SEC Football: The similarities between Saban and Smart

Recruiting

Both coaches have also been exceptionally successful with their recruiting classes in their early years with their respective teams.

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Alabama was not even in the top 10 in recruiting when Saban first came to Tuscaloosa. However, Saban brought the Crimson Tide all the way up to No. 3 in his second season at Alabama in 2008.

By Saban’s fifth season with the Crimson Tide, he had recruited the No. 1 class in the nation. Alabama has had the best recruiting class each season between 2011 and 2017.

Georgia’s recruiting class in Smart’s first season did land in the top 10. But they were still not in the top five. Just like Saban, Smart’s second recruiting class was the No. 3 class in the country. Smart’s recruiting class for this year is currently No. 1 in the nation.

Both coaches quickly improved the recruiting process with their teams in just a few seasons. They have convinced the top players in the country that their programs will produce championship contenders. With the talent that is pouring into both Georgia and Alabama and with these coaches’ abilities to develop their recruits, it seems as if the Bulldogs and the Crimson Tide will be the main two teams running the SEC for the next several seasons.