South Bound & Down
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SEC Football: Former Saban assistants are taking over the SEC

By Abbey Giese

GAINESVILLE, FL - NOVEMBER 25: Head coach Jimbo Fisher of the Florida State Seminoles reacts during the game against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on November 25, 2017 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images)
GAINESVILLE, FL - NOVEMBER 25: Head coach Jimbo Fisher of the Florida State Seminoles reacts during the game against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on November 25, 2017 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images) /
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SEC football - Georgia Bulldogs football
(Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /

Kirby Smart

The Georgia Bulldogs hired Kirby Smart as head coach in 2015. Smart coached under Saban as a defensive coordinator at Alabama from 2008 until he left the Crimson Tide to become Georgia’s head coach. He also previously held assistant positions under Saban at LSU and with the Miami Dolphins.

Smart is probably Saban’s most accomplished former assistant so far. He has very quickly built a successful program at Georgia. This season, the Bulldogs won their first SEC Championship since 2005. This was also Georgia’s first time playing in the conference title game since 2012.

The Bulldogs have not won a national title since 1980, but they have a shot at one this year. In just two seasons, Smart has led the Bulldogs to their first appearance in the College Football Playoff semifinal.

Smart runs a program at Georgia that is extremely similar to Alabama’s. Both teams dominate their opponents with strong defense and the running game. Many fans and reporters have suggested that the Bulldogs have become the Alabama of the SEC East since Smart took over as head coach.

Although Smart is certainly not Nick Saban, he does seem to have the potential to build the same kind of elite program at Georgia that Saban has developed with the Crimson Tide.

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