number of reasons. The first is Smart actually got to the playoffs and a championship. Richt could’ve gotten to a NC if he beat bama in the 2012 SECC, that was essentially a playoff game and he lost. The second is Smart is recruiting at a much higher level. Smart’s recruiting is better overall and he’s signed more 5 star o-lineman in 3 years than Richt did in 15 years. The third, and most important, is that later Richt wasn’t first 3 years Richt. It was clear that the game had passed him by. If Richt would’ve kept his quality of the first 3 years then he likely wins a NC with a little luck. However, he didn’t and developed a bad habit of playing down to the competition. Smart has a winning record against ranked teams. Richt did not.

 

[05_never_again]

UGA fans think Smart is better than Richt for a number of reasons. The first is Smart actually got to the playoffs and a championship. Richt could’ve gotten to a NC if he beat bama in the 2012 SECC, that was essentially a playoff game and he lost. The second is Smart is recruiting at a much higher level. Smart’s recruiting is better overall and he’s signed more 5 star o-lineman in 3 years than Richt did in 15 years. The third, and most important, is that later Richt wasn’t first 3 years Richt. It was clear that the game had passed him by. If Richt would’ve kept his quality of the first 3 years then he likely wins a NC with a little luck. However, he didn’t and developed a bad habit of playing down to the competition. Smart has a winning record against ranked teams. Richt did not.

During his first 3 years, Richt did. You're right, the first 3 years of Kirby are better than the last 3 or 5 of Richt. I'm not sure that's the best basis for comparison though, because I agree the game has passed Richt by at that point. It seems more relevant to compare Kirby and Richt during their first 3 years, when they were young, first time, more "fresh" coaches. Remember, early in Richt's tenure, he was seen as a young up-and-comer who had re-energized Georgia, taken hold of the SEC East if not the entire SEC, and was about to own the division if not conference for many years.

My entire point is that it seems hasty to already declare Kirby as being better than Richt because Richt, in his first 3 years, put up very similar marks to Kirby in his first 3. Yes, I understand Kirby played for a title in year 2, but you seem unwilling to acknowledge that Richt very likely would have at least been in a 4-team playoff in 2002 if one existed. So it's possible Richt could have played for a title in year 2 as well. On the flipside, if a CFP didn't exist for Kirby, he wouldn't have played for a title yet, just like Richt didn't get to in 2002. Their on the field performance during the relevant period for comparison is very similar. That's all I'm saying. It doesn't mean that Kirby is doomed to the same eventual fate as Richt, but I also don't think it means what Kirby has shown so far is some kind of guarantee he'll be light years better.

 

[Atlanta917]

During his first 3 years, Richt did. You're right, the first 3 years of Kirby are better than the last 3 or 5 of Richt. I'm not sure that's the best basis for comparison though, because I agree the game has passed Richt by at that point. It seems more relevant to compare Kirby and Richt during their first 3 years, when they were young, first time, more "fresh" coaches. Remember, early in Richt's tenure, he was seen as a young up-and-comer who had re-energized Georgia, taken hold of the SEC East if not the entire SEC, and was about to own the division if not conference for many years.

My entire point is that it seems hasty to already declare Kirby as being better than Richt because Richt, in his first 3 years, put up very similar marks to Kirby in his first 3. Yes, I understand Kirby played for a title in year 2, but you seem unwilling to acknowledge that Richt very likely would have at least been in a 4-team playoff in 2002 if one existed. So it's possible Richt could have played for a title in year 2 as well. On the flipside, if a CFP didn't exist for Kirby, he wouldn't have played for a title yet, just like Richt didn't get to in 2002. Their on the field performance during the relevant period for comparison is very similar. That's all I'm saying. It doesn't mean that Kirby is doomed to the same eventual fate as Richt, but I also don't think it means what Kirby has shown so far is some kind of guarantee he'll be light years better.

And my point is Kirby played for a title and Richt did not. Both coaches knew championship format when they were hired. Kirby did well enough to get to the title and Richt did not. Whether or not the BCS would've ranked kirby's UGA top 2 is unknown, so it is unfair to say he needed the playoff to get there. Beyond having a better record against ranked teams and top 10 teams, Kirby is also recruiting much better. The title appearance and recruiting make Kirby better than early Richt. Not that any of that matters considering Richt is a shell of his former self. Still, its funny to me rival fans don't want to give Kirby credit for having UGA's best year in nearly three decades. Were the first 3 close? Sure, but Kirby's is still undeniably better. A number 1 recruiting class and a title appearance tilt the scales in Kirby's favor.

 

[Deacon Blues Dawg]

During his first 3 years, Richt did. You're right, the first 3 years of Kirby are better than the last 3 or 5 of Richt. I'm not sure that's the best basis for comparison though, because I agree the game has passed Richt by at that point. It seems more relevant to compare Kirby and Richt during their first 3 years, when they were young, first time, more "fresh" coaches. Remember, early in Richt's tenure, he was seen as a young up-and-comer who had re-energized Georgia, taken hold of the SEC East if not the entire SEC, and was about to own the division if not conference for many years.

My entire point is that it seems hasty to already declare Kirby as being better than Richt because Richt, in his first 3 years, put up very similar marks to Kirby in his first 3. Yes, I understand Kirby played for a title in year 2, but you seem unwilling to acknowledge that Richt very likely would have at least been in a 4-team playoff in 2002 if one existed. So it's possible Richt could have played for a title in year 2 as well. On the flipside, if a CFP didn't exist for Kirby, he wouldn't have played for a title yet, just like Richt didn't get to in 2002. Their on the field performance during the relevant period for comparison is very similar. That's all I'm saying. It doesn't mean that Kirby is doomed to the same eventual fate as Richt, but I also don't think it means what Kirby has shown so far is some kind of guarantee he'll be light years better.

If you could hire Kirby Smart or Mark Richt at UT, which one would you pick?

 

[XknoxvolsX]

Yes, and so did Bill Battle after his first two years. All we heard about in Fulmer’s first 6-7 years was about how he led the nation in winning percentage. Does not mean you can sustain a program over a period of time.

Yeah, but not everyone inherits a program built for national prominence either. Except for Larry Coker and those Miami coaches back in the day.

 

[GOVOLS 1]

Let’s just hope Pruitt has Tennessee in the position where Alabama would want him to leave

 

[Dudleys87]

True. But Urban Meyer was pretty darn good.

True, when he’s focused and on his game he much like Dabo can make Saban look foolish and that’s not easy

 

[Dudleys87]

Let’s just hope Pruitt has Tennessee in the position where Alabama would want him to leave

And hope Fulmer is still around because if not the vaults under Neyland will magically be empty

 

[VolinMichigan]

By reading this article, it is clear that Dabo Swinney doesn't have Mike Hamilton as his AD! And, it looks as if Clemson has become worried about losing him to BAMA should Saban retire.

Dabo dismisses talk of potential future at Bama

For all you worried about our coach, who hasn't had a winning season yet, this all may be premature. However, I do remember a lot of you fretted about losing Dooley to Georgia! Funny now, huh?

Dabo or NFL coach if I had to put money on it. I don’t see Pruitt proving enough at UT to be considered a serious candidate by the time Saban retires.