quote:
Smart does not deserve being compared to Dubose, but there is one HUGE similarity in the two situations - neither have been a head coach before, and being a highly successful assistant at Alabama under a popular coach makes us want to overlook that. I would feel 1000x more comfortable with Kirby Smart if he went somewhere like Nebraska for 2-3 years as the head coach first. Alabama is a horrible place to get on-the-job training of the pressures of being the head guy. Put it this way - every head coach to win a national championship at Alabama in the modern era was a head coach at a major program before coming to Bama. Not one exception to this among Ray Perkins, Bill Curry (Ga Tech is not major imo), Dubose, Fran, Price, and Shula. Since Coach Bryant came in the 50's, there have been exactly three head coaches at Alabama to have been in charge of a major college football program before taking over at Bama - Bryant (A&M), Stallings (A&M and NFL), Saban (Mich St, LSU, and NFL). I just don't believe this is coincidence

Very good points. I am not sure who else out there I would like better. No one knows the "Process" better than Smart. I am a little nervous to "try" another approach I guess. Let me say this though, I do agree with him maybe leaving to get experience and returning when Saban leaves in a few years. I was just saying if Saban left this year I am not sure if Smart would be a bad hire.